A review by astoriareader
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

dark emotional lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

SYNOPSIS:
  • The Allbright family, Ernt, Cora, & their thirteen-year-old daughter, Leni, are living in Seattle. It is 1975. Ernt has trouble holding a job & staying in one place too long. Cora & Ernt met when Cora was young, and she got pregnant when she was 16.
  • Ernt is a Vietnam war veteran & a POW with PTSD. He learns one of his comrades from the war left him some land in Alaska, and he decides to move the family out there. They leave everything behind, and head to Kaneq, Alaska. The small community helps the family settle in & prepare for the winter.
  • Ernt’s disposition worsens, exacerbated by alcohol & the harsh, dark months in Alaska. His textbook behavior is domestic violence, and Cora is textbook behavior of a DV victim.
  • The small community is a beacon of hope for Cora & Leni. The friendships they forge are integral parts of their lives, as isolation is dangerous in DV.

MY THOUGHTS
  • A gripping, compelling masterpiece
  • Deftly plotted + next level character development
  • Hannah is an expert at capturing the dual threats of living in Alaska as newcomers & living in a tumultuous household.
  • At the heart, this is Leni’s story. I loved the bond between Cora and Leni, as well as the heartbreaking depiction of the heavy burdens Leni carried. I was blown away by Leni’s countless, insurmountable challenges. There are aspects of finding herself & coming-of-age. 
  • The brutality of domestic abuse, both physical and emotional, make this book hard to read, but Leni’s innocence & Hannah’s writing make it impossible to put down. Hannah did a great job detailing the many struggles survivors face when leaving an abusive partner, and I appreciated that. 
  • This book will leave you feeling raw & a lot of ways.
  • I also really enjoyed Hannah’s descriptions of Alaska.
  • I loved Leni’s resilience, and I loved the other side characters, such as the Walkers, Large Marge, Thelma.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A gripping, compelling masterpiece about Leni, a teenager growing up in an unstable home in the harsh environment of Alaska.
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