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A review by deagaric
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
"A lot of folks come here with cameras and dreams of a simpler life. But five out of every thousand Alaskans go missing every year. Just disappear. And most of the dreamers... well, they don't make it past the first winter."
Like other Kristin Hannah books I've read, this one found a hundred different ways to break my heart. It follows Lenora Allbright, a 13-year-old who moves from Seattle to a small town in Alaska in the 1970s when her father spontaneously inherits a property there. Her father is a Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war, who's severe PTSD makes it difficult for him to keep his temper or hold down a job, and her mother who is madly in love with him regardless of those faults.
Lenora and her parents are entirely unprepared for the Alaskan wilderness, and the first third of the book is beautifully written tale of survival and personal growth. That quickly changes as Lenora and her mother find that the long, dark Alaskan winter means that they are trapped in a small cabin with a patriarch who's stress response is violence. With a police station a boat ride away and neighbors acres apart, the book follows the Allbrights across 5 years of struggles with mental health, paranoia, domestic violence, and a star-crossed teen relationship.
Overall, I give the book a 4.75, rounded to 5. Would have been a 5+ read if it wasn't for the last few chapters that follow Lenora into her 20s. That part felt a bit soapy to me and some events felt avoidable and frustrating (seriously, Lenora is a college graduate by this point and really should know that a written confession to a police officer is more than just a "formality" ) Regardless, the first 430 pages are more than enough to have me round up even given the slightly shaky ending.
Some of the domestic violence in the book is explicit and hard to read, but the story is impactful and will stick with me. Beautiful, descriptive portrayal of the wonders and dangers of Alaska and the strength of the human spirit.
Like other Kristin Hannah books I've read, this one found a hundred different ways to break my heart. It follows Lenora Allbright, a 13-year-old who moves from Seattle to a small town in Alaska in the 1970s when her father spontaneously inherits a property there. Her father is a Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war, who's severe PTSD makes it difficult for him to keep his temper or hold down a job, and her mother who is madly in love with him regardless of those faults.
Lenora and her parents are entirely unprepared for the Alaskan wilderness, and the first third of the book is beautifully written tale of survival and personal growth. That quickly changes as Lenora and her mother find that the long, dark Alaskan winter means that they are trapped in a small cabin with a patriarch who's stress response is violence. With a police station a boat ride away and neighbors acres apart, the book follows the Allbrights across 5 years of struggles with mental health, paranoia, domestic violence, and a star-crossed teen relationship.
Overall, I give the book a 4.75, rounded to 5. Would have been a 5+ read if it wasn't for the last few chapters that follow Lenora into her 20s. That part felt a bit soapy to me and some events felt avoidable and frustrating (seriously,
Some of the domestic violence in the book is explicit and hard to read, but the story is impactful and will stick with me. Beautiful, descriptive portrayal of the wonders and dangers of Alaska and the strength of the human spirit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Murder, Mental illness, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Alcoholism
Minor: Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, and War