The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
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Web ID: 14352548Ratings & Reviews
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Heartbreakingly Sad And Hopeless
Overall, probably the most depressing book I have ever read. Every little hope for better never came to be, and just when you thought things couldn't get worse, they always did. Grandparents used and cast aside by such a "caring" main character. I would NOT recommend this book because it is a never ending downer. RUN . . .
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Six Star Read - Better than the hype
Kristin Hannah's The Great Alone stands as one of the most outstanding novels I have ever encountered in my reading experience. From the very first page, I was completely swept away by its raw beauty, emotional intensity, and unforgettable characters. This kind of novel stays with you beyond the last page because it creates a permanent impression on your heart. I usually read thrillers and find most other fiction difficult to pace - I know I’m late to the Kristin Hannah train and I was reluctant because sometimes authors and books are just severely overhyped. In this case, I don’t think the internet can be emphatic enough about how excellent Hannah’s writing is and how prolific her prose. The novel establishes its setting in Alaska's 1970s wilderness to portray the Allbright family especially Leni who navigates her parents' marriage problems alongside frontier life challenges. The author presents Alaska through stunning descriptions that showcase both its harsh and beautiful elements. The setting functions as a powerful force within the story by delivering risk alongside enchantment and complete solitude to the narrative. The emotional depth of The Great Alone makes it stand out from other novels. The characters exist so authentically in the story that I experienced every piece of their emotional pain and hope alongside their strength. Through her transformation from a shy, unknown girl to a strong young woman Leni demonstrates a powerful and heartbreaking growth. The author presents the reality of domestic abuse without compromise but maintains a constant narrative optimism. The author Kristin Hannah demonstrates an extraordinary talent for portraying the intricate connections between mothers and daughters in her storytelling. Her skillful exploration of love and trauma together with survival and healing appears as a masterpiece through her compassionate and clear writing. I read this on a plane and laughed and cried and enjoyed all of the moments. I can’t recall a time when a book made me feel this deeply.. The book should be recommended to all readers who appreciate emotional depth and stories about human strength during difficult times. Simply put, it’s a masterpiece.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Splay my heart and gather the pieces back again.
Kristin Hannah wrote tragedy and misery and abuse and threaded them all in hope and romance. I love tragic stories even if they break me. I cried non-stop for the second 50% of this book. Non.Stop. The first part was slow going, less action and more focus on Alaska. But when you realise that Kristin Hannah shared from first-hand experience about Alaskan life, community, and life there, you perceive things differently and appreciate the knowledge and personal aspects this book offers. On another note, this society is a patriarchal S-hole with a very rigged system. I am seriously crying writing this review now because of everything Leni and her mom went through and had to survive. Women carry more burden then they ever should. Magnificent story, amazing writing.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I think about this book daily
I envy people who haven’t read this book yet. It’s that good. What I would do to go back and read it again for the first time.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Book
My emotions were all over the place.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Terrible writing
The constant foreboding on everypage was such an annoyance. The story is so predictable. Don’t bother.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
SPEECHLESS
This book is a straight 20/20 it’s a book that you can’t put down but you don’t want to end all that the same time!! It’s captivating, alluring, toxic, beautiful, romantic, emotional, powerful, REAL. This book will put you through waves of emotions. Hands down my number 1 best book i ever read in my life !!!! My favorite author is Kirsten Hannah. This. Book. Is. Perfection!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
In Alaska you can make one mistake. Find out why?
“If you knew me, you wouldn’t be surprised at all that I start my college essay off with a quote from Tolkien. Books are the mile markers of my life. Some people have family photos or home movies to record their past, I’ve got books. Characters. For as long as I can remember, books have been my safe place. I read about places I can barely imagine and lose myself in journeys to foreign lands to save girls who didn’t know they were really princesses.” “The Great Alone,” is my third Kristen Hannah book ( The Four Winds, The Women). The overarching theme in Hannah’s books that I have read seems to be that of women who defy the odds and find inner strength as they come of age during a turbulent time in history. In the “Great Alone,” The protagonist “Leni,” narrates the storyline that in many ways parallels Hannah’s very own family experiences with the Alaskan frontier back in the 70’S. Hannah's descriptive writing style aids you to recognize Alaska as the last frontier. A State illustrating vast contrasts composed of infinite landscapes and blue sky, dense forests, undulating mountains, and a vast wilderness. Hannah’s Alaska becomes a character in the tale. It also exposes the maltreatment of Vietnam Veterans in a divided American society where after returning home many were left to deal with their trauma alone. This novel will immerse you in a specific world for the hours that you spend reading. But most importantly her storytelling will keep you engaged during shifting timelines and in more than one setting. You will also encounter lots of love in “The Great Alone: a mother’s love, a friend’s love, a family love, romantic love, and dysfunctional love. The characters created are believable and realistically populate Hannah’s vision of a child caught between a parent she loves and cannot abandon and a parent who claims to love her. “The Great Alone,” receives a solid 4-star rating. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Alaskan wilderness. Some plot twists took me by surprise before the ending. But the last few chapters of the novel seemed unrealistic and quite frankly rushed to come to a favorable finale. Having said that “The Great Alone,” is still a worthwhile read since it highlights the need for improvement in the areas of mental health and abuse.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com