Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn’t seen or heard from … from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.
Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce’s remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.
Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him—allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years.
And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.
A novel of unsentimental charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry introduces Rachel Joyce as a wise—and utterly irresistible—storyteller.
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Beyond spectacular. I adored this book. Extremely well written and edited, incredible characters, I wanted to savour it. The story brought tears, then sobs, it hit so close to the core. Beautiful book.
Discouraging about the followers. Inspirational quest. The characters introduced are believable
I had already read THE SECRET LOVE OF QUEENIE HENNESSY so when I saw this one about HAROLD FRY, I knew that it was the other half of the story. It was a great read but the comparisons of the two books made it even more enchanting. It was best to see how all of the characters came to know themselves better and as a result grew into better and …
This was a really good read! The characters came alive and the story line was inspirational.
Sweet and rich. A lovely story about a lovely man and his noble midlife quest.
Nice story
This book was truly an amazing journey through the life of a regular man who finally comes to terms with an extraordinary tragedy. And so well written. Warning – you will cry.
I loved this book. A heartwarming tale of friendship and personal awakening.
Excellent writing and poignant story of an older man’s sort of accidental rediscovery of himself and the impact on those around him, especially his wife. Loved it!
Slow going. Not finished yet, just wish I was.
It is the story of the quest we might all make in life but are afraid to start. I loved it.
This was one of those books that had a plot that was not predictable. I read so much that often I can predict the plot but not this one. A page turner is saying the least.
Another novel in the somewhat new genre of “old people walking to find themselves.” But I did become fond of Harold Fry and eager to learn of his crazy journey, which hovered between allegory and parable.
This was so different, and important to me at this time of my life. It was a lesson to remember that everyone grieves in different ways, also expressed the strength of human interaction. Pay attention to your world.
Not my cup of tea
An absolute gem. I don’t allow myself to sit and read a book nonstop, but that’s what I did with Harold Fry. Wonderful. And its sequel, The Love Story, is just as wonderful. Unique, hopeful, loving stories. Hard to think of an adjective that fits it. So just READ IT! Unless you lost your heart long ago, you’ll love it. And, if you did …
Beautiful
Tried to read this book but just could not get interested in it. Made it threw a couple of chapters and stopped.
This is an inspirational read with relatable characters. Full of surprises, too.
Delightful and moving story, Im looking forward to reading this again and sharing with family members!