The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 

How would you feel if suddenly you had to pack your bags and move to Alaska, with no knowledge of the terrain, necessary survival skills, or even what your house was going to look like. Unfortunately for 13 year old Leni, that was exactly what she had to do. Learning how to survive the harsh Alaska conditions while managing having an abusive father was not easy for Leni, but she always had her new friend, Mathew, to lean on. However, as winter struck, her father got worse and worse, leaving Leni and her mother feeling stuck. 

I’ve read another book by Kristin Hannah before and loved it, so when my mom recommended this one to me I was very excited. As you read the story, you grow up with Leni throughout her teen years into early adulthood, which is something that I’ve always loved in books. Being able to watch the character’s mind develop as they grow older is so interesting. The characters in the story were so lovable, making it impossible for me to put the book down. Some themes touched on in this book include dealing with abuse, family, survival, and love. Watching the love between Leni and Mathew grow from being friends at the age of 13 to something more throughout their teen years was my favorite part of the book, and the relationship between Leni and her mother was very beautiful as well. The story swayed a lot from being heartwarming to gut-wrenching, with multiple unexpected events occurring. This made the book fun and entertaining to read. The Great Alone was truly an amazing book with very well-written characters. Kristin Hannah knows exactly how to reach into your heart.