Review: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It took me a bit to get into this novel (50-100 pages or so) but once I did, I was IN. The best part of this novel is Alaska – the place is as much a character as anyone else. And Hannah does an amazing job setting the scene and making Alaska come alive in all its glory. The Albright family is a train wreck waiting to happen and so the book moves along with a subtle darkness and suffocation because you know this isn’t heading to a happy place. The novel explores mental illness, PTSD, isolation, community and more. Leni is a wonderful character and I really enjoyed following her experiences. She really amazed me in so many ways throughout the novel. She has an inner strength that was refreshing to see. I don’t want to say much about one of the themes that the book explores because it contains a big spoiler but I will say that the family dynamics were handled very well in this novel. It was gripping and heartbreaking and I could not put it down. I love how Kristin Hannah’s work has developed over the last few novels. She does such a great job of telling a story with emotion and heart. And this book is exactly that – full of emotion and heart. It will make you feel … it even made me cry a few times. I highly recommend this one!

NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.