The Great Alone is the only Kristin Hannah book I have read. I liked the tone she set for that novel, but the story I was interested in ended basically at the 50% mark, and then everything that happened after that felt either unnecessary or preposterous. I can get down with a preposterous plot in certain genres, but that ending was egregiously unrealistic, imho.

I’m not saying I’ll never pick up another book by her again, but the experience has made me way less interested in picking another Hannah book up anytime soon.

Yesss Rilke is on my list too.

This is the best answer.

I read it at 13 in one school, then moved states and got it again two years later. I loved it both times. I think it has a lot to do with 1) personality and maturity of the kid and 2) skill of the teacher to appropriately well, teach the material