The Great Alone

About the book

In 1974, Ernt Allbright, a former POW struggling with untreated trauma, moves his wife Cora and thirteen-year-old daughter Leni to the remote Alaskan wilderness. Seeking a fresh start, the family settles in a community of homesteaders on the Kenai Peninsula. As the brief summer fades into a punishing black winter, Ernt’s mental state deteriorates alongside the dropping temperatures. Leni becomes the primary observer of her parents' volatile, obsessive marriage while learning to trap, garden, and survive in an environment that offers no safety net for human error or domestic violence.

This book serves readers of historical fiction who prioritize atmospheric realism and the psychology of isolation. It attracts those interested in the logistical challenges of off-grid survival and the cyclical nature of family trauma. Readers finish the story with an understanding of how extreme environments exacerbate internal instability and how a child’s loyalty shifts when forced to choose between parental devotion and self-preservation. It provides a detailed look at the 1970s back-to-the-land movement and the physical toll of living at the mercy of the elements.

Details

Published

2018

Publisher

St. Martin's Press

Language

EN