The Great Alone

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2018. 440 pages. *****

Ernt Allbright returns from the Vietnam War a broken man. A prisoner of war, he is a volatile man who can't seem to hold a job. When he loses yet another job and inherits property in Alaska, Ernt decides that a fresh start is just what he and his family needs.

Ernt, his wife Cora and 13 year old, Leni are ill-prepared for the hardships of the Alaskan frontier. Moving to a remote part of the state in a cabin without running water surrounded by wildlife and darkness does not relieve Leni's anxiety about her father's stability. Their nearest neighbors are survivalists preparing for Armageddon and help fuel Ernt's paranoia and insecurity. He takes out his frustration by beating Cora for imagined offenses.  Leni's escape from the endless daily chores and her father's wrath is attending school. There she makes her first true friend, Matthew. When the darkness of winter descends, the Albright’s are soon at the mercy of the townspeople and their generosity.

Hannah builds the tension in this story page by page. The reader knows something bad is coming, but not quite sure where the threat is coming from, who is the enemy?  I love how she writes and unfolds the drama to the point where I didn't want to put the book down but didn't want to find out what Ernt would do next. I found myself holding my breath and disappointed when once again Cora takes him back and refuses to press charges. Hannah has crafted a plot that is complex and takes on the uncomfortable subjects of PTSD, family violence, and spousal abuse. This unforgettable tale is also an emotional story of forgiveness, first love, and friendship. A must read, but you will need tissues for this one.

Kristin Hannah is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels. A former lawyer turned writer, she is the mother of one son and lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest.

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