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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
This book was 2.5-3 star average book until the last four pages. Now I'm holding The Hike and I am speechless. Drew Magary did something special in these pages that snuck up on me.
I feel like it's not fair to summarize The Hike without ruining or taking away from your hike. It's about a man named Benjamin. I think that's good enough.
The writing style reminds me a lot of Vonnegut. It's simple, but it makes me feel like I'm missing the point. For me this book was about action and reaction. Don't spend your life doing whatever your supposed to, grab your life and live it.
"Everyone needs to have something inside then that no one else can have."
I don't think I could recommend it to everyone because it's so different and I think most people would get bored or misunderstand. If you like layers and thinking outside the box, this is for you.
I feel like it's not fair to summarize The Hike without ruining or taking away from your hike. It's about a man named Benjamin. I think that's good enough.
The writing style reminds me a lot of Vonnegut. It's simple, but it makes me feel like I'm missing the point. For me this book was about action and reaction. Don't spend your life doing whatever your supposed to, grab your life and live it.
"Everyone needs to have something inside then that no one else can have."
I don't think I could recommend it to everyone because it's so different and I think most people would get bored or misunderstand. If you like layers and thinking outside the box, this is for you.
If you want a book that will engage your imagination and never let you guess what is coming give The Hike a try. I think the book I read after this one suffered from not being as fantastical as this.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A man decides to go for a hike one evening but ends up on a bizarre, life-altering journey. He encounters some pretty strange creatures and has to overcome arduous tasks and obstacles. Throughout all this he grows and learns more about himself and what he values. It was, by far, one of the strangest books I read, but if you just "go with it", I think you will find it fun and enjoyable.
Characters- I really enjoyed all of the characters in the story. Ben is the main character and he seems very real and reacts to the events as I feel a normal person would- not with great heroics, but with fear and ultimately determination. He makes mistakes, is impulsive, and doesn't always listen. He is stubborn but also creative. I liked that because you don't find too many characters who make the stupid decision that we humans do on a daily basis. The ancillary characters were also quite wonderful, especially Crab and Fermona, very memorable, however, they are lacking somewhat in depth (at least Crab is at first). The "bad guys" in the book are pretty one dimensional, but that didn't bother me because Ben is really the meat and bones of the story, and the antagonists don't really require that kind of depth for Ben's journey to still have significance.
Locations- The locations are so varying in this story. Ben's hike takes him to many crazy memorable places. I really had no idea what to expect from this story and so it took me by surprise just how many different settings there were- the woods, a cave, a hovercraft, the beach, a fancy hotel, the dessert...I could continue, but that would ruin the fun. The locations are described enough to create a mental image without wasting too much time and ruining the pacing of the story.
Action- Which brings me to action! The plot is in constant forward motion from the moment you being and doesn't stop until it is finished. And I think that is the main push of this book; it is not beautifully written, it is not a world-building fantasy, it is just plain and simple a weird action story, and it is a very fun ride. The fact that it is so incredibly unpredictable are part of what makes it so fun.
Readability- This book is one of the most readable books I've read. The writing is clean and sharp; so fluid that I could read it quickly with very little effort. It's about 300 pages long and took me overall a few hours. If you are looking for flowery language, with beautiful descriptions and fanciful language- this is not that book. Would I read it again? Probably not, but it was still worth reading once.
Extras- *SPOILERS*
Characters- I really enjoyed all of the characters in the story. Ben is the main character and he seems very real and reacts to the events as I feel a normal person would- not with great heroics, but with fear and ultimately determination. He makes mistakes, is impulsive, and doesn't always listen. He is stubborn but also creative. I liked that because you don't find too many characters who make the stupid decision that we humans do on a daily basis. The ancillary characters were also quite wonderful, especially Crab and Fermona, very memorable, however, they are lacking somewhat in depth (at least Crab is at first). The "bad guys" in the book are pretty one dimensional, but that didn't bother me because Ben is really the meat and bones of the story, and the antagonists don't really require that kind of depth for Ben's journey to still have significance.
Locations- The locations are so varying in this story. Ben's hike takes him to many crazy memorable places. I really had no idea what to expect from this story and so it took me by surprise just how many different settings there were- the woods, a cave, a hovercraft, the beach, a fancy hotel, the dessert...I could continue, but that would ruin the fun. The locations are described enough to create a mental image without wasting too much time and ruining the pacing of the story.
Action- Which brings me to action! The plot is in constant forward motion from the moment you being and doesn't stop until it is finished. And I think that is the main push of this book; it is not beautifully written, it is not a world-building fantasy, it is just plain and simple a weird action story, and it is a very fun ride. The fact that it is so incredibly unpredictable are part of what makes it so fun.
Readability- This book is one of the most readable books I've read. The writing is clean and sharp; so fluid that I could read it quickly with very little effort. It's about 300 pages long and took me overall a few hours. If you are looking for flowery language, with beautiful descriptions and fanciful language- this is not that book. Would I read it again? Probably not, but it was still worth reading once.
Extras- *SPOILERS*
Spoiler
Okay, let's talk about the ending. I both hated it and loved it. When faced with the decision to basically go back to his former life or stay on the path forever where he basically had ultimate powers (a no rules land, where your only limit is the things you can think up), he decides to tear himself into two and chose BOTH options. Okay, so this is imaginative, but it also felt like cheating! The entire book is about his journey and how it changes him, and I feel like this ending cheapened the impact of what he learned about himself. I give kudos for being unexpected, but I couldn't help but feel like a kid throwing a tantrum ("That's not fair! You can't do that!"). However, I must say I loved the reveal about his wife once he returns to his life, that she too, has gone through her own journey on "the path". I feel like the ending could've been just as effective if he had simply chosen to go home to his wife and still have her reveal her journey. But that's just my opinion! I'd love to hear if you think there are reasons why he needed to end the book this way.
I didn't want to like this book. I'm not a horror fan, and horrific things start happening pretty quickly. If someone had told me that the book is basically a man on a journey where terrible things continuously happen to him, I probably would have skipped it. In spite of that, and the less interesting parts, and the occasional video-game feel (which I dislike for some reason; I think I'll blame "Ready Player One"); in spite of all of that, I really liked this book. I don't think I'll ever need to read it again, but I'm glad I did read it.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
This book is now up in my top favorite books ever. I picked it up simply because of the amazing cover art and then, to my great satisfaction, realized how flipping awesome this book was. It's just creepy enough for me to want to start biting my nails, but I won't because I am a strong human being. The Hike is creepy, hilarious, and smart.
Most stories like this leave me wanting more of an ending but the end of this story is SO rewarding! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something weird and original -- The Hike is the book for you.
It starts out interesting, but becomes a parade of random events strung together. The tension and stakes became non-existent right at the point I realized there was still half a book left. I should’ve left the path!
In all of the many books I have read, this book might be my new favorite. I loved every second of this wild ride. Like a nightmare on mushrooms. It is absolutely hilarious, horrifying, and heart-wrenching. Fanfreakingtastic.
2.5 stars. Fast and weird but I only really finished because I heard the ending was good -- and yes, it was worth a half star.
The concept for this book and the description gave me high hopes for a fun summer read. I was disappointed. It wasn’t terrible, but the writing was flat. The humor wasn’t quite funny enough, the descriptive passages didn’t come alive for the most part. The last few chapters were much better than the rest of the book.