Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown
At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.
In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature. (Summary and pic from goodreads.com)
My Review: I don’t know what it is about Kristin Hannah, but her
books are like all the cry emojis in the land. Seriously. This woman could rip
real tears out of a crocodile. But let’s back up.
I first picked this book up for two reasons: 1) Kristin
Hannah wrote one of my fave books of all time, The Nightingale. If you haven’t read it, you should go do that
right. Now. I’m serious. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I’m not
the only one who thinks that. Anyway, since I loved that book so much, I knew I
wanted to read her newest book, The Great
Alone. 2) I am fascinated with Alaska. I have been to Alaska once, but that
was when I was 14. That’s a completely other
story, as you might imagine, but I remember Alaska as being this wild place
that was nothing like I had ever seen before or have ever seen since. I went to Vancouver Island a few years ago, and although there were some similarities as far as landscape and wildlife and weather,
I’m telling you, Alaska was uniquely its own. My dad has told me many stories
about Alaska. Some of them are downright wild, some are scary, and some are
just…I don’t know. It’s a place unlike any other. I definitely plan on going
back there someday. So I was fascinated by this book because I am fascinated by
Alaska.
This book delivered in so many ways. First off—Kristin Hannah
is a fantastic writer. She is intelligent and deep and creates characters that
are realistic. They are flawed but also gifted, and although not all characters
are treated with the same flaws as others, they all have something that makes
them feel very real. The story also feels very real. It is so, so sad. I have
only read one other Hannah book, but it was also very, very sad, so I’m
thinking that’s a thing. Hannah has a way of taking reality and just making it
so, so real. Also, so, so tragic. Really. It’s almost too much to take at some
points. That’s how real life is, though, right? Sometimes life is so hard and
so sad and so tragic that it’s just more than we can take. I think Hannah does
a remarkable job of creating a reality that is real and heartbreaking and also
heartwarming. It’s quite the talent.
Hannah really drilled down on the Alaska part of this book.
Alaska was a living, breathing character. Possibly the main character,
actually. I love books that include places as a character. So much of who we
are—our jobs, the weather, the people, the homes, the lifestyle are created
because of the place we live. Alaska is such a place. The descriptions of the
people who lived there and the environment itself was so tangible that I can’t
think of this book without just imagining the cold Alaska winter nights and the
preparations for winter. It’s one thing to plan for winter by putting away
shorts and getting your sweaters out of their Tupperware under the bed. It’s an
entirely different thing to have to prepare for a winter that is
all-encompassing—there are no supplies if you don’t make them or hunt them or
fish them, and there is no one coming if you don’t prepare yourself. Man.
Alaska. Seriously.
The Great Alone
has a complexity that was handled beautifully by Hannah. There is a lot going
on in this book. Just when you think it’s about one thing, it becomes about
another thing. There were so many “things” at the end that you can’t help but
be impressed by the way that Hannah is able to handle and create such a nuanced
and complex story with so many layers. She’s an artist, really.
My Rating: 4 Stars
For the sensitive
reader: There is language and instances of abuse in this book, many of which
might be triggering, especially for women who have experienced domestic abuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment