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A look through my library activity shows that I attempted to read or listen to The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah four times before it stuck. This is of no fault of Hannah and her coming-of-age story of a girl adapting to life in Alaska in the seventies with a set of troubled parents. I tell you this merely to say Don’t be like me. Read The Great Alone the first chance you get. I read it on the fifth chance I got and I regret not making time for it earlier.
Summary of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Leni Allbright is the teenage daughter of Ernt, a Vietnam war veteran, and Cora, his young, doting wife. Cora will follow Ernt anywhere and so the family uproots their meager lives in suburban Seattle and settle on inherited land in the fictional town of Kaneq, Alaska. The story follows the family from Leni’s perspective as they arrive, learn to survive in the Alaskan bush, and interact with their new community. It is a story of mental health issues relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, co-dependency, and domestic violence.
Setting
The fictional coastal town of Kaneq, Alaska is the setting of The Great Alone. The location is near the real city of Homer, Alaska. Kaneq is accessible mainly by ferry or airplane, adding the element of isolation.
The time period begins in 1974 when the family arrives in Kaneq and follows their lives there until the conclusion in the late 1980s and possibly early 1990s (I have since returned the book to the library so I can’t say for sure). In 1974, the Vietnam war was still going on and the social climate of the United States was volatile. Real events referenced in the story have an impact on the states of mind of the characters, including the Patty Hearst kidnapping and the Watergate scandal.
Characters
- Leni Allbright – Teenager. Only-child of Ernt and Cora. Loves reading and photography.
- Cora Allbright – Thirties. Mother of Leni, wife of Ernt. Devoted to Ernt, with whom she is in a co-dependent relationship. Became estranged from her parents when she ran off with Ernt as a pregnant teenager.
- Ernt Allbright – Forties. Father of Leni, husband of Cora. Returned from the Vietnam War, where he spent years as a POW, with PTSD (widely unknown at the time).
- Matthew Walker – Teenager. Friend and classmate of Leni.
- Important Neighbors:
- Large Marge
- Mad Earl Harlan
- Tom Walker
- Geneva Walker
- Harlan Family
Themes of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
The theme of dark and light lingers throughout the story. The physical representation appears because of the geographic location. Alaska has long periods of daylight during the summer and darkness in the winter. This stark contrast affects peoples’ mental states, a point that is mentioned throughout the book.
The title The Great Alone is derived from a Robert Service poem. Hannah references Service’s poetry heavily in the story. The title alludes to isolation created by geography as well as what it is like to be a victim of physical and emotional abuse. Abusers prefer to isolate their victims to keep them powerless against them.
Mental health is an overarching theme in The Great Alone. The phenomenon of PTSD — as it is now known — is the ground work for the plot. Co-dependency in victims of abuse plays a large role in the events of the story as well.
Review of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Four Stars. I recommend The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.
When I finally made time to commit to reading it, I read The Great Alone in 2 days. The only reason it is not a favorite is because some of the events and relationships were a little too convenient. I enjoyed learning about the Alaskan wilderness. I was pleasantly surprised by a few plot points that I was sure would go in a different direction. The arcs of both the protagonist and the antagonist were fully developed, though I did feel the antagonist’s arc ended a bit too abruptly.
Books Like The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Looking for suggestions on what to read next after The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah? Here are some titles you might enjoy:
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent
A coming-of-age story of a teenage girl with similar themes of isolation, wilderness, survival, and abuse. This one is darker than The Great Alone and the content is harder to read because of that, however it’s definitely worth the read.
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
Another coming-of-age story of a teenage girl, with (you guessed it) themes of isolation, wilderness, and a hint of abuse. This one is all character development and I don’t consider it a page-turner since it’s not very plot-based.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Historical fiction set in World War II France. This one is on this list merely because it is a celebrated work by the same author as The Great Alone.
What did you think about The Great Alone? Do you have any suggestions on similar books I should add to my TBR (to be read) list? Let’s continue the discussion in the Facebook group!