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#alaska
We don't always have to travel thousands of miles away from home to find ourselves, but sometimes... Sometimes all we need is to put our gadgets on the shelf and open our eyes to what really goes on around us. Aaron Park says Alaska won't turn people into what they're not, and whoever thinks otherwise is delusional. Léna doesn't agree. If Aaron is right, does that mean that she's always had the qualities she thinks she acquired in Alaska? You decide.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2015
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 16, 2017
I read this book purely to help out a fellow struggling author I'd encountered on Instagram. Knowing nothing about what kind of writer she was or even what the book was about, I purchased a copy and read it, not really expecting much. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. #alaska is a brittle, brash, punchy, modern roller coaster of a read, that take us on a journey that is as much emotional and spiritual as it is physical, from Hungary to Alaska and back again. The main protagonist, Lena Szabo, is a young Hungarian woman who has been conducting an online romance with the seemingly perfect Jason from Alaska, and decides to blow all her savings on a trip to "surprise" him on his birthday. A decision that had me, and I am sure every other slightly more mature woman in the world, shaking their heads in disbelief. When she reaches Alaska and discovers Jason is a two-timing, lying scum bucket she is forced to seek the help of local, eccentric vet, Aaron, becoming his temporary assistant for the short time she has in Alaska.
The plot of the book is almost childishly simple. Girl loves man. Man betrays girl. Girl meets another man. Falls for other man. After misunderstandings caused by not communicating with each other, they part. Book has happy ending as they reconcile. Yet that is the whole point of the novel, in that life itself is sometimes frightening simple and it is only people, difficult, confusing people and their messy emotions that make it complicated. I felt this was one of the novel's main strengths, that the author cleverly didn't make the plot too complex, but concentrated instead on the richness of her characters as they interacted and reacted with each other.
The main character, Lena, was one I found a little hard to understand, as at first she seems directionless, always having to have an external goal to give her life purpose - her goal to go to Alaska, her goal to organise Aaron's home and life, her goal to save his dogs from extermination at the hands of his embittered neighbour, but, as I got deeper into the book, so did her character open up and reveal itself to me and I liked that. That sense of getting to understand her better the longer I knew her, just as in real life. Yes, she is brash and bratty, self-focused and social media obsessed, just like most modern youngsters, but there was so much more to her. Her instant bond with Aaron's pack of dogs, her connection with the Alaskan countryside, her broad and eclectic reading tastes all serve to make her very three dimensional, a true child of her age.
I understand from the forward that the author, N. Grayling, is from Hungary herself and only learnt English in her teens. That English is her second language was obvious from her writing style, the language she uses and the way she constructs her sentences. Normally, imprecise grammar bothers me immensely in a novel, here it didn't, and, when I tried to analyze why, I realised it was because as Lena herself was Hungarian with English her second language, I expected her way of talking to be slightly off-kilter, almost as if the words themselves were transmitting her accent off the page. Yes, the writing is sometimes clunky and jars, but then so does Lena herself, so it fits perfectly with how you would expect her character to act and communicate.
Overall, #alaska is an accomplished debut novel, one I would recommend and I look forward to the sequel.
The plot of the book is almost childishly simple. Girl loves man. Man betrays girl. Girl meets another man. Falls for other man. After misunderstandings caused by not communicating with each other, they part. Book has happy ending as they reconcile. Yet that is the whole point of the novel, in that life itself is sometimes frightening simple and it is only people, difficult, confusing people and their messy emotions that make it complicated. I felt this was one of the novel's main strengths, that the author cleverly didn't make the plot too complex, but concentrated instead on the richness of her characters as they interacted and reacted with each other.
The main character, Lena, was one I found a little hard to understand, as at first she seems directionless, always having to have an external goal to give her life purpose - her goal to go to Alaska, her goal to organise Aaron's home and life, her goal to save his dogs from extermination at the hands of his embittered neighbour, but, as I got deeper into the book, so did her character open up and reveal itself to me and I liked that. That sense of getting to understand her better the longer I knew her, just as in real life. Yes, she is brash and bratty, self-focused and social media obsessed, just like most modern youngsters, but there was so much more to her. Her instant bond with Aaron's pack of dogs, her connection with the Alaskan countryside, her broad and eclectic reading tastes all serve to make her very three dimensional, a true child of her age.
I understand from the forward that the author, N. Grayling, is from Hungary herself and only learnt English in her teens. That English is her second language was obvious from her writing style, the language she uses and the way she constructs her sentences. Normally, imprecise grammar bothers me immensely in a novel, here it didn't, and, when I tried to analyze why, I realised it was because as Lena herself was Hungarian with English her second language, I expected her way of talking to be slightly off-kilter, almost as if the words themselves were transmitting her accent off the page. Yes, the writing is sometimes clunky and jars, but then so does Lena herself, so it fits perfectly with how you would expect her character to act and communicate.
Overall, #alaska is an accomplished debut novel, one I would recommend and I look forward to the sequel.
December 17, 2015
"We, people, are so engaged in climbing up every ladder that we tend to forget how easy it is to fall down." This book is the debut novel from Natali Grayling. I have been following the author on instagram for a few months and seeing her passion for her creation really intrigued me. I wanted to know more about the book and as I continued to see her updates the book became more interesting to me. The setting is Alaska, a place I feel has true beauty and would love to see someday. Then the author posted some books she was reading, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, a book I enjoyed as well. Anyway I had to pick up her book and I was not disappointed.
The book is new adult and it follows a young woman named Lena who is from Hungary. She is fascinated by Alaska and often looks up pictures of the state online, in doing so she meets a guy from Alaska and a relationship ensues. She decides to fly to Alaska to surprise her Alaskan boyfriend for his birthday. Upon arriving in Alaska she accepts a ride from a local after a security guard vouches for him that he is safe. After that ride pretty much everything in Lena's life goes awry and anymore said will be spoilers.
It is a coming of age novel where age doesn't really matter since there is always room for growth and finding out more about who you are and what you want. While coming of age novels aren't new, this book is unconventional and that is a good thing. There is no insta-love nor is there glorification of lavish unrealistic lifestyles. There is heart and hard work with flawed complex people. There is love for animals and humankind, but also harsh realities set in a rich beautiful land. A must read for dog lovers and nature lovers, whether you live in the heart of the wild or are trapped in the city dreaming of that.
The book is new adult and it follows a young woman named Lena who is from Hungary. She is fascinated by Alaska and often looks up pictures of the state online, in doing so she meets a guy from Alaska and a relationship ensues. She decides to fly to Alaska to surprise her Alaskan boyfriend for his birthday. Upon arriving in Alaska she accepts a ride from a local after a security guard vouches for him that he is safe. After that ride pretty much everything in Lena's life goes awry and anymore said will be spoilers.
It is a coming of age novel where age doesn't really matter since there is always room for growth and finding out more about who you are and what you want. While coming of age novels aren't new, this book is unconventional and that is a good thing. There is no insta-love nor is there glorification of lavish unrealistic lifestyles. There is heart and hard work with flawed complex people. There is love for animals and humankind, but also harsh realities set in a rich beautiful land. A must read for dog lovers and nature lovers, whether you live in the heart of the wild or are trapped in the city dreaming of that.
August 7, 2016
I thoroughly enjoy reading stories written by authors who aren't from the same country as I. There's so much to learn; cultural differences, ways of living, and perspectives, are just a few reasons why. Learning how parts of the American culture influence other's (like the arts rather than politics) connects me with the author and the story so much more. I'm sad to say that non-American music does not have the same influence unless someone in our own families, who lived outside of the States at one point or another, introduce such things.
Lena reminds me of myself in some ways when I was her age: moments of confidence paired with the exact opposite because we're just getting to know ourselves and the world.
The story was different, good different, and kept me turning the pages. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, because honestly, I couldn't quite predict what was like I can with most stories.
I hope that many others take the chance on this budding indie author. I'm eager to read the next installment of Lena's journey in life. I'm glad that Natali and I have met over IG and hope to meet her one day. :)
Lena reminds me of myself in some ways when I was her age: moments of confidence paired with the exact opposite because we're just getting to know ourselves and the world.
The story was different, good different, and kept me turning the pages. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, because honestly, I couldn't quite predict what was like I can with most stories.
I hope that many others take the chance on this budding indie author. I'm eager to read the next installment of Lena's journey in life. I'm glad that Natali and I have met over IG and hope to meet her one day. :)
April 3, 2016
#Alaska by Natalie grayling
I was given this book by the author in exchange of an honest review. (On Instagram)
First of all i adore the name of the book #alaska, its super cute! The author is Hungarian and we can find that in her writing as many things are said in Hungarian which are obviously translated...
This book is about a girl, Lena, who has a dream to visit Alaska and she makes her dream come true. Lena's Personality was bit bubbly, she use to babble a lot but i guess that's kinda nice, i mean who doesn't rambles...
So she sets her foot in her adventurous tour in Alaska... where she mets her someone, falls in love, but theres more to story in book two. This story gives a perfect view or description of Alaska...
I love the story and writing of the book. It was a fun and light read.
I was given this book by the author in exchange of an honest review. (On Instagram)
First of all i adore the name of the book #alaska, its super cute! The author is Hungarian and we can find that in her writing as many things are said in Hungarian which are obviously translated...
This book is about a girl, Lena, who has a dream to visit Alaska and she makes her dream come true. Lena's Personality was bit bubbly, she use to babble a lot but i guess that's kinda nice, i mean who doesn't rambles...
So she sets her foot in her adventurous tour in Alaska... where she mets her someone, falls in love, but theres more to story in book two. This story gives a perfect view or description of Alaska...
I love the story and writing of the book. It was a fun and light read.
May 19, 2016
The plot revolves around Léna; a character so deeply like me that I choose to believe, was the reason why it was difficult to pursue reading the story, it was as though I was about to find out what the end of my story would have been—had I decided to follow my heart and wander about this world of ours. Yes, I am 18 and already legal. But if you aren't a Filipino/a you wouldn't understand the struggle, or maybe you do, cheers to being tied to the family tree then
March 20, 2016
I cannot tell you how much I adored this book and absorbed it within two days. I caught myself holding my breath and when I did let go, tears rolled down my cheek. Natali's book touched me in ways I am not sure I understand. I think relateable in some ways because my precious teenage daughter had her heart broken 2 years ago by a boy and Instagram played out in an ugly way by his friends at school. She had a hard time pushing through that first awful heartbreak, and still has moments today of the remnants left behind. Because she feels pain so deeply, she has become a master of masking her pain. There's nothing lonelier than being angry at someone who's indifferent to your anger. It's like playing catch off a wall by yourself. Everything you feel just bounces back to you. That is the way he made her feel. The secret in her is that it takes bravery to face - that to go on loving someone means to over and over allow the necessary pain. She felt like nothing at all and she knows that when she feels like that she would hang on to anything that presented itself, like a flimsy raft in a vast ocean, anything that made you feel you were here, you were real, and someone wanted you.
Never go for the shiny object; the luster wears off far faster than you would think. It's not only ghosts who haunt us. Our memories follow us through life, surprising us now and again when we are forced to turn around and look behind us. It's not easy to find out that people aren't who we thought they were or who we wanted them to be. Ever since her broken heart, she has not had one guy ask her out or show interest. She is 17 years old with a full life and an empty heart. I tell her there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going; that turning the page is always better than rereading the same page over and over.
Forget what hurt you in the past. But never forget what it taught you. She is anything but ordinary. She is someone you need to get to know to love.
I loved Lena. She did not run from the struggle, she found light in it and embraced it. She was abundantly strong.
I tell my daughter to keep tapping into that which lies in abundance in her, they will come to you. Life will open itself up to her. Sometimes people don't show up for you when you need them the most. They don't understand that being there for someone when it's most difficult is really all that relationships are.
Maybe there are some other parents of teens out there who have experienced the agony of social media daliances with out kids' lives and how utterly heartbroken they become. Lena's story in #alaska reveals a vibrant turn in how to make lemonade out of lemons! Natali's writing style very vividly portrayed the landscape in addition to the emotions, and I felt swept away to a beautiful part of our country. I cannot wait for the next book!
Your book will rest now on my nightstand, among those that I treasure. I look forward to more from you and your gift of writing.
Never go for the shiny object; the luster wears off far faster than you would think. It's not only ghosts who haunt us. Our memories follow us through life, surprising us now and again when we are forced to turn around and look behind us. It's not easy to find out that people aren't who we thought they were or who we wanted them to be. Ever since her broken heart, she has not had one guy ask her out or show interest. She is 17 years old with a full life and an empty heart. I tell her there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going; that turning the page is always better than rereading the same page over and over.
Forget what hurt you in the past. But never forget what it taught you. She is anything but ordinary. She is someone you need to get to know to love.
I loved Lena. She did not run from the struggle, she found light in it and embraced it. She was abundantly strong.
I tell my daughter to keep tapping into that which lies in abundance in her, they will come to you. Life will open itself up to her. Sometimes people don't show up for you when you need them the most. They don't understand that being there for someone when it's most difficult is really all that relationships are.
Maybe there are some other parents of teens out there who have experienced the agony of social media daliances with out kids' lives and how utterly heartbroken they become. Lena's story in #alaska reveals a vibrant turn in how to make lemonade out of lemons! Natali's writing style very vividly portrayed the landscape in addition to the emotions, and I felt swept away to a beautiful part of our country. I cannot wait for the next book!
Your book will rest now on my nightstand, among those that I treasure. I look forward to more from you and your gift of writing.
February 29, 2016
I'm grateful to Natali Grayling, because I received this book as a "gift".
When I started to read the foreword I knew that I will love this book, it's in english but it's sooo hungarian, especially the feelings. I think we are almost the same age and your words just dig into me. :)
In a jiff I was Léna Szabó flying to Alaska. I thought that it will be some plot twist but a fiancé wow, and I loved that the creepy guy became a loved one, and I was sad that the 2 weeks was over and Aaron didn't stop Léna.
The instagram idea is fascinating I just love it. This book presents how the world expanded for everyone, with insta, blogs you can see other people's life, I like this, this brings me some energy and belief and courage. I read this book just in time, cause I'm gonna graduate this summer and couldn't really decided what to do, and it helped me cause it whisperd me that you're brave and you could do whatever the hell you want :)
I like the dogs too, and your metaphore's and the lanscape you gave the readers.
Keep goin' I can't wait for your next book.!
Loved it. Highly recommend it! :)
Nagyon hálás vagyok Natali Grayling-nek amiért megkaptam ezt a könyvet "ajándékba".
Már az előszónál beleszerettem, annak ellenére hogy angolul íródott teljesmértékben magyar, főleg az érzések. Körülbelül ugyan annyi idősek vagyunk és a szavak a lelkemig hatoltak.
Seperc alatt én voltam Szabó Léna, már repültem is Alaszkába, gondoltam, hogy lesz valami csavar a történetben, dehogy egy mennyasszony wow... és imádtam hogy a különös sorozatgyilkos pasasról kiderült milyen is valójában...nagyon sajnáltam hogy a két hetes nyaralás már véget is ért, és hogy Aaron nem állította meg Lénát... de azért reménykedtem na. :)
Lenyűgöző az instagramos ötlet, nagyon tetszik, a 21.században kitágult a világ, mindenki életébe belelátunk, nekem ez rengeteg energiát, hitet és bátorságot ad.
Pont jókor olvastam el ezt a könyvet, nemsokára diplomázom és elég tanácstalanul állok az élet előtt, ez a könyv pedig azt susogta minden egyes oldalon hogy bátor vagy, és bármit megtehetsz amit csak akarsz!
Nagyon szeretem a kutyákat ez is tetszett a történetben, nekem is van 3. :) Nagyon tetszettek a hasonlatok, a tájleírás tényleg ott voltam :)
Csak így tovább! Nagyon várom a folytatást!
Imádtam úgyhogy csak ajánlani tudom! :)
When I started to read the foreword I knew that I will love this book, it's in english but it's sooo hungarian, especially the feelings. I think we are almost the same age and your words just dig into me. :)
In a jiff I was Léna Szabó flying to Alaska. I thought that it will be some plot twist but a fiancé wow, and I loved that the creepy guy became a loved one, and I was sad that the 2 weeks was over and Aaron didn't stop Léna.
The instagram idea is fascinating I just love it. This book presents how the world expanded for everyone, with insta, blogs you can see other people's life, I like this, this brings me some energy and belief and courage. I read this book just in time, cause I'm gonna graduate this summer and couldn't really decided what to do, and it helped me cause it whisperd me that you're brave and you could do whatever the hell you want :)
I like the dogs too, and your metaphore's and the lanscape you gave the readers.
Keep goin' I can't wait for your next book.!
Loved it. Highly recommend it! :)
Nagyon hálás vagyok Natali Grayling-nek amiért megkaptam ezt a könyvet "ajándékba".
Már az előszónál beleszerettem, annak ellenére hogy angolul íródott teljesmértékben magyar, főleg az érzések. Körülbelül ugyan annyi idősek vagyunk és a szavak a lelkemig hatoltak.
Seperc alatt én voltam Szabó Léna, már repültem is Alaszkába, gondoltam, hogy lesz valami csavar a történetben, dehogy egy mennyasszony wow... és imádtam hogy a különös sorozatgyilkos pasasról kiderült milyen is valójában...nagyon sajnáltam hogy a két hetes nyaralás már véget is ért, és hogy Aaron nem állította meg Lénát... de azért reménykedtem na. :)
Lenyűgöző az instagramos ötlet, nagyon tetszik, a 21.században kitágult a világ, mindenki életébe belelátunk, nekem ez rengeteg energiát, hitet és bátorságot ad.
Pont jókor olvastam el ezt a könyvet, nemsokára diplomázom és elég tanácstalanul állok az élet előtt, ez a könyv pedig azt susogta minden egyes oldalon hogy bátor vagy, és bármit megtehetsz amit csak akarsz!
Nagyon szeretem a kutyákat ez is tetszett a történetben, nekem is van 3. :) Nagyon tetszettek a hasonlatok, a tájleírás tényleg ott voltam :)
Csak így tovább! Nagyon várom a folytatást!
Imádtam úgyhogy csak ajánlani tudom! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this debut novel from Natali Grayling. The way the story was told was is if I was there with her, chatting around a campfire and listening to her tale. This is a heart warming story and a must read for any dog lover.
April 15, 2018
Drowsy/drunk emo European gal who has had a nine month on-line relationship with a sk8ter in Alaska decides to surprise him for his birthday (stalker) only to discover a gal on his arm. She flies into a rage rather than listen to him explain and she becomes smitten with a local dog kennel/animal doctor that she determines is an Alaskan Mr. Darcy.
When a neighbor accuses the man's pooches of violence she resorts to a crowd funding campaign in an effort to build a fence to prevent the punishment of pooches. Swearing.
When a neighbor accuses the man's pooches of violence she resorts to a crowd funding campaign in an effort to build a fence to prevent the punishment of pooches. Swearing.
March 21, 2017
This book was a wonderful harmony to me. I had everything that I needed from this book and all of the themes were beautifull presented. Adventure to find love, checked. Heartbreaking yet intriguing romance, checked. Great sense of humor and refreshing, checked. To read a well-written story that love can be found under extraordinary circumstances and in extraordinary places was truly inspiring. And I can't wait for the sequel!
January 28, 2017
#Alaska is a both a great read, and a fantastic representation of our modern age. I enjoyed following the journey of Lena Szabo, the book's Hungarian main character, and seeing her develop throughout her story. From the outset, when her heart is set on going to Alaska to surprise a boy she had been talking to online for months, down to her finally arriving and all the events that transpire afterwards, this tale proves itself exciting. Although the explicit language was at times a little too much for me, it was all a worthwhile read by the end.
One of the things I loved was how real the story felt, as if it could have actually happened. Honestly, it almost feels like it was all based on a true story. The descriptions, the characters, and how everyone reacts towards one another paints a very real-life story.
Another thing I loved was that the main character was a girl set in present time, written by a female author. As a young male, seeing the thought process and decisions taken by Lena felt like a glimpse into a woman's mind. How they think, how they see things; I personally feel that all the detail that went into the character of Lena and reading it proved very valuable. Thank you Natali Grayling.
Lastly, I believe a big theme in this book is that of nature. Not just nature, however, but going and enjoying nature. In our technologically advanced world, it is so easy to get caught up in gadgets and the internet. The book shows how powerfully helpful the internet can be. It also shows the downside, that sometimes we want to share our experiences so bad that we neglect to stop and enjoy that which is around us. And after reading this book, I am very determined to take a pause and "smell the roses". I invite all to join me. Put down your phone, stay off of social media for just a moment, and go outside and do something.
Preferably read this book.
One of the things I loved was how real the story felt, as if it could have actually happened. Honestly, it almost feels like it was all based on a true story. The descriptions, the characters, and how everyone reacts towards one another paints a very real-life story.
Another thing I loved was that the main character was a girl set in present time, written by a female author. As a young male, seeing the thought process and decisions taken by Lena felt like a glimpse into a woman's mind. How they think, how they see things; I personally feel that all the detail that went into the character of Lena and reading it proved very valuable. Thank you Natali Grayling.
Lastly, I believe a big theme in this book is that of nature. Not just nature, however, but going and enjoying nature. In our technologically advanced world, it is so easy to get caught up in gadgets and the internet. The book shows how powerfully helpful the internet can be. It also shows the downside, that sometimes we want to share our experiences so bad that we neglect to stop and enjoy that which is around us. And after reading this book, I am very determined to take a pause and "smell the roses". I invite all to join me. Put down your phone, stay off of social media for just a moment, and go outside and do something.
Preferably read this book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews