18 Feb 2014

THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY.

THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY by RACHEL JOYCE.

SOURCE: Bought in aid of the Air Ambulance..

When Harold Fry leaves home one morning to post a letter, leaving his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other.

He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking. To save someone else's life.
...... Outer back cover

FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1: Harold and the Letter}: The letter that would change everything arrived on a Tuesday.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 106}: He was a chap like himself, with a unique pain, and yet there would be no knowing that if you passed him in the street, or sat opposite him in a cafe and did not share his teacake.

MY THOUGHTS: The story of what happens the day retired Harold Fry receives a letter and intending to post it at the local post box instead finds himself walking some 627 miles over 87 days.

I had been wanting to read this for a while but kept putting off buying a copy as I was worried that having read so many rave reviews I'd be left feeling disappointed that it wasn't as great a read as I thought it would be.

Thankfully, everything (and more) I'd hoped it would be, The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry is one of those rare books that captured my imagination, heart and soul from page one.

Intrigued by the relationship between Harold and his wife Maureen, I had expected to find myself taking sides but such was the poignancy of each of their stories that I found myself having equal empathy with both of them. And as for the relationship between Harold and Queenie? I don't want to give anything away but suffice to say I found this both exceptionally tender whilst oddly moving.

Wonderfully written. Its not just the main characters that are so riveting. Whether their involvement with Harold be long or short as much thought is given to each of the secondary characters stories. And despite the fact that not everything is revealed until almost the very end of the novel the author does a great job in seeing that  the readers interest in just what makes Harold and Maureen the people they are never wavers.



Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper. All original content on http://pettywitter.blogspot.co.uk/ is created by the website owner, including but not limited to text, design, code, images, photographs and videos are considered to be the Intellectual Property of the website owner, whether copyrighted or not, and are protected by DMCA Protection Services using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act Title 17 Chapter 512 (c)(3). Reproduction or re-publication of this content is prohibited without permission. In addition I would also urge that if you are reading this on any other page you contact the original blog owner/reviewer.

13 comments:

Suko said...

"Harold Fry is one of those rare books that captured my imagination, heart and soul from page one."

Sounds like a truly wonderful book!

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I am curious about this one, so I'm happy to hear that you really enjoyed it!!

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

It really is a great story, isn't it? :) I leep meaning to pick up Rachel Joyce's latest book.

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

Oh I haven't heard of this one and I'm so glad you enjoyed it and wasn't disappointed. I'll have to check it out!

The Bookworm said...

This one is on my wish list, I have heard nothing but good things about it. Glad you enjoyed it.

Brian Joseph said...

I had also heard good things about this book.

It is funny that when reading other commentary I thought the same thing in terms of my impressions of Harold and his wife. I really should get to reading this one.

Kelly said...

This is the first I've heard of this book and your review has me intrigued. It definitely sounds like one for my wish list.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Tracy,

I actually had an invitation from the publisher to read this book via NetGalley. However when it came to it, I couldn't download to my Kindle, only to a separate computer programme, which only enabled the book for a certain number of weeks, then deleted it.

Needless to say, with my huge review pile, I completely missed the deadline and so the opportunity to read what sounded like such an intriguing and unusual storyline.

It sounds as though you really enjoyed this one, so I may just have to bite the bullet and buy a copy!!

Nice review as always,

Yvonne

Literary Feline said...

I am glad to hear you liked this one so much, Tracy. I have gone back and forth about adding this one to my wish list, but think it deserves a spot there after reading your review. I know her latest book is a big hit too. Another one I want to read.

Blond Duck said...

I can't wait to read this! You always find the best books!

Heather said...

I've had this one on my reading list for quite some time. After reading your comments, I really must try and get to it soon. Thanks.

Betty Manousos said...

first, i'm glad to hear that you really enjoyed it!
haven't heard of this one, but your review has me intrigued.
i'm definitely putting this one on my must-read list.

big hugs!!

xx

Lindsay said...

I'm really glad you liked this one Tracy, I enjoyed it a lot too.