Book Review and Giveaway: The Great Alone

By Melissa Amster

Alaska, 1974.
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 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. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

It's been three years since Kristin Hannah's previous novel, The Nightingale, came out. Three long years of waiting to see what she'd come up with next. I can assure you that The Great Alone was definitely worth the wait. I have one word for it: Epic.

I really didn't know what to expect from this novel. Truth be told, the concept of homesteading in Alaska was not what drew me to it as much as Kristin Hannah being the writer and the fact that a teenage girl was the narrator. However, I learned a lot of new things, including what an ulu is. (There's this funny video online that mentions it and I had no idea what they meant until now.) Even though I've never been to Alaska, it was easy to visualize through Kristin's writing. I can't imagine being in Leni's shoes (or Cora's for that matter), but I got some understanding about what Alaska really meant to them.

As a fair warning, there are some parts that are more disturbing and may be potential triggers to anyone who has experienced domestic violence. When Kristin writes about survival, she makes it raw and gritty. (If you read The Nightingale, then you know what she is capable of.)

Overall, The Great Alone is an incredibly powerful story that I can't stop thinking about or recommending.

I heard that there will be a movie sometime in the future. Hollywood, look no further...
Ernt: Jason Momoa
Cora: Evan Rachel Wood
Leni (teen): Ellie Darcey-Alden
Matthew (teen): Logan Shroyer
Tom: Eric Dane
Marge: Leslie Jones (She has the right personality for the role.)

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have TWO copies to give away!


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Giveaway ends February 18th at midnight EST.

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