The Great Alone: From the multimillion copy bestselling author of The Women, The Nightingale and The Four Winds Paperback – 21 Dec. 2023

Kristin Hannah is quickly becoming my favourite author! I devoured this book in 48 hours and my gosh was it an emotional rollercoaster but not for the faint hearted!Set in Alaska, this is a coming of age story which follows the Allbright family on their move to Alaska and the challenges they face. Ernt Allbright is Vietnam veteran who came home a new man. Cora his wife and Leni his daughter are finding a way to navigate their way through this new life with a new version of Ernt.The setting of the story is a huge tick for me. I loved learning about life in Alaska, especially through the long hard winters. The way the community comes together to support each other is just wonderful. All of the characters in the story are so real and flawed, you can’t help but experience everything as if you’re living through it with them! The other massive tick for me were the relationships in the story. The love between a mother and daughter, the community, young love… it’s fabulous! Just make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading it. It can be a tough on at times!Kristin Hannah will never fail to make me sob and I’m here for it!

Loved this epic story - fascinating insight to life in Alaska and dealt with some gritty issues surrounding PTSD and the Vietnam war. The story was unpredictable and had some rich characters. Really enjoyed it.

Very good read, drew me in the more I read. Full of love, loyalty, despair, fear and community support. Jolly cold too.

This story was gut wrenching yet it touched my heart as the characters felt real. I have read two books by Kristin Hannah - The Four Winds and this one. Both for me have been quite the experience. There were emotional moments that broke my heart and parts that I found involuntary tears filling my eyes.We meet Ernt Allbright, he is a former military man who ended up as a prisoner of war. The war changed him and he returned with paranoia and could never hold down a job. We meet Cora Allbrighthis wife, to her Ernt is the love of her life and she would follow him to the ends of the earth. She is holding onto the person he was. Even though he is handy with his fists she continues to forgive him. Then we meet Lenora (aka Leni) Allbright their daughter. She is bright but is finding her place in life. She is 13 years old when they move to Alaska and is tired of being the new girl at school.When an opportunity arises for a fresh start in Alaska, they are totally unprepared as they come from a city. It is a complete culture shock but, one thing they had not prepared for were the winter seasons. These are the times that Ernt feels the most agitated and one word he does not like then his fists begin to fly. Cora keeps forgiving him but she is so caught up in her feelings that she fails to see the effect it is having on her daughter’s life.It is not long before Ernt alienates people and he is controlling and when Leni goes to school it is a completely different experience. She meets Matthew they strike up a great friendship with the possibility of more as she starts to grow up.There is a lot of trepidations as the beatings get worse. The community really welcome them but soon get the measure of Ernt.Over time there are very dark days ahead as we watch with horror at the toxicity of their household. Leni gets braver and stands up to her father…… what are the repercussions?…This book is like a gut punch at times but the range of characters often lighten the gloom and they form a tight-knit of support for each other.It’s not a book that I could read with distractions. I was totally immersed as the book paints a picture of the beautiful scenery. It also talks about the hidden dangers too. But it sounded like a place that is not for the faint hearted. As an added bonus Julia Whelan narrated the audio so I mainly read my kindle along with her wonderful performance.*Triggers -Domestic Abuse*

This is an amazing story and I cried buckets towards the end. Fascinating learning about life in Alaska and the very different love stories and friendships described in the book.One of the best books I’ve ever read.

Could not put this book down ,what a brilliant writer,I was in this story ,amazing ..on to the next book of kristin

It’s 1974.The Vietnam war is finally over.And 13 year old Leni’s dad, Ernt, is back home. Following Ernt’s arrival, Leni finds herself caught in the riptide of her parents’ tumultuous marriage; a silent spectator to her dad’s volatile temper.Her mama, Cora, insists Ernt is a good man. A loving husband and father simply battling the terrifying war flashbacks haunting his thoughts; making him lash out from time to time. Sure, dad is scary sometimes, but he loves mama and Leni to death.Desperate for a fresh start, Ernt decides to move his family to Alaska. Leni isn’t too sure, but mama will do anything for the man she loves; and, ever her mama’s loyal shadow, Leni will always do as she says, even if it may destroy them both.Alaska is an otherworldly place, with awe-inspiring beauty combined with a wilderness that is an unforgiving testing ground for all those whom dare make it their home. With the support of the small community who live nearby, Leni and her parents soon settle into this new way of Alaskan life.But, as the days get shorter and the nights longer, Ernt’s condition worsens; his outbursts become more frequent. While mother and daughter muster the strength to endure the unbearable, it’s not long before something eventually snaps.Kristin Hannah’s combination of elegant prose and detailed character development certainly made for an emotionally charged reading experience. Mama and Leni’s relationship in particular was beautifully crafted; celebrating the remarkable strength of women and the impenetrable bond between mother and daughter.Overall, a devastating character-driven tale with moments of beauty littered throughout. It’s definitely a slow-burn-type novel; one that is intended to be gently savoured. Would absolutely recommend if you’re looking for some impactful historical and/or domestic coming of age fiction!