This is a first novel by Rachel Joyce. It is without doubt one of the best novels I have ever read in my 68 years of avid reading. The storyline takes you on a journey from South Devon to Berwick-on-Tweed, a distance for Harold Fry of some 600 miles. I walked every descriptive step of the way with him, and met all the characters that Harold Fry encountered on his epic walk as if in person. It was a compulsive read to walk in his footsteps through English towns and villages and sense the atmosphere and his suffering.
Twenty years after Harold has last seen Queenie Hennessy, a former work colleague, he receives a letter from her. She has cancer, and is writing to say goodbye. He has fond memories of Queenie who disappeared without warning from her job, and the area . She was a good friend. Harold is very upset by the news. He does not know how to reply, but pens a short note and decides to post it immediately. Telling his wife he is going to the post box, he sets off with his letter. He cannot simply post the letter and walks on towards the post office. This is the beginning of his walk to Berwick. He phones the hospice to establish that Queenie is still alive and asks the nurse to tell Queenie that he is on his way to see her. He writes, ‘wait for me’, on the envelope and posts it. He starts walking. An amazingly beautiful and detailed account of his walk follows, as he walks from town to town and meets many kind people on the way. Vivid characters who sympathise and help him. His feet suffer badly in his canvas sailing shoes and he has only a basic jacket on his back.
As someone who has had cancer myself, I found the novel very moving and emotional, and along the way scenarios of my own life caused a chuckle as I read. I will also add, quite unashamedly that on two occasions, tears blurred my vision and ran down my cheeks. Read it for yourself ! It is a fine read, written with skill and craft that will lead you step by step sharing the Pilgrimage with a valiant man. I could not leave him or put the book down for long. We could all use a devoted friend like Harold Fry. On a postcard he writes to her, ‘I am on my way. All you have to do is wait. Because I am going to save you, you see. I will keep walking and you will keep living.’Harold Fry, I admire you.
Geoffrey Phillips
