Hello everyone,
I am so happy to bring you my review for this stunning book.
Alaska hasn’t really been anywhere on my Bucket List, but a visit may just have been added to it now after reading this piece of fabulousness.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alaska Stars
The Blurb
Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown
At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.
In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alaska Stars
This book bought out ALL of the feels from me, I have read a few by this author, so I knew i liked her writing style, and this one blew me away!
Told through the eyes of our protagonist Lemi, we see her growing up in a household with her and her parents.
Her father was an ex POW from Vietnam, and has PTSD although in those days (1974) this had not been recognised or diagnosed yet.
Her mother was kind, sweet and always looking to make her husband happy…ALWAYS!
The rule in the house was basically, if your father is happy, then we’ll all be happy, and unfortunately, this means jumping from place to place, running from bills and creditors, and starting new schools.
Lemi doesn’t really see the bad side of the marriage, her parents manage to keep that part quiet, but she does hear the fighting, and the breaking of things, and her mother telling her that she is just clumsy and walked into a door!
The dark days really seem to set her father off, his moods change, and so does his temper.
One day when he comes home to tell them that one of his old Vietnam buddies has left him some land in Alaska and they can go and live off of the land and finally be happy, Lemi doesn’t really want to leave another school, but what makes Dad happy…….
He says that this will be the making of them, that they can be really happy there, and she believes him.
After moving there with practically nothing with them, the “cabin” (read that as shack) proves, at the beginning to be just what the family needed, and they are all so happy.
The locals are wonderful and all help them out, and Lemi finally finds somewhere where she belongs.
Until Alaska decides otherwise!
You see, for 6 months of the year, Alaska is in perpetual darkness, constant night time, Dads drinking gets the better of him, and his jealousy towards one of the locals is a recipe for disaster!
There was so much more in the book I could gush about, I could practically close my eyes and see everything the author wrote, it was such a wonderful story.
🎧🎧 Narrated by the always amazing, and one of my favourite voices, Julia Whelan, who brought every character to life, her narration was just perfect, and I can’t think of a better person to narrate this wonderful book.
Definitely save a credit for this one guys, it’s a Feeler 😥😭
Vicci x
Grab your copy here:
Berit Talks Books 