The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce

“He must have driven this way countless times, and yet he had no memory of the scenery. He must have been so caught up in the day's agenda, and arriving punctually at their destination, that the land beyond the car had been no more than a wash of one green, and a backdrop of one hill. Life was very different when you walked through it.”

Synopsis

On finding out that a former work colleague and friend is dying, Harold Fry decides to write to her. But, instead of posting the letter in the post box, Harold just walks on past it and he carries on walking, So begins an epic 600-mile trek from Devon to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Relying on his own determination and the kindness of the strangers he meets along the way, Harold Fry discovers things about himself and life that he never realised.

Review

This was a book which I had on my bookshelf for a while before I finally picked it up to read. It was one which I'd randomly picked up in a bookshop and I hadn't read any reviews about it. Sometimes I find that's the best way to start reading a book as you have no preconceived ideas about it and essentially go into the story blind. Anyway, despite it taking a while to pick it up and start reading, once I had I was very quickly drawn into the world of Harold Fry. He's a simple man of 65, retired who spends his days tending his lawn in Kingsbridge, Devon. When one day he receives a letter informing him that Queenie Hennessy is gravely ill, he impulsively ends up walking the 627 miles to see her. Along the way, he meets all manner of characters and reflects back on his life, his marriage and his estranged son David and uses his pilgrimage to resolve certain issues from his life.

“You could be ordinary and attempt something extraordinary, without being able to explain it in a logical way.”

As Harold Fry makes his way from place to place, the story becomes a little bit episodic and veers dangerously close to repetitive but the variety of different characters (all with backstories and lives of their own) ensure that there is a certain amount of freshness on each page. From the young woman in the petrol station who inspires Harold to make his pilgrimage to the middle aged lady who has a history of self-harming, each character he meets on his journey help to push the narrative on and give purpose to the story. There is a certain joy to be had from following Harold along his path, even if he doesn't ever truly understand why he's making it and you will find yourself really rooting for him. Even as a media circus forms around him as his pilgrimage becomes public knowledge, it's Harold who we want to get to Berwick-upon-Tweed and like Harold, these other hangers on become more of a nuisance than anything else.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, despite finding it a little bit episodic at times. Rachel Joyce has crafted a nice story and one which I would recommend you to read. There's genuine hope in these pages and in each sitting, I found something to enjoy and to keep me turning the pages. In writing it, Joyce touches on a variety of different themes such as love, loss, death and regret so there really is so much to unpack within the pages. At times uplifting and at other times sorrowful, this book is one which has the ability to make you feel a range of emotions and is well worth your time which is why it's 4 stars from me.