The Unlikely Pilgrimage is a Likely Hit!!!!

Value Village Rocks for
Great Title at a Fraction of the Cost!

While shopping at my favourite book store, Value Village, I found The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold
Fry sitting there, just waiting for me to bring it home! I love shopping at Value Village; the deals are just waiting to be found there. For those of you who don't know, VV is a thrift shop that sells everything from used clothes and furniture to housewares and books. It is truly a treasure trove for those who aren't afraid to dig a little. Any way, I found Unlikely Pilgrimage for a whopping $4, so I thought I would give it a whirl.



Right from the first page, author Rachel Joyce had me hooked, and I loved every page there after!

Here's a summary courtesy of Goodreads: 

Harold Fry is convinced that he must deliver a letter to an old love in order to save her, meeting various characters along the way and reminiscing about the events of his past and people he has known, as he tries to find peace and acceptance.
Recently retired, sweet, emotionally numb Harold Fry is jolted out of his passivity by a letter from Queenie Hennessy, an old friend, who he hasn't heard from in twenty years. She has written to say she is in hospice and wanted to say goodbye. Leaving his tense, bitter wife Maureen to her chores, Harold intends a quick walk to the corner mailbox to post his reply but instead, inspired by a chance encounter, he becomes convinced he must deliver his message in person to Queenie--who is 600 miles away--because as long as he keeps walking, Harold believes that Queenie will not die. 
So without hiking boots, rain gear, map or cell phone, one of the most endearing characters in current fiction begins his unlikely pilgrimage across the English countryside. Along the way, strangers stir up memories--flashbacks, often painful, from when his marriage was filled with promise and then not, of his inadequacy as a father, and of his shortcomings as a husband. 

This novel uses different perspectives to develop the characters and lets the reader flesh them out. Rachel Joyce quickly develops the characters and is very skilled at creating dynamic portraits.

It's really well written with several plot lines being developed. There is some beautifully written passages that made me stop and think.

This book is a breath of fresh air. It is creative, original and so enjoyable. My copy will be shared with many, but I will have my name clearing stamped on the inside cover so that it always comes back to my "keeper" bookshelf!

Here is the Facebook page for this great novel:

https://www.facebook.com/unlikelypilgrimageofharoldfry

Enjoy and let me know what you think!