The Great Alone

 Kristin Hannah

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction

This is the third book I have read by Kristin Hannah. The Nightingale was a book I really enjoyed. The Great Alone is one of those books that just pulls you from the first page. It is intense and very emotional. The story is set in 1970s Alaska, with Alaska’s atmosphere acting not only as a background but also as a character that plays a dangerous role in shaping the destiny of the Allbright family.

The story is told from Leni Allbright’s perspective in a third-person narration style. Leni is a teenage girl trying to survive as her father, Ernt, starts to unravel. He is not psychologically stable due to being a Vietnam War veteran. Her mother, Cora, is deeply devoted to her dad in an unhealthy way. When the family moves to Alaska for a fresh start, they are faced by many challenges, and the isolation there somehow makes them closer. 

For me, the book really shines with its atmosphere. The author makes you feel the cold, isolation, and the endless darkness. It is all quiet, and both beauty and threat coexist! It is as if the land is there to teach them a lot and get them ready for more resilience, adaptability, and perhaps a little more stubbornness. 

The book spans from 1974 to 1986, and through these years, we experience Leni’s growth, which is again one of the strongest points of the book. We see how she transforms from a sheltered and hopeful character into a more self-aware person who is also more resilient to her surroundings. 

I can’t help but say that at times the book could be emotionally exhausting—especially the cycles that the father goes through. Vietnam War veterans being unstable and going through difficulties and sufferings is a trope that gets on my nerves. I’m done feeling sorry for aggressors! Crocodile tears do not work on me anymore. If we need to talk about something more and tell stories, they should be about the suffering of those families in Vietnam who had to go through the atrocities caused by these aggressors!

The second half depended a bit more on melodrama. That did not ruin the book for me, but it was enough to make me notice. I liked the first half much more, as the earlier chapters felt more grounded and less over-the-top.

Regardless of the cons, The Great Alone was still a solid read for me. I just loved the author’s writing, and if you ask me about the strongest character in the book, it will definitely be Alaska’s atmosphere. I give it a solid 4-star rating.  

Key Themes

• Isolation
• Survival
• Resilience
• Trauma
• Healing
• Forgiveness