Book Review: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone is a well written story about finding yourself. When we’re faced with trauma and difficult decisions, we have to make choices for ourselves and Those around us. Sometimes those choices are capstone ‘s in our lives.

We are introduced to the three main characters: Leni and her mother and father. Her father fought in the Vietnam war and was taken prisoner. He suffered horrible torture and returned to his family as a different man. As they are struggling to find ways to keep their family together, one of the fathers war buddies has died and left them his house in Alaska.

The family immediately makes preparations and heads off for the wilds of Alaska. Once there, the new surroundings and freedom start to eat away at the sanity that remains for the father. He becomes more and more dangerous to those around him, including his own family.

Leni has had to endure some of the most tragic experiences a child should have to suffer through. She managed to not only survive the wilds of Alaska, but to truly learn what makes her happy and to build a life for herself.

I enjoyed following the story of Leni and her family as they left everything behind and moved to Alaska, they wanted to find some peace and quiet away from everything. In doing so, they realized the truth behind the horrors they were to face with the damaged mind of their Vietnam veteran father. Fighting for their life, they find truth in who and what they think they are. I read this book in a matter of days, it hit home for me in ways that other books come close to but never quite reach. Having been faced with my own difficult decisions, I also have paved a new life for myself.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to read about adventure, the trials of family dynamics, and self development. It masterfully hits all of these topics and many more!