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katiebeth80's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bethswantz's review against another edition
5.0
I want to start out by saying this is one of my favorite books! I LOVED it!
Now - you can decide if you want to continue to read this to see why, or if you just want to go out and find the book to experience it on your own. Your choice - but I would recommend one or the other!!
This is the story of a journey by a rumpled, stoic, retired, non-starter named Harold Fry. In the first pages he receives a letter from a woman - Queenie Hennessy to thank him for his friendship and to tell him she is dying.
Harold rushes to write a reply and tells his wife he is going to the mailbox to send it. But, he isn't ready to stop walking at the mailbox - so he continues across town passing postbox after postbox and at each one he feels the need to continue moving. And that is how his 500+ mile journey to deliver his letter to Queenie in person begins.
His pilgrimage begins in a flurry of self-righteous stupidity - sounds like too many of my self-help journeys! :) He relishes the simplicity and the ease and all the new truths surrounding him. Then it gets hard and he must depend on the help of strangers. Then the help of strangers becomes his new focus - he is saving them by allowing them to help him. Then things become a bit commercialized and he looses himself in the process. Then everything falls apart and he is left bare and old and withered and the journey is still in front of him.
And when he arrives at the end of his journey...then what...
This is a story of a man and his marriage and his son and his mother and father and the life that he has so carefully created in a very English way. This is the story of what happens when you dare to step aside and really feel what is around you.
I dearly loved Harold - but honestly I loved Maureen, his wife, every bit as much. Maureen must watch and wait and remember and choose to live. Her pilgrimage takes place in her small cottage while she cleans and disinfects and eventually takes down the net curtains and lets the sun into the 'best room.'
Please read this!!!
Now - you can decide if you want to continue to read this to see why, or if you just want to go out and find the book to experience it on your own. Your choice - but I would recommend one or the other!!
This is the story of a journey by a rumpled, stoic, retired, non-starter named Harold Fry. In the first pages he receives a letter from a woman - Queenie Hennessy to thank him for his friendship and to tell him she is dying.
Harold rushes to write a reply and tells his wife he is going to the mailbox to send it. But, he isn't ready to stop walking at the mailbox - so he continues across town passing postbox after postbox and at each one he feels the need to continue moving. And that is how his 500+ mile journey to deliver his letter to Queenie in person begins.
His pilgrimage begins in a flurry of self-righteous stupidity - sounds like too many of my self-help journeys! :) He relishes the simplicity and the ease and all the new truths surrounding him. Then it gets hard and he must depend on the help of strangers. Then the help of strangers becomes his new focus - he is saving them by allowing them to help him. Then things become a bit commercialized and he looses himself in the process. Then everything falls apart and he is left bare and old and withered and the journey is still in front of him.
And when he arrives at the end of his journey...then what...
This is a story of a man and his marriage and his son and his mother and father and the life that he has so carefully created in a very English way. This is the story of what happens when you dare to step aside and really feel what is around you.
I dearly loved Harold - but honestly I loved Maureen, his wife, every bit as much. Maureen must watch and wait and remember and choose to live. Her pilgrimage takes place in her small cottage while she cleans and disinfects and eventually takes down the net curtains and lets the sun into the 'best room.'
Please read this!!!
keen23's review against another edition
3.0
For lack of a better term, it's a quiet book. Not bad. Not really my normal choice of fiction.
mbpartlow's review against another edition
4.0
This book is not what you think. It's about a journey, all right, but not the one you think you're going on.
It's a very small story about people who could live on your street. I don't think anyone could read this story and not see themselves, at some point, as either Harold or his wife. Or both. Possibly more than once.
I really don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away what happens. You need to just relax and go with the flow, let the story unfold for you as it does for Harold and his wife.
It's a very small story about people who could live on your street. I don't think anyone could read this story and not see themselves, at some point, as either Harold or his wife. Or both. Possibly more than once.
I really don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away what happens. You need to just relax and go with the flow, let the story unfold for you as it does for Harold and his wife.
danabs's review against another edition
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
marcaurele's review against another edition
3.0
Bon livre mais par moment un peu ennuyeux. Aucune surprise quand au déroulement de l'histoire, dommage.
ellipsiscool's review against another edition
5.0
Most people we pass in the streets seem ever so ordinary. They may even seem ordinary to themselves, but everyone has secrets and everyone has issues and everyone has extraordinary potential.
This book is about redemption and how it needs to come from within us. The prose is beautiful and extremely well done. The characters come right off the pages and are sticking with me.
This book is about redemption and how it needs to come from within us. The prose is beautiful and extremely well done. The characters come right off the pages and are sticking with me.
vaudevillianveteran's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
bibi003's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This book was sweet. It had a message and I liked it. But it was a bit repetitive at times and just a touch predictable.