During a serendipitous flight into Denver, a passenger recommended Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone. The story takes place in a remote area of Alaska. Still, nothing could have prepared me for the isolation and struggle for survival that thirteen-year-old Leni and her mother, Cora, suffered with her father.
One of my favorite techniques employed by the author was the inclusion of character nicknames, such as Large Marge, Crazy Pete, and Mad Earl. Easy-to-remember names add vividness and flavor to the narrative.
Leni’s father Ernt, a colorful, former POW from the travesty of the Vietnam War, liked to cuss. A few times, I had to stop the audio or speed-read past the scene in the paperback because I didn’t like hearing the Lord’s name spoken in vain. Despite the swearing, the story was so gut-wrenching that I had to find out which of the characters survived.
Hannah masterfully commands the storyline and makes me feel for all the characters, but especially Leni. If you can persevere through this emotionally challenging plot, you will understand what it feels like to overcome a massive obstacle and gain strength for tomorrow.
If you enjoy historical fiction and gut-wrenching novels, this might be the book for you. If you appreciate Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, Kristen Hannah’s The Women, The Nightingale, and The Four Winds, I think you will enjoy The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.
