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klparmley's review against another edition
5.0
Once again, Rachel Joyce made me cry. And laugh. This is an excellent companion to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It is the other side of the story.
Do not read this first. Order matters.
Do not read this first. Order matters.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. "People think you have to walk to go on a journey. But you don't, you see. You can lie in bed and make a journey too."
As the author herself says, "what I have written is a book that sits alongside 'Harold Fry'. They really should come that way - her in the passenger seat, him in the driving seat. Side by side. I would call this book a companion."
It's a lovely way of describing a book. This novel probably won't read as well if you HAVEN'T read 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry', as the events in it happen concurrently, refer to those happening in Joyce's first book, and fill in gaps we wanted to know about Harold and Queenie's histories.
I took a little while to warm to Queenie, her setting and the style of the story. It starts at the same time as 'Harold Fry' - when Queenie writes to him to tell Harold she's dying, and he sets off on his walk to her. Queenie narrates the story though, in her present in the care home, and scenes from her past, where she met Harold and how their lives changed as a result. The book is a series of letters that Queenie is writing to Harold to explain her past actions to him, and flitting memories of their shared past.
I hadn't read the first book for more than a year, so my memory is hazy over some details. But as I read I could recall certain scenes and knew that this was adding to the picture I had in my mind of the two characters and what had happened to them decades ago.
The care home scenes are rather poignant - the various residents are well-drawn with their own quirks and sad illnesses, the oft-returning ambulance to take away another friend who succumbs to their body's deterioration, sadly noted and accepted. Queenie's slowly fading conscious and body, her confusion and pent-up emotion are powerfully but quietly written in. You see her personality and passions in the writing, there are famous quotes from books used ("Last night I dreamed I went to my sea garden again"), that show Queenie's past and love for literature.
And you see the past itself - we slowly understand Queenie's relationship with Harold, and also with his long-dead son David. Her emotions of guilt, sorrow and love, the creation of her sea garden where nobody else is willing to reside as repentance for the crimes she believes she committed. Her story is so sad, her personal sacrifices from 'Harold Fry' finally make sense.
You never see what Queenie looks like, either now or in her past, though I can imagine her in her brown wool suit quite easily. I can see Harold too, in her description of him. But I can't imagine the sea garden, and Joyce makes me want to see it. Something Queenie created over many years of toil and dedication to mean something very personal, that other people come specially to see and talk about. Her own little temple to her guilt and alter to her sacrifice.
Through writing her letters, Queenie relives her past, and is forced to think about what her life has been, how she affected those around her. Harold may be on his own journey to her, but she is also on a journey in her care home bed, medicated, assisted and surrounded by death.
The ending is incredibly moving and sad, after what has gone before. Beautiful, but did cause a few tears to fall.
This really must be read as a 'companion' and not a stand-alone.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy.
As the author herself says, "what I have written is a book that sits alongside 'Harold Fry'. They really should come that way - her in the passenger seat, him in the driving seat. Side by side. I would call this book a companion."
It's a lovely way of describing a book. This novel probably won't read as well if you HAVEN'T read 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry', as the events in it happen concurrently, refer to those happening in Joyce's first book, and fill in gaps we wanted to know about Harold and Queenie's histories.
I took a little while to warm to Queenie, her setting and the style of the story. It starts at the same time as 'Harold Fry' - when Queenie writes to him to tell Harold she's dying, and he sets off on his walk to her. Queenie narrates the story though, in her present in the care home, and scenes from her past, where she met Harold and how their lives changed as a result. The book is a series of letters that Queenie is writing to Harold to explain her past actions to him, and flitting memories of their shared past.
I hadn't read the first book for more than a year, so my memory is hazy over some details. But as I read I could recall certain scenes and knew that this was adding to the picture I had in my mind of the two characters and what had happened to them decades ago.
The care home scenes are rather poignant - the various residents are well-drawn with their own quirks and sad illnesses, the oft-returning ambulance to take away another friend who succumbs to their body's deterioration, sadly noted and accepted. Queenie's slowly fading conscious and body, her confusion and pent-up emotion are powerfully but quietly written in. You see her personality and passions in the writing, there are famous quotes from books used ("Last night I dreamed I went to my sea garden again"), that show Queenie's past and love for literature.
And you see the past itself - we slowly understand Queenie's relationship with Harold, and also with his long-dead son David. Her emotions of guilt, sorrow and love, the creation of her sea garden where nobody else is willing to reside as repentance for the crimes she believes she committed. Her story is so sad, her personal sacrifices from 'Harold Fry' finally make sense.
You never see what Queenie looks like, either now or in her past, though I can imagine her in her brown wool suit quite easily. I can see Harold too, in her description of him. But I can't imagine the sea garden, and Joyce makes me want to see it. Something Queenie created over many years of toil and dedication to mean something very personal, that other people come specially to see and talk about. Her own little temple to her guilt and alter to her sacrifice.
Through writing her letters, Queenie relives her past, and is forced to think about what her life has been, how she affected those around her. Harold may be on his own journey to her, but she is also on a journey in her care home bed, medicated, assisted and surrounded by death.
The ending is incredibly moving and sad, after what has gone before. Beautiful, but did cause a few tears to fall.
This really must be read as a 'companion' and not a stand-alone.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy.
sandysmith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It's a companion book rather than a sequel to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and is about Queenie and the reason Harold starts walking to her. It's a delightful read and adds to the original story that you so do need to read first. Queenie is in a hospice, and the characters around her add depth to the story. They do die off over time, but this adds to the story and the reality of hospice life. Delightful and thought-provoking, but also beautifully written and unexpectedly uplifting. A joyous, moving book. The ending left me speechless. Wonderful stuff.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Cancer, Chronic illness, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Miscarriage
polly__flintandherbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
book_concierge's review against another edition
5.0
Audiobook performed by Celia Imrie
From the book jacket: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry followed its unassuming hero as he traveled the length of England – a journey spurred by a simple letter from his old friend Queenie Hennessy, writing from a hospice to say goodbye. Harold believed that as long as he kept walking Queenie would live. What he didn’t know was that his decision to walk had caused her both alarm and fear. How could she wait? What would she say? Forced to confront the past, Queenie realizes she must write again.
My reactions
Oh, I love Queenie! She admits that her first instinct when faced with a difficult situation has always been to flee – from home, from university, from Harold Fry. Now, at the end of her life she faces the secrets she has been hiding, and hiding from, with courage and grace, and pours out her heart in a long letter to her one love, Harold Fry. This is a love that was never declared, and certainly unrequited, but a love that will ultimately help Queenie achieve peace.
Joyce also gives us more about David’s struggles. I have to say I really disliked this young man. Yes, I understand his great unhappiness and depression, but I wanted to just slap him for his cruelty and lashing-out. His story is incredibly sad, but I can’t find it in my heart to sympathize with him.
But the book is not an unrelenting exercise in self-examination and regret. Queenie is at a hospice center, and there are other patients as well as the nuns who care for everyone. Joyce gives us glimmers of these patients’ personalities, of their hopes, dreams, fears. Some lend a bit of humor to what might otherwise be a very bleak story, and for that I’m thankful. And as word spreads of Harold’s journey to visit his dying friend, hope surges in their hearts and everyone adopts his request to Queenie … they will ALL wait for Harold. They will all wait for one more chance to express love and forgiveness.
Celia Imrie does a fine job of performing the audiobook. She has good pacing and skill as a voice artist. I did have the text handy, however, and I think I might have enjoyed the book even more if I read it rather than listened. Changes in typeface, use of quotations (or not), etc make it more clear when someone is speaking vs just thinking. And the text also has a lovely illustration of Queenie’s Sea Garden; I’ve looked at it several times now, imagining walking through, feeling the breeze, smelling the sea air, listening to birds and enjoying the peace.
From the book jacket: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry followed its unassuming hero as he traveled the length of England – a journey spurred by a simple letter from his old friend Queenie Hennessy, writing from a hospice to say goodbye. Harold believed that as long as he kept walking Queenie would live. What he didn’t know was that his decision to walk had caused her both alarm and fear. How could she wait? What would she say? Forced to confront the past, Queenie realizes she must write again.
My reactions
Oh, I love Queenie! She admits that her first instinct when faced with a difficult situation has always been to flee – from home, from university, from Harold Fry. Now, at the end of her life she faces the secrets she has been hiding, and hiding from, with courage and grace, and pours out her heart in a long letter to her one love, Harold Fry. This is a love that was never declared, and certainly unrequited, but a love that will ultimately help Queenie achieve peace.
Joyce also gives us more about David’s struggles. I have to say I really disliked this young man. Yes, I understand his great unhappiness and depression, but I wanted to just slap him for his cruelty and lashing-out. His story is incredibly sad, but I can’t find it in my heart to sympathize with him.
But the book is not an unrelenting exercise in self-examination and regret. Queenie is at a hospice center, and there are other patients as well as the nuns who care for everyone. Joyce gives us glimmers of these patients’ personalities, of their hopes, dreams, fears. Some lend a bit of humor to what might otherwise be a very bleak story, and for that I’m thankful. And as word spreads of Harold’s journey to visit his dying friend, hope surges in their hearts and everyone adopts his request to Queenie … they will ALL wait for Harold. They will all wait for one more chance to express love and forgiveness.
Celia Imrie does a fine job of performing the audiobook. She has good pacing and skill as a voice artist. I did have the text handy, however, and I think I might have enjoyed the book even more if I read it rather than listened. Changes in typeface, use of quotations (or not), etc make it more clear when someone is speaking vs just thinking. And the text also has a lovely illustration of Queenie’s Sea Garden; I’ve looked at it several times now, imagining walking through, feeling the breeze, smelling the sea air, listening to birds and enjoying the peace.
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a great idea. If you have read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by this author, you will be curious like I was about this book which covers the same time period in the life of Queenie Hennessy--the woman Harold to whom Harold is making his pilgrimage.
This book has a mix of humor and sadness and I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
1/2019: Read it this time--found it a little annoying this time, but still happy to have the story fleshed out from Queenie's side.
This book has a mix of humor and sadness and I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
1/2019: Read it this time--found it a little annoying this time, but still happy to have the story fleshed out from Queenie's side.
kathleenguthriewoods's review against another edition
5.0
A lovely story about living. The descriptive passages are very nice, and the characters are charming, endearing, complicated.
I do think it will help to read "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" shortly before you read this one. I read it about two years ago, and feel like I need to re-read it to connect the dots.
I do think it will help to read "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" shortly before you read this one. I read it about two years ago, and feel like I need to re-read it to connect the dots.
alisonhori's review against another edition
5.0
I adored The Pilgrimage of Harold Frye and I adored this companion book. Just a touching, heartbreaking, sometimes funny, book. I love Rachel Joyce's writing style and her characters just come to life for me.
maxipepsi's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
catherineamerica's review against another edition
3.0
Beautifully written but it’s like, do you ever wonder what a story would be like if told by someone else? Well then you get it and it kind of ruins the magic of the original story? This is that. Harold’s journey was so good. Queenie’s input marred it a bit.