Suzzie's Reviews > The Great Alone

This book was incredible! First and foremost, I love when books/tv/movies are based in Alaska because of the brutality and beauty of that state. Most of Alaska is a great example of how beautiful but dangerous Mother Nature is at her core. The main character, Leni, is an incredibly strong female lead who watches as her father struggles with the aftereffects of being a POW during the Vietnam War. This is such a devastating aspect of the story. We know today the effects to a person’s psyche war have and it is heartbreaking to see how changed this man is described because of his combat experience. Her family’s dramatic living takes on more drastic changes when the family goes off the grid in Alaska, leaving her home in Seattle. However, Leni really finds she belongs in her new surroundings. She falls in love, loses love, and becomes what can only be called a survivor to the extreme extent.

My quick and simple overall: amazing! I cannot believe how much goes on in 438 pages and the wide range of emotions as a reader you will feel, and also the multidimensional characters really add to this story.