The Great Alone

The Great Alone

 The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah’s new novel takes us into the lives of the Allbrights. Ernt, husband, father, and veteran recently returned from Viet Nam; Cora, loyal wife and mother; and their daughter, 13 year old Lenora (Leni) are a fragile family.

It is 1974 and Ernt has lost yet another job, and is angry at being tossed aside once more. Fed up with the way America is headed, he decides to move his family to Alaska to live off the grid, on some land left to him by an old army buddy. Both Cora and Leni are unsure about the move, but Cora will go anywhere and do anything for Ernt, and Leni dares to hope the move will make things better for all of them.

They arrive in Alaska ill-prepared for the harsh life they are taking on. Fortunately, the harsh Alaskan wilderness builds strong communities and their new neighbours help the Allbrights to settle in and to hunt, fish, and gather the needed resources for the coming  

   winter. Ernt, Cora and Leni make friends and join in the community, but Ernt’s paranoia   

   and unpredictability begin to overshadow Cora and Leni’s lives and he begins to isolate  

   them from the very people who can help them survive in the north.

  As the days grow shorter and darkness descends, Ernt’s demons grow stronger and Cora   and Leni realize the dangers they face are just as great inside their little cabin as outside in the wilderness. They are alone and will have to protect themselves from everything. 

This is a story of love, loss, and survival that pulls you into the wilderness with each chapter, one that you won’t want to leave once you start reading.