The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Rating: ★★★★★
Oh my goodness I had tears streaming down my face for the majority of this book. I have no idea why I don't hear more people talking about this hidden gem.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry tells the story of an old man who has been sitting around his house wasting away his retirement for a long time, then one day a note arrives from a very old friend, Queenie, informing him of her inoperable cancer. Harold writes a short note in reply and walks to the mailbox to send it on it's way, but when he gets there, he can't quite bring himself to let it go, so he walks on to the next mailbox. He keeps walking from mailbox to mailbox until he decides he might as well just walk all the way to her. A distance of 627 miles. On foot. And so begins the unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Harold's journey was not just one of walking a great distance to see his friend, there were so many unexpected twists and turns that had me crying anew every few chapters. Along his way, Harold meets a wide variety of people in very different walks of life. Harold quickly learns that, though listening to these people and learning to love each of them, it takes a lot out of him to care about so many people. There is something so painfully honest about that. We would all like to say we want to love everyone we come across, but, besides putting aside prejudices, it takes a lot of energy to love people, and it can hurt.
Let's not forget about Maureen, Harold's wife. Maureen is left behind at the beginning of this novel, where she has to unpack the last twenty years of cold silence and blame between herself and Harold. Maureen's journey is just as big as Harolds, maybe even bigger, because she didn't want to make it. Maureen goes on a journey of falling in love with her husband all over again, when he's not even there. I have mad respect for Maureen, my queen.
SPOILERS!! If you have not read this book stop right here! You do NOT want to be spoiled. Trust me.
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Let's unpack the absolutely heart wrenching ending of this book, starting with when Harold finally arrives at St. Bernadine's Hospice. Harold can't bring himself to actually enter after all this time. He isn't ready for the journey to be over yet, so he leaves. He goes to a small cafe where he proceeds to absolutely break my heart.
At this point, Harold is a mess. The staff and customers in the cafe try to keep him at a safe distance. No one recognizes him as the man they have being following on the news for the past weeks. Finally, Harold says, "I want my son". And cue my sobs... the annoyed manager tries to ask Harold where is son is, but Harold can't respond. A friendly customer finally recognizes Harold and puts his hand on his shoulder so ask his son's name, but HAROLD CAN'T REMEMBER, at which point I was like "SHIT I FORGOT ABOUT THE ALZHEIMER'S" Cue more sobbing.
And then the earth dropped out from under my feet because Harold writes a letter to the "Girl in the Garage" that reveals that HIS SON IS DEAD! His son killed himself YEARS ago and THAT is what Maureen blames Harold for and I literally jumped up from my couch, gasping and crying and trying to get a hold of myself so I wouldn't wake my housemates. I'm actually crying again writing this because it's so incredible. This is like a Next to Normal level reveal.
Now, let's move on to the big finish. Harold finally goes to see Queenie. He introduces himself to the staff by saying, "I'm Harold Fry. I have walked an awfully long way to save Queenie Hennessy" (295). Cue a fresh waterfall of tears. The staff does not give Harold a big fanfare, they just quietly and happily lead Harold to Queenie's room.
Then comes the most tender, painful part of the entire book. Harold walks in the Queenie's room and doesn't even see her at first because she's so small. Harold speaks to her, but she can't speak back because her tongue has been cut out. After all the time, Harold imaged her as the old Queenie, but she is not the woman he used to know anymore.
"First came the left eye, then the nose, then the right side of her cheek, until she was facing him, and they met for the first time in twenty years. Harold's breath stopped" (299).
To top it all off, Maureen comes to join him at the very end and the two cry on a bench together, holding each other, finally reunited.
But don't worry! The book ends on a happy note (a brilliant choice by the author in my opinion). Harold and Maureen literally end laughing hysterically on a beach. I can't think of a better way to end this emotional rollercoaster of a book.
If you've read this PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT IT BECAUSE NO ONE I KNOW HAS READ THIS!
Favorite Quotes:
"And it raised the question-- as he pushed the button at the pelican crossing-- that if she was, in effect, Harold, 'then who am I?'" (12).
"Tell her Harold Fry is on his way. All she has to do is wait. Because I am going to save her, you see. I will keep walking and she must keep living" (19).
"Maybe it was the walking. Maybe you saw even more than the land when you got out of the car and used your feet" (43).
"The past is the past; there was no escaping your beginnings. Not even with a tie" (138).
"It was hard to understand a little and then walk away" (145).
"Her hand lay in her husband's, and all the rest of her was numb" (247).
"He spoke so softly, the words were part of the air. 'I'm the one who needs forgiveness'" (249).
"He work crying, and continued to cry all day as he walked" (274).
"The messages were more precious than love letters" (275).
"First came the left eye, then the nose, then the right side of her cheek, until she was facing him, and they met for the first time in twenty years. Harold's breath stopped" (299).
"'You got up, and you did something. And if trying to find a way when you don't even know you can get there isn't a small miracle; then I don't know what is'...'I love you, Harold Fry,' she whispered. 'That is what you did'" (311).
"She had lifted his vacant head, and kissed him over and over, not believing that her wanting him alive wasn't enough to bring him back" (316).
Are you crying? Good. Me too.
Happy reading!
