Review: The Great Alone

This novel is, quite simply, a work of art. And like most great art, it is supremely confronting and will divide its audience. I enjoyed it, but that’s not the right word. It is probably more accurate to say I stayed with it, felt all the feels and was better for it. Find below my (subjective as always) review of The Great Alone.

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Author: Kristin Hannah

Genre: Literary

Page count: 440

My rating: 5/5

 

The Blurb:

Cora Allbright and her husband, Ernt – a recently returned Vietnam veteran scarred by the war – uproot their thirteen-year-old daughter, Leni, to start a new life in Alaska. Utterly unprepared for the weather and the isolation, but welcomed by the close-knit community, they fight to build a home in this harsh, beautiful wilderness.

The book is written from the point of view of Leni, who has been uprooted many times in her short life. The only two constants have been reading and her mother. The book starts when she is thirteen years old; an awkward teenager moving to yet another new place. The move to Alaska was going to be a fresh start for the family.

Leni’s father makes it his life mission to teach the women to be self-sufficient and tough. He is unpredictable though, and Leni finds a welcome escape in school and her friendship with a boy in her class.

As the seasons pass, it becomes more and more obvious that the winter will be tougher than any of them realize. The community, a cast of loveable strong females among the rugged Alaskans, warn them repeatedly that “it’s not like any winter you’ve ever experienced.”

 

The Verdict:

This is the latest book from Kristin Hannah, who has written over twenty books but is most famous for The Nightingale, so I had high expectations for a start. However, this book completely surpassed what I thought it was going to be. I read this pretty quickly as I had to find out what happened to poor Leni.

The story is firmly intertwined in the beautiful but harsh settings, as the author paints the changing landscapes through the seasons. Leni certainly has it tough as the long, dark winter brings danger and death to their little farmlet. The four walls of their primitive cabin become the backdrop for charged and explosive scenes, as Leni feels trapped between her parents’ passionate, yet disturbing relationship the predators and risky climate outside. Be aware that this is written in a gritty, detailed style and it doesn’t gloss over the uncomfortable.

This is a dark story, like Wuthering Heights level of dark. It reminds us that all families are different and we have no idea what stories people have inside them. Yet it is hopeful too, if you as the reader are strong enough to stay with Leni on her journey. I loved the way Leni develops through the story, becoming a player in her own life instead of an observer. As she discovers love and sex, she learns more about herself and her family relationships. Her story is one of strength and resilience, in spite of her roots.

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Read this if you like strong women, homesteading / survival stories.