The Great Alone- Kristin Hannah

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The Vietnam War made a lot of people lose their families, land, homes and their identities. The ones who became prisoner of war, most of them lost themselves in the lands they went to fight for their country. The way the Vietnam war changed several men is depicted through the character of Ernt Allbright in this moving piece. Being a prisoner of war made him something that he could not even accept he was, a monster.
The story starts with the small Lenora depicting her woes of listening to her cribbing parents all the time about how this place is also not working out for them and they have to move to another place all over again, start afresh. All she can think of how not to be the new kid in school all over again but nothing is in her hands.

Allbright has days on which he is the best father ever and on others he could be quite scary. A thirteen year old is not able to comprehend the fear in her mother’s eyes but with the years rolling she understands what it depicts. One day, Ernt gets a letter letting him know that his friend has left him a cottage in Alaska who had died in the war. This made him adamant to move to Alaska, and for him to feel happy Lenora and her mother Cora had to be part of his happiness.

This time they really hoped that Ernt will be happy and they won’t have to move again. The novel progresses with their settlement in Alaska, how Lenora and Cora adjust to the harsh weather and do everything they can to make the love of their life just happy again. As Ernt begins to feel at home and joyful, Lenora and her mother sigh a breath of relief. But they have been warned that the winter is not merciful here and as the day starts to shorten, Ernt behaviour starts to change. As if the dark brings out the worst in him.


Alaska makes Lenora think that this place will be their salvation. Their family will be at last, happy. But is this going to be the end of them? Will Ernt become the perfect father she always wanted? The twisted love between Cora and Ernt is sometimes just too much for Lenora to understand. The way Mama loves Dad, Lenora is sometimes disgusted and just sometimes astonished and finds herself entangled in this dark web of their love, being suffocated slowly and swiftly.

The novel explores the dynamics of how family stay together in the darkest of times, and in the brightest of days. How one person can make a family, or break it completely. It explores the darkest patches that were left on people like Ernt after the war was over and how it just changed them inside out. The concept of how much love becomes toxic, that it starts to make you hollow from inside is beautifully captured by Kristin Hannah. She has touched every string of emotion a spouse feels for their other half, even if the person is slowly fading away, the love never fades. The novel will make you cry, smile, shiver and shatter all through its course. I was gripping on to my kindle till I turned to the last page. But it could not beat the Nightingale for me. The novel is a little slow in the start but catches pace after a while and soars afterwards. I will give it an 8/10. Get your hands on it now!

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