The Great Alone
Score Modern
What it's about
Ernt Allbright comes home from Vietnam a changed and volatile man. After losing another job, he moves his wife, Cora, and thirteen-year-old daughter, Leni, to the Alaskan wilderness to live off the grid. At first the land and the tight-knit community seem like a fresh start. But as the long, dark winter sets in, Ernt's fragile state deteriorates, and Leni and her mother realize they're on their own.
Why it's worth reading
It spent four weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a sweeping survival story and a portrait of Alaska as vivid as any character.
You'll love it if you liked
The Nightingale, Where the Crawdads Sing or Educated: A Memoir
Good to know
It deals with domestic violence in detail. It's long but moves fast, and it has a romance at its center.
Quick answers
Is The Great Alone worth reading?
Yes. It spent four weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #246 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Great Alone about?
Ernt Allbright comes home from Vietnam a changed and volatile man. After losing another job, he moves his wife, Cora, and thirteen-year-old daughter, Leni, to the Alaskan wilderness to live off the grid. At first the land and the tight-knit community seem like a fresh start. But as the long, dark winter sets in, Ernt's fragile state deteriorates, and Leni and her mother realize they're on their own.
How long does it take to read The Great Alone?
About 11 hours (449 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Great Alone?
If you liked it, try The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens or Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller79 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
#1 New York Times bestseller (4 weeks at #1).
Where it ranks
- #26 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #124 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #246 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- #1 New York Times bestseller (4 weeks at #1)
- 45 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2018
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving, Uplifting
More by Kristin Hannah
The Women
The Four Winds
Home Front
