Hey there, bookworms! Happy Sunday!
It’s been a little bit since I’ve gotten the chance to jump on here, and I apologize. Work is chaos and I’ve been doing a handful of projects that are taking up most of my time at both the office and at home, and on top of that, there was Thanksgiving and now the rush of the holiday season. I feel like I’ve been going a million miles an hour lately and juggling a ton of things that took away time from reading, the blog, and my own writing. NaNoWriMo ended and rather than hit that 50k word goal, I barely made it past 15k which is super frustrating. I do plan to keep writing, obviously, and finishing my book one of these days, but lately, time hasn’t been on my side. Hopefully, once the craziness of the holidays slows down, I can get back to it all.
Anyway, I wanted to stop in and bring you guys a book review. It was our November book club pick and I got to listen to it at the office while I was doing work this past month. I know I have August, September, and October’s book club picks still to review, but this one is just lingering with me so I have to talk about it. Let’s discuss The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah!
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 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.
This is the second book of Hannah’s I’ve read. After I finished The Nightingale awhile back, I went a bit crazy and went on a spree in Barnes & Noble to grab up a copy of every book of hers they had. When her latest released, I went and scooped it up and made it part of our book club. It did not disappoint!
Kristin tells a fantastic and captivating story. Her writing is stunning and her characters always seem to be so multi-faceted, I love turning the page (or listening) to learn more and see where things would go.
This story had it all; adventure, heartbreak, love, devotion, survival, friends, community, drama, and more. I loved the transformation of the Albright family from beginning-to-end of this crazy, dark tale.
Alaska is the last frontier, and that becomes abundantly clear when Leni and her mother have to do what’s best the ensure their survival and make it through a bitter winter, safe from Ernt, the angry and violent patriarch of their small and isolated family.
This book had some hard lessons and some twisted moments, but what I admired most of all was the love story sprinkled throughout these pages. It comes in multiple shapes and forms, and it’s really powerful. There’s romantic love, an unconditional love between mother and child, love of the land, and the love and strength that comes from a powerful community of friends and neighbors.
The Great Alone is heartbreaking, beautiful, wild, intense, and emotional, and I really enjoyed every moment with the characters, the scenery, and how they came together in this gorgeous book.
This is yet another fantastic Hannah read and I can’t wait to enjoy more from her. If you haven’t read this book yet. I highly recommend that you do.
My Final Rating: five out of five stars
