What is there to say about The Great Alone that hasn't been said? Oh my heart. 
 It's 1974 and Leni Allbright's father Ernt is back from Vietnam, and he's not the same as when he went. Leni and mom Cora walk on eggshells around his dark moods and violent tendencies. 
 He inherits land and a ramshackle cabin in a remote corner of Alaska and doesn't hesitate to relocate his family, despite having no idea what life they're taking on.
 Life in Alaska is difficult, dangerous, unyielding. And it's the same in the Allbright house. 
 Kristin Hannah's writing takes you into the beautiful and bleak landscape, every chill and hazard painted to vivid reality. 
An appealing cast of characters rounds out Leni's experience as a teen and into adulthood in extraordinary circumstances. 
This is a story of trauma and tragedy, of opportunities and love.
 I received this book as a birthday gift last year and put off reading it for far too long. Was it the hype or the size that made me hold back?
 Regardless, don't make the same mistake. Do check this one out - recommended!