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A review by katykelly
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
4.0
I've had this on my Kindle app for ages, only being spurred on to read it because I like to see films only after I've read the original book first.
This isn't one you are going to laugh about, it's not one with witty lines or even a lot in the way of plot. But it's not that sort of book - it's a memoir, a study of grief, a story about a woman setting herself a challenge and struggling through to complete it.
And it achieves this. Cheryl's mum dies young, unexpectedly and in a rather difficult and painful way. Her daughter's life, family and outlook is immediately shattered, and only after going off the rails somewhat does Cheryl see a way to try to move forward, try to put her grief into perspective and keep living. She decides to walk the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) that stretches through a good proprtion of America, solo and with little money. Just a giant backpack full of supplies that soon gets nicknamed Monster, and that strong men even have trouble lifting off the ground, let alone Cheryl.
And so begins her rather epic few months on the PCT, alone with her thoughts (and a few books), occasionally meeting other hikers, and narrating for us her thoughts and experiences. It's a slow-moving book, with glimpses at Cheryl's past, her mother's death and what happened after that. She's honest about it, and her pain is hard to ignore - life just isn't fair.
I did find this hard going at times, as it is a fairly slow read, but I did pick up the pace halfway through. I found the concept of the hiking exhausting but was totally in awe of her determination and grit. And the luck she had, with so many people helping her and offering their assistance - my belief in the generous nature of people did get a bolster.
I could also relate to the need for solitude, time to think and the desire to test yourself.
A very engaging and empathic novel overall, one I now look forward to seeing on the screen.
This isn't one you are going to laugh about, it's not one with witty lines or even a lot in the way of plot. But it's not that sort of book - it's a memoir, a study of grief, a story about a woman setting herself a challenge and struggling through to complete it.
And it achieves this. Cheryl's mum dies young, unexpectedly and in a rather difficult and painful way. Her daughter's life, family and outlook is immediately shattered, and only after going off the rails somewhat does Cheryl see a way to try to move forward, try to put her grief into perspective and keep living. She decides to walk the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) that stretches through a good proprtion of America, solo and with little money. Just a giant backpack full of supplies that soon gets nicknamed Monster, and that strong men even have trouble lifting off the ground, let alone Cheryl.
And so begins her rather epic few months on the PCT, alone with her thoughts (and a few books), occasionally meeting other hikers, and narrating for us her thoughts and experiences. It's a slow-moving book, with glimpses at Cheryl's past, her mother's death and what happened after that. She's honest about it, and her pain is hard to ignore - life just isn't fair.
I did find this hard going at times, as it is a fairly slow read, but I did pick up the pace halfway through. I found the concept of the hiking exhausting but was totally in awe of her determination and grit. And the luck she had, with so many people helping her and offering their assistance - my belief in the generous nature of people did get a bolster.
I could also relate to the need for solitude, time to think and the desire to test yourself.
A very engaging and empathic novel overall, one I now look forward to seeing on the screen.