Unabridged Audiobook
This book was a bit slow at times, but I did enjoy getting to hear Queenie’s perspective. Beautifully done.
I enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage immensely, a while ago, and figured I'd listen to this companion book (as the author rightly calls it). The writing is just as beautiful, but the story was more difficult. It weaves together a story of terminal illness and death, and how to find joy in even little things to alleviate the pain - that aspect was good, though the terminal illness and death is quite a downer, and a story of a woman obsessed with a married man. She feels she loves him (maybe she does, though love is pretty complicated, is it not?), but so many years to be obsessed with him, when she can never have him and knows it seems quite extreme. I found that obsession tedious. And then there is a third thread - Harold's son with mental illness. Very sad, too. So I enjoyed the quality of the writing and the narration was superb, while the story could have been trimmed down, and is too sad to say I really enjoyed it.
I found Queeny's side of the story just as delightful as Harold's and highly recommend both.
I read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye a few years ago, and liked it, but didn’t love it. This story was wonderful. Funny, poignant, smart. I want to read (listen) to Harold Frye again-perhaps I will get more out of it now that I know the parallel story.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. I didnt enjoy it nearly as much as I did the companion book, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, but I listened to it all the way through and am glad I didnt give up on it in the middle.
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