The Great Alone in Retro Chapter Chicks

Jun 24, 2021 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, botm, machalo-tbr-challenge-2021, hardback-own, beautiful-cover

I loved this book so much!! Thank you for helping me through my book slump. The slump isn’t over, but I was happy with book! Damn near broke my heart, but still…

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 ...more

150 likes · Like · see review

Oct 19, 2018 Book Concierge rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: concierge, strong-women, library, alaska, audio, book-club, nature, abuse

Book on CD performed by Julia Whelan
2.5**

Ernt Allbright is a damaged man; a former Vietnam POW he is prone to fits of anger and depression. When one of his fellow POWs dies, he wills his land in Alaska to Ernt. So Allbright takes his wife, Cora, and 13-year-old daughter, Leni, to a remote village on Alaska’s Kenai peninsula, accessible only by plane or boat to homestead the land he has inherited. They are woefully unprepared, though optimistic and not afraid of hard work, and the local residen Book on CD performed by Julia Whelan
2.5**

Ernt Allbright is a damaged man; a former Vietnam POW he is prone to fits of anger and depression. When one of his fellow POWs dies, he wills his land in Alaska to Ernt. So Allbright takes his wife, Cora, and 13-year-old daughter, Leni, to a remote village on Alaska’s Kenai peninsula, accessible only by plane or boat to homestead the land he has inherited. They are woefully unprepared, though optimistic and not afraid of hard work, and the local residents of Kaneq welcome them and rally to help them survive their first winter. But Ernt can’t accept help without rancor. He’s offended that people think him unprepared, and is likely as not to accuse anyone offering help of thinking him incompetent. He’s angry that a “rich man thinks he can buy my friendship” by offering the use of his tractor to help clear the land. He’s certain that the government is out to get him and he’s determined to show that he needs no one, and his family doesn’t either. As winter approaches and the hours of daylight diminish, Ernt’s depression worsens, as does his tendency to violent outbursts.

I was engaged and interested in the story from the beginning, but … I quickly grew tired of Cora’s constant excuses for her sorry husband. She seemed to never take seriously the signs that he was a danger to her … and to their child! I found myself yelling at the CD player over and over as she and Leni made one poor decision after another. I could perhaps forgive Leni, who was a teenager after all, but I never could forgive Cora. Yes, I know that women who are abused frequently feel powerless and unable to extricate themselves from the abusive relationship. Yes, I know that even when there are children involved, many such women stick with their abusers (and that time after time, abused children want to be reunited with the parent who has been abusing them). I know this reality, but I don’t have to like it. And in this novel, it irritated me no end.

Additionally, I thought that what happens to Matthew was manipulative on the author’s part, trying to force tears and heartache on the part of the reader (not successfully in my case). And I thought the ending was far too pat and neatly tied up in a pretty rainbow.

On the plus side, I really did enjoy the depictions of the majestic natural beauty of Alaska. This is set in the mid- to late-1970s, before all the cruise ships brought thousands of tourists every summer. I liked the self-sufficiency of many of the characters, and particularly liked the strong women of the community – Large Marge, Geneva Walker, Natalie Watkins and Thelma Schill.

Julia Whelan does a fine job performing the audio version. She has a gift for voices and makes these characters come to life. I particularly like the way she voiced Cora, Large Marge, Ernt and Tom Walker. Too bad she didn’t have better material to work with.
...more

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May 08, 2018 Celia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: states, recommended-read, fav-authors, 2018-read

And to think I almost did not finish this book.....

Over the last three weeks I have journeyed with Cora, Leni and Ernt Allbright as they left Seattle for a better life in Alaska. It took me that long to listen to the 12 CD disks of the book on the CD player in my car.

Ernt had lost yet another job so took his family to the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska to make a fresh start. The family was in no way prepared for the harsh life lived in the extreme conditions of the area. The inhabitants of the small ...more

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Sep 27, 2018 Tasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites-2018

I am raw. This book took me on a powerful, emotional journey. Not only that, but she gave me glimpse into Alaska that I'll never experience on my own. Kristin Hannah has talent and I'll read her next book without hesitation. ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Jul 21, 2019 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, historical-fiction, america, elibrary, war, 1970s, violence-against-women, mental-health, vietnam-war, traveling-friends

RATING: 3.5 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)

The Great Alone is my second book by Kristin Hannah and it will not be my last. Hannah's writing reminds me of a mix of Jodi Picoult and Nora Roberts. The first novel I read was a contemporary domestic suspense, while this one is set in the 1970s. Hannah is an author that is able to take a reader to a time and place. At times the novel does ramble, and could use some editing, but overall I was engaged with Leni and her life in Alaska. I think Hannah handled E ...more

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May 20, 2018 Lory Sakay rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club-reads

This was a good story about how environment and community can foster resilience and love. Alaska played a protagonist in this book and although it's known for it's rugged terrain, harshness, and isolation The Great Alone shows us another side: it's beauty, unworldliness, and sense of community. The story of the Albrights is heightened by Alaska. They learn how to tame the climate and demands of Alaska but, alas, Alaska is unable to tame the gravity of their dysfunction. Despite the unraveling of ...more

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Oct 31, 2021 Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Schu rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction

The Great Alone is a story of love, family, and survival. In the Alaskan wilderness, the Allbright family struggles to survive the harsh reality of Alaskan life. Each member of the family learns, with the help of their neighbors, how to forge for themselves and protect their own. There is a darkness in this story that mirrors the dark days of Alaskan winters and the darkness within Ernt Allbright, a Vietnam POW & the abusive patriarch of the family. In The Great Alone, Hannah creates rich and we ...more

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Mar 25, 2018 Maureen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book begins in 1974. It is about a POW and his family and how they had to deal with the POW’s emotional problems after his service in Viet Nam At that time our veterans did not get the respect that they deserved, nor did they get the medical attention that they needed. This is the story how one family who loved themselves dearly had to deal with this. The family moves to Alaska after Ernt is left property by a fellow soldier. Life in Alaska is very hard and they hardly prepared for the wint ...more

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Aug 16, 2025 Sarah Brown rated it it was amazing

well this. was wonderful. beautiful imagery. of the Alaskan. wilderness. leni and. matthew were my favorite. characters, but all of. them felt like. I knew them. even if I did. not want to.

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Jan 04, 2024 ˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜ rated it liked it

Shelves: group-read-mystery, rtc2024-challenge

The writing in this book flows nicely. I’ve never been to Alaska, but the descriptions written here make it seem a beautiful place. But after saying that, I do think there was a lot of description that took up space which didn’t move the story forward.

As far as the story, I do think that spousal abuse happens at this magnitude, and I do think that spouses stay in these situations way too long. The abuser in this story is mentally ill, meaning maybe he doesn’t realize or can’t control what he do ...more

1 like · Like · see review