“The Great Alone” By Kristin Hannah

When I think about what I love to read, the words wilderness, survival, domestic violence and Alaska do not immediately jump to mind. However, I loved Kristin Hannah’s book “The Nightingale,” and a friend thought I would enjoy “The Great Alone,” as well. This book introduces the Allbright family in 1974, as they leave Seattle and move to the small town of Kaneq in Alaska in order to claim property left to the father, Ernt, by an old Army buddy. As they begin their journey, Ernt, his wife Cora and 13-year-old daughter, Leni are excited for a new start in a new state, but unfortunately Ernt’s post-traumatic stress from the Vietnam war manifests itself in consistent abusive behavior toward both mother and daughter. It is challenging not to make this plot sound grim, but there is plenty of light shining through the characters and the story line of this novel. What happens to the family in Kaneq is almost fairytale like. The quirky and loveable members of the small town, with names like Large Marge, Genny, Mad Earl, Tica, Tom and Matthew – band together to help protect the mother and daughter from the mentally ill Ernt. At the center of this book is the coming of age story of the young daughter, Leni, who falls in love and learns to protect herself at the same time (which is exactly the type of story I love to read—love, strength and personal growth). There is a lot to admire within the wilderness of this book, woven together so beautifully by Hannah.