This wasn't one of those Kristin Hannah books that immediately jumped into my list of favorites. I've read several of her novels that affected me more deeply. Even so, I don't regret spending time with this one.
What I remember most is Alaska. Not because of the scenery, but because I kept thinking, "I could never do this." The long winters, the isolation, the constant preparation just to make it through another season... it made my everyday problems seem pretty minor. Life there felt hard in a way that's difficult to imagine if you've never experienced it.
My heart hurt for Leni. She spent so much of the book trying to make sense of the adults around her and adapt to situations that would overwhelm most people. More than once I wished someone would simply put her first.
This is not a comfortable story. There were scenes that made me angry, scenes that made me sad, and a few that had me wishing the characters would make different choices. People don't always do the sensible thing, though, and that's part of what made them feel real.
I did think the book was longer than it needed to be in places. There were moments when I was ready for the story to move ahead. Still, I wanted to see how things would turn out for Leni, and she was the reason I stayed emotionally connected to the book.
While this isn't one of my top three Kristin Hannah books, I can completely understand why so many readers love it. For me, Leni's story was the heart of the novel, and she's the character I was still thinking about after I closed the book.
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