Your Next Read | The Great Alone

What a beautiful story this was. It’s long, as many of Kristin Hannah’s books are. The book follows Leni Allbright, a girl whose family moves to the Alaskan bush to get away from from the dangers of growing up in the States, only to encounter dangers of another kind.

This is a story about modern American pioneers and how they can survive in the some of the harshest elements. The Great Alone follows the life of Leni Allbright. Leni is desperate to belong somewhere. Her father is a former POW, badly damaged by his time in captivity. Her mother Cora is passionately in love with her husband. So much that will follow him anywhere – including to a remote corner of Alaska. At first, Alaska seems to be a place where they can be happy. Days of endless sunshine, generosity and budding friendships with strong men and women all make the family feel like things can be different here.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s state of mind becomes more and more fragile. Soon, the wilderness and its dangers seem like a walk in the park compared to what brews inside the tiny cabin, and Leni and Cora discover what it means to be on their own.

I absolutely loved this story. I’ve read a two of her other books: The Nightingale, and Firefly Lane, and I loved them both. Hannah does such an incredible job writing her characters, with so much dimension. I found countless ways to connect with Leni, even though my life story is the complete opposite of hers. It is a pretty heavy read, but I did keep turning the pages.

xoxo

TW: violence, physical abuse, drowning