This book is an endearing story of Harold Fry who goes on for a "walk" of several thousand miles to Berwick-upon-Tweed. The purpose of the walk was to say one final goodbye for a certain Qunnie Hennessy,who is the final stages of cancer. His flimsy will takes a concrete form during a talk with a garage girl, who spoke about one of the dying feelings in all of us - faith.
The author effectively sketches the characters that Harold Fry meet on the road during his course of the journey -ear lending landlords, concerned travelers and friendly bartenders. Most of them lasts not more than two-three pages, but each of them leave a distinct feeling of benignity. Throughout the journey he keeps updating his progress by sending postcards to Qunnie (though she cannot read) and buying small gifts for her, the girl in the garage and his wife - Maureen.
The pilgrimage serves another purpose -some serious introspection by Maureen. Her marriage with Harold had reached a cul-de-sac. The sudden departure of Harold rekindles the warmth in their marriage and the reader knows that there is at least one happy ending.
During the journey, Harold had the company of other "pilgrims" who join him for this noble cause.Here, it seems, the author borrows heavily from Tom Hanks movie "Forrest Gump". Though this adds variety to otherwise a unidimensional story line, the author sticks to it for too long. The story drags in the end when his pilgrimage comes to an end; but the takeaway is how the journey stays in your mind.
As Ernest Hemingway rightly puts it - It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.
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