Rachel Joyce
2012
5/5 stars
"Everybody's the same but also unique." Harold Fry
Harold Fry receives a letter from a former colleague, Queenie Hennissy, informing him that she is dying of cancer. Overwhelmed by emotions, he decides that rather than write to her, he'll visit her in person, by walking the six hundred miles to her hospice. He convinces himself that as long as he walks, Queenie will live. Armed with nothing more than his wallet, a light coat, and yachting shoes, Harold sets out on a journey that will change his life.
This beautifully written novel is about second chances, hope, and self discovery. Joyce writes a believable tale that is not overly sentimental, while still being emotional. Harold, and his wife Maureen, are sympathetic characters that the reader will come to care about and cheer for as the novel progresses. This is a complex story, that is never too lighthearted, nor too serious, but walks nicely in between.
This is a reread for me.
