Haunting, devastating, and tragic. This is an enthralling novel that left my (very mixed) emotions upended. It’s a story about broken people and toxic love. It’s a story of survival- both physical and mental. And it’s a story about overcoming. 

Hannah masterfully created a diverse cast of multifaceted characters that draw on every possible emotion. I had a visceral hatred for Ernt and yet also felt deeply empathetic to his very real mental health challenges (which weren’t recognized in that timeframe). I was beyond frustrated at Cora for continuing to put Leni in abusive situations and also saw the trauma she faced as a victim.  And we watch Leni irrevocably changed as she grows up in an environment where you can’t thrash out the difference between love, hate, and fear. But my favorite of all was Large Marge. She was both a force to be reckoned with and a gentle teddy bear. I think her hugs wielded more power than the shotgun she carried. 

I also fell in love with the Alaska that Hannah expertly depicted... both devastatingly beautiful and wild. The weather and hardship and wildlife and breathtaking panoramas became like its own character. 

What didn’t work for me was the way loose ends were tied up too easily and quickly and somewhat implausibly at the end. After spending so much time creating a depth to this story, I felt Hannah shallowly concluded it.