Book Review - Russell George's Footsteps in Summer

Like Russell George, my husband and I made the epic journey from John O'Groats to Land's End. Unlike George, we didn't walk it. We enjoyed the trip from the comfort of our car. I saw this book offered on NetGalley and it peaked my interest. Thank you to Troubadour Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to review Footsteps in Summer.

PLOT - A recently retired Russell George, decided to attempt the famous 950 mile walk from John O' Groats in Scotland to Land's End in England. Although he did some distance training to prep for the solo journey, he did not consider himself an athlete and had never attempted a long distance walk. He did the walk to raise awareness for Cancer Research UK, wearing a tee-shirt from the organization and carrying a sign of explanation on his backpack. George used his own funds for the trip and rather than camping, he opted to book hotels/inns for each night. He spent a great deal of time in the preplanning stage, picking the best places to stay and the best equipment. He was happy to have only needed his rain gear a few times, although sometimes the heat was unbearable! The walk took him two months and he was frequently joined by friends and family for portions of the trip. In the end, George raised eighteen thousand pounds for Cancer Research UK, which was eight thousand over his goal.

LIKED - The book is written like a travel diary, giving day-by-day accounts of the trip. I liked how George frequently added detailed Historical information about the towns that he was visiting. It made me aware of places in the UK that I will now want to visit in the future, many of them off the beaten path. It's easy to get excited for George, as he attempts this incredibly long walk to raise money for charity. I enjoyed hearing about the strangers that helped him out. It's a feel good story. On a personal note, since we visited many of the same places, it was fun for me to remember my own trip to the same towns. If this books makes you inspired to go to John O'Groats ( and you should), The Anchorage B&B was awesome and run by the nicest family!

DISLIKED - The travel diary style was frequently tedious to read, especially as George recounts every meal and every beer in every pub. It's like when a friend tells you about their vacation and makes you sit through every photo in their album. I think this could have been eased, if George had a little more finesse with the writing. I never felt like George was ever in serious trouble or even had a bad day. George was a very upbeat and positive person. This lack of drama also added to the tedium. The minor problems, like not being able to get lunch or issues with his shoes, were glossed over. I suspect that he was keeping it upbeat since he was promoting the charity and also because he had met so many kind people on the road who might read this book. Although, it would have been a more entertaining read, if he had encountered some real issues.

RECOMMEND - I'd recommend Footsteps in Summer, if you're a long distance walker or if you're considering attempting a similar walk. You also might enjoy it, if you're from the parts of the UK where George traveled. To most readers, even ones who like travel writing, I'm not sure that this book should be at the top of your list. I think George has a fascinating story, but it's probably one that would be better told in person ( a condensed version), rather than reading it in a book.

Book Review- J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy

Like most people I know, I jumped on the Harry Potter train. I read the series, saw about half of the movie adaptations and I'm eager to visit Universal Studio's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I enjoyed the stories, but I must confess that I didn't really think of J.K. Rowling as a writer beyond the Potter Series. 

I'm not a huge fan of YA Fiction, so I was eager to see what Rowling would do with adult literature. I bought The Casual Vacancy several months ago and it sat on my Kindle as I chose to read other novels ahead of it. Finally, a few days ago, I started reading it.

I could not put it down.

The Casual Vacancy is a million times better than Potter. It's hard and probably not fair to even make a comparison. I don't mean to downplay what she did with Potter, as those books were aimed at a different audience (and a series that I enjoyed), but The Casual Vacancy is just so much more substantial in emotion and themes. It's a story that makes a strong statement about society and one that lingered with me. 

The Casual Vacancy follows the lives of several citizens living in the English town of Pagford. When council member Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly, the town is divided over who will fill his vacant seat. Fairbrother's death comes when the town is trying to decided if it wants to change its boarders to exclude a set of council estates that is seen as a blight on the community. Fairbrother is a success story, having been born in the council area, but having overcome his disadvantages to become a respected member of the community. Prior to his death, he championed the council estates and was working on a newspaper article highlighting a teenager that he was mentoring, a girl from a very troubled family. His death comes as a welcomed opportunity to those who want to seize control of the town, bringing a range of citizens stepping forward to run for office. Everyone has an opinion, but few people want to give real help to the people who need it most.

Rowling's story is highly upsetting with a completely shocking twist at the end. It's very adult in themes and tone, which might be jarring to some of her fan base. Even though the book left me feeling incredibly sad, I liked the grit and hard truths that she exposed. The story deals with the biases and stereotypes that people have regarding others of different socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Casual Vacancy is a riveting story. I felt both emotionally wrecked and uplifted when I finished it. Stellar. I hope that Rowling writes more adult literature in the future, she has such a talent for storytelling. 

Book Review - Meg Wolitzer's The Interestings

Even though it has garnered a lot of praise, it took me a long time to get around to reading Meg Wolitzer's latest novel, The Interestings. If this book is at the bottom of your to-be-read pile, bump it to the top. Now. The Interestings is a decades spanning roller coaster ride. I absolutely couldn't put it down and now that I've finished reading it, it hasn't left my mind.

The Interestings follows five friends who meet at an arts centric summer camp in the 1970's. Although the story follows all of the characters, the primary focus is on Jules, a teenager who has just lost her father to cancer. She attends the camp on a scholarship and is immediately swept up in the lives of kids who come from privileged backgrounds and in her mind, are much more creative and interesting than average people. Jules keeps in close contact with her friends from camp and becomes even closer to them as she enters adulthood and moves to New York City.

Her two strongest friendships from camp are Ash and Ethan, a married couple. Naturally, this isn't as simple as it sounds. Ethan initially had a crush on Jules and even though she turned him down, he is not far from her mind. Ethan ends up having huge success in his twenties as the creator of a Simpsons-esque animation series. As Jules is lacking financial security and  married to a husband who has severe depression, she often wonders about the road not taken with Ethan. Jules is plagued by extreme jealousy towards Ash and Ethan, who are not only rich, but also seem to lead more interesting, cultured lives. 

Added to the mix are Jonah and Goodman. Jonah is another camp friend, who is the son of a famous folk singer. Although he longs to be a musician, his talents are shuttered by a childhood trauma. Goodman is Ash's brother and although he seems to have every opportunity for success, he makes a very bad decision in his late teens that changes the course his life and greatly affects the lives of his family and friends. 

This was my first Wolitzer novel, but I'm sold on her skills as a writer. This story was engaging and affecting. It had such vibrant and well-rounded characters that I felt like I was reading about people I know. The story goes unexpected directions. It was also a good indictment on what our society values, showing a truth that is not very flattering, but one that is honest. There are so many layers to this story and its characters, that I can't stop thinking about it. 

Simply put, a really fabulous novel by a new-to-me author. I can't wait to discover more stories by Wolitzer. She's a powerhouse.