The Great Alone is an audiobook by Kristin Hannah, narrated by Julia Whelan. The unabridged Audible edition runs 15 hrs 3 mins.
Publisher’s Summary
The #1 New York Times bestseller from Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of The Nightingale.
This program is read by acclaimed narrator Julia Whelan, whose enchanting voice brought Gone Girl and Fates and Furies to life. Kristin Hannah reads the acknowledgements.
Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.
At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.
In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night audiobook about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.
Praise for The Great Alone:
“Listeners, beware: You won’t want to stop listening to narrator Julia Whelan’s performance of this complex story of survival and family…With pitch-perfect timing and a touch of drama, Whelan exquisitely builds the tension, creating an enveloping atmosphere of foreboding that’s difficult to turn away from…a don’t miss audiobook experience.” —AudioFile
“Reliably alluring…The Great Alone is packed with rapturous descriptions of Alaskan scenery… Hannah remembers and summons an undeveloped wilderness, describing a gloriously pristine region in the days before cruise ships discovered it.” —The New York Times Daily Review
“Kristin Hannah’s new novel makes Alaska sound equally gorgeous and treacherous — a glistening realm that lures folks into the wild and then kills them there.” —The Washington Post
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 15 hrs 3 mins
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Release year: 2018
- Audible category: Literature & Fiction / Genre Fiction / Family Life
Listener Ratings
The Great Alone holds an average listener rating of 4.7/5 from 60515 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.8/5
- Story: 4.7/5
- 5-star ratings: 78% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
4/5 stars — “TH GREAT ALONE”
It took awhile for me to get really interested in this book. It was not until approximately chapter ten when it started to peak my interest. I don’t know if it was the subject of domestic violence, which usually isn’t a problem for me, but the author writes about this subject to the point where at times I needed to put this down. The father comes home with PTSD after being a POW who has witnessed such atrocities from the war and his family ends up being the victims of his anger. Unfortunately, at the time PTSD wasn’t recognized, besides the fact of being treated for it. However, don’t let this get you down, the author still grabs you with
her descriptions of the area, and the subplots are good, yet
predictable.As always the ending was pleasant and
rewarding.— ZacharyKindle Customer, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “epic must read”
I give lots of Audible reads five stars, usually because I love them and giving a book a three or four doesn’t seem fair if I really liked it. This book would get six stars! It is an epic tale and I never could predict what would come next. The performance by Julia Whelan is spot on! It will be added to the list of unforgettable favorites!!!— Di RS, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “One of the best “
I have listened to audible books for several years. I have a few books that I would call great. This is certainly one of them. This book grabs you from the beginning and hold on till the end. Only a few times did I think “too many downers”. However, I was totally hooked till the end.— Ellen, Audible listener
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