A Short Walk Through a Wide World

A unique premise with definite hints of Addie La Rie that kept me intrigued and entertained throughout its mysterious and beautifully written narrative.

Aubry is such a multilayered character - brave, fearless yet with a tender sense of longing and vulnerability. I loved following her journey of poignant adventures.

A true love letter to travel, adventure and discovery. A Short Walk Through a Wide World guarantees to take you on a journey filled with rich descriptive prose, interesting curiousities, and global culture.

Aubry Tourvel is found by a mysterious puzzle ball that she can't seem to part with. Later on, she develops an equally mysterious illness that will kill her if she doesn't travel to somewhere new. As a result, she is constantly on the move around the world - from the frozen Arctic to the scorching sandseas. We follow her travels and see the world from her perspective.

I loved the journey that I went on as a reader through this book. It has a beautiful charm which makes it impossible to put down. While not without its faults (e.g loose ends, confusing ending), I found that the journey made up for the destination with this.

A fantastic read!

A lifetime of travelling sometimes appeals to me, wondering from place to place. Meeting new people, exploring new cuisines.

But for Aubrey Tourvel it’s a curse. She can’t stay in one place for more than two or three days, she can’t return to anywhere she’s already been.

Resilient and resourceful, a very skilled linguist. Adept at hunting, communicating and getting herself out of trouble. We meet her as an adult and as she travels she tells her story - or parts of it to the people she meets along the way.

I’m not sure I ended up with a satisfactory as to what the disorder was - illness or curse? - but in the end I didn’t need it as Aubrey found peace and a place for herself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review.

Wow, what a stunning and unusual book this was! Aubry and her travels around and through the world will stay with me for quite some time. I loved the concept of this book, and it definitely lived up to its description. Westerbeke cleverly weaves Aubry's story together, jumping through time so you can't keep track of how old she is, or where in the overall story each part comes. I loved the fantastic detail he uses to describe each place Aubry ends up, the way he brings Aubry and her various companions to life. And I particularly loved the ending of the book, which brought so many strands of the story to their perfect conclusion (but I won't spoil it for anyone here). If anything else Westerbeke writes is as good as this, I can't wait to read it!

An amazingly peculiar, yet strangely beautiful story.
The blurb for this book drew me in and it certainly did not disappoint.
It is 1885 and Aubry Tourvel, a nine year old French girl, suddenly begins to bleed to death. Medical interventions only make it worse. She finds herself fleeing from this terror, and realises that the act of moving away improves her condition, but not for long… Aubry has to keep travelling every few days in order to keep alive. We join Aubry on her lifelong journey as she travels the world.
This book was so unique and thought provoking, I just couldn’t stop reading. Definitely an inspiring read.

Exquisite prose and a dreamscape of magical realism and adventure, A Short Walk Through a Wide World is a beautiful book that I'll think of often.

I've just finished A long walk through a wide world and I feel like I need to sit and contemplate what I have just read. The book is incredible, it starts with a girl who can't stay in the same place for more than a few days or she gets very sick and then the story moves with her as she explores the world but also she explores herself and who she is.
I loved this book and highly recommend it. It gives vibes of the midnight library and similar books. I can see it will be one of those books that people will talk about for a long time after reading.