The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 

Historical fiction is one of my most favorite genres and this book only confirmed why I love these kinds of stories. Yes, they are sometimes heartwrenching, and even though this is fiction, these books are based on events and subjects of things that actually happened or in some circumstances can happen.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah was heartbreaking but spectacular. Sounds very controversial, I know. We follow Ernt Allbright a former POW, his wife Cora and their 13 year old daughter, Leni. Ernt is having a really tough time being home after Vietnam, he is a completely changed man and his family is suffering for it. He can't keep a job and so he decides to move his family to Alaska, where they will try to build a new and better life. But Alaska is not for the fainthearted and luckily they meet a group of very generous people, who help them learn to survive this beautiful, but very challenging and dangerous new world. At first all appears well, Ernt is coping much better mentally, but as the winter in Alaska approaches and the days become shorter and the nights longer, everything starts to fall apart. Leni and her mother has to find a way to survive Ernt and Alaska.

Kristin Hannah's writing was...beautiful. She took me on a journey to Alaska and I could vividly see the scenery she described on every page of this book. But her writing also tore my heart apart, especially for little Leni, I felt so much anger towards the parents and I wished that I could protect her. I can go on a rampage, but then I will have to spoil the whole book and that is not my intention, so we will leave it at my angry emotions. Just when you think things can't get any worse, the author shows you that, yes, yes it can, and then she breaks your heart a little more. Finishing the last page of this book, you realize it was worth it all, because this is a great story.

Will this book find a spot on my shelves? I think you already know the answer...

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars!

P.S, if you are interested in reading this book, I would recommend you to look up trigger warnings.