The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
As we enter the world of Harold Fry, we are taken down a road of self-revelation and discovery that will hold the reader in its grasp. Like the peeling of an onion, each new chapter brings us more of his story. Starting out on an unlikely journey to a dying friend, Harold tries to overcome his own personal demons in the process. Leaving behind wife and friend, we walk in deck shoes through the English countryside and towns on this unlikely quest while enduring blisters, heat and despair. The people Harold meets along the way add a richness to this story as they cause him to change his tightly controlled outlook on life. As with pilgrimages of yore, there is a revelation to be had. As the characters and past finally take focus, we find sorrow, love and redemption. This book had a profound impact on me. Harold has much to teach the reader along his pilgrimage of life and love and regrets.
Rated of 5
by Rita H. (Centennial, CO)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
This is a truly excellent book. I thought it sounded rather an odd story when I first heard about it but was captivated by the end of the first chapter. There are so many excellent life messages in this book which Harold and his wife Maureen learn along the way. Just a brief quote as an example: "Harold was ready for surprise, whatever form it took. Such freedom was rare." I truly, truly recommend this book.
Rated of 5
by Janet P. (Houston, TX)
An "unlikely journey" indeed!
If the "meek shall inherit the earth," certainly Harold Fry in Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will be among the crowd. In his allegorical five hundred mile foot journey in a pair of yachting shoes to save the cancer-ridden Queenie from the fangs of the Grim Reaper, Harold meets many obstacles, but like a knight on a quest, nothing will deter him from his goal. A college professor once told me that it is not the object of reaching one's goal in life that is of the greatest important, it is that we, like Harold, continue the journey, for it is in the knowledge that we gain that we meet ourselves. The journey is all. Harold's journey is, in a way, a triumph. And then there is Maureen, Harold's wife, who has been literally abandoned and ... who is almost another story. Joyce's narrative tugs at our heartstrings and forces readers to delve into their own pasts, dragging buried failings of their own out into the light. Harold's epiphany should provide good reading as well as food for thought for all who undergo the journey.
Rated of 5
by Barbara H. (Alexandria, VA)
A walk that can drag
Harold Fry is a recent retiree living in a small English village and has a sense of overall failure as a son, as a husband and as a father. His cross-England walking trip to visit an old co-worker begins almost by mistake.
Along the way, Harold meets many other individuals and becomes aware of “the inhumane effort to be normal, and a part of things that appeared both easy and everyday.” He appears to be walking away from the person he used to be and toward the one he wished to be, the theme of pilgrimage.
The author takes establishes Harold and his estranged wife, Maureen, as characters coping with grief and love, to excess. The author also overplays the group of people who want to sponge off the publicity Harold begins receiving. This section drags.
I cheered for Harold and wanted him to overcome his impossible odds, perhaps because he might affirm my and others need to believe we can bring changes in our own lives.
For the most part, I enjoyed the journey.
Rated of 5
by Jill M. (Petaluma, CA)
Liberating Journey
Poor Harold Fry. He was the victim of rotten parents and a tragedy that squelched a romantic marriage. His irrational decision to embark on his journey yielded unexpected results. i got bogged down half way through, but couldn't put the book down for the second half. It's filled with symbolism and life lessons and worth reading.
Rated of 5
by Deborah C. (Seattle, WA)
Charming and Delightful
If you liked Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, this is the book for you! The story is heartwarming, and just when I thought things might be getting a little too sentimental, the author interjected a welcome dose of dry British humor.
I would recommend this for book clubs, as many interesting questions are raised about why Harold embarked upon his "unlikely pilgrimage" as well as the many characters he meets along the way.
This is the author's first book, but I certainly hope it's not her last!
Rated of 5
by Gigi K. (Lufkin,, TX)
I'd like to read it again!
I was struck by the title first and then as I read the book, I was reminded by so many of Harold's episodes of truths in my own life. Seems impossible since my life has been nothing like Harold's. However, I think you will find some echos, also.
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