The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

By: Rachel Joyce

Narrated by: Jim Broadbent

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Winner: New Writer of the Year – Specsavers National Book Awards 2012.

When Harold Fry nips out one morning to post a letter, leaving his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof, or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking - to save someone else's life.

Harold Fry is the most ordinary of men. He just might be a hero for us all.

Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent has starred in a huge range of films, from British favourites including Bridget Jones, Hot Fuzz and The Iron Lady, to Hollywood blockbusters such as Moulin Rouge, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and the Harry Potter films. He is set to star in the upcoming film adaptation of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

©2012 Rachel Joyce (P)2012 Random House AudioGo

Critic reviews

“From the moment I met Harold Fry, I didn't want to leave him. Impossible to put down.” (Erica Wagner, The Times)

“Harold Fry is infuriating, hilarious and completely out of his depth, but I held my breath at his every blister and cramp and, felt, as if by turning the pages, I might help his impossible quest succeed. Marvellous!” (Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand)

“A magical, moving and uplifting tale about a man's journey across Britain and into his own heart.” (Deborah Moggach)

“I loved this book. I loved its purity, its brutality and unerring honesty. I don't think I have read such richly composed metaphors before. They are like shooting stars glittering across each page. I can't believe this is her first novel- I wait with bated breath for her next.” (Natascha McElhone)

“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry isn’t just a book I enjoyed reading, it’s a book I feel lucky to have read. It takes the most ordinary and unassuming of men and turns him into a hero for us all. Harold Fry faces the same questions we all do as we age, questions about the meaning of our lives, faith and love, but confronts them in a most surprising way. To go on this journey with him will not only break your heart, it might also just heal it.” (Tiffany Baker, New York Times best-selling author of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County)

Harold hunts for the meaning of life

This is a very enjoyable listen. It is the story of an old man who has become horribly stuck in a rut. He is living an empty life of mediocrity and is scarred by his failures and weaknesses as a human being. He goes out to post a letter and just carries on walking, a la Forrest Gump.

His journey is not easy, and he experiences desperation and crisis on the way, but ultimately he grows as a person, learns to understand himself and to cope better with his demons. It is not a corny feelgood happy ending, but some things improve for Harold. In Harold's 'happy ending' we are not allowed to escape life's realities of death, loss and grief, but we can appreciate the value of the discoveries Harold makes.

It is a moving story, grim at times. You engage with all the characters and you do want to keep listening to hear the rest of the story. It is also a very English story, and I'm not sure whether this would make it more or less enjoyable to someone who isn't from that country (as I am).

It is a little bit twee and reminded very much of a serialised BBC radio play. There were also some aspects of the storyline which stretched my credulity a bit. If you don't want to spoil the story by seeing my examples of this, stop reading now:

1. When the media find out about Harold's walk they camp outside his (wife's) house but they don't actually go out and find him, which would have been very easy to do.

2. He sleeps rough and lives off wild plants for a while. I don't think you could do this sustainably in the English countryside

This is why I couldn't quite give the storyline a 5. But I wholeheartedly recommend it nevertheless. The Narrator was magnificent.

Perfect audio book

If you could sum up The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry in three words, what would they be?

gentle, sad, wonderful

Who was your favorite character and why?

Harold - he was the only main character everyone else was secondary really. I loved the way this otherwise normal, boring man, did something totally out of his comfort zone. He discovered himself along the way.

Which character – as performed by Jim Broadbent – was your favorite?

Harold, we get to know him very well. Jim Broadbent is the best narrator I've listened too so far. Excellent pace, doesn't try to imitate a lady's voice. We can picture Harold when we hear Jim's voice talking.

If you could rename The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, what would you call it?

I think the title is great. It aptly expresses what the book is about.

Any additional comments?

Don't expect a racy drama. This is a beautiful story of human nature, and the pace and limited number of characters make it perfect for listening to in the car.I'm don't find many audio books particularly easy to listen to, but this is by far my favorite audio book, I hope Jim Broadbent will do more in the future.

Thought provoking late in life coming of age story

If you could sum up The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry in three words, what would they be?

Honest, ironic, human

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry?

The time Harold spends with the Eastern European doctor

What about Jim Broadbent’s performance did you like?

Exactly captured the tone of the story, Broadbent WAS Harold. Perfect casting.

Who was the most memorable character of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and why?

Harold because he grew in self knowledge in the story and came to understand something about human nature which was both tragic and bleak yet also ordinary and hopeful.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend the book.

great sequel

warm riveting story of determination and lost live. I lived the background to Harold, the sadness of un recognized love.

Very philosophical.............

Would you listen to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry again? Why?

Maybe?

What other book might you compare The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry to and why?

'The Alchemist' both have that same thought provoking quality. Gives you insight into people, their hopes and dreams etc

Have you listened to any of Jim Broadbent’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you could rename The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, what would you call it?

No that's a good title for it

Any additional comments?

Gives you food for thought, I enjoyed it.

Lovely

This novel captivated me from the very beginning; I loved everything about Harold and his journey. Some parts were a bit predictable but the lasting memories of this novel are only positive.
It was an unexpected treasure to find - I will listen to it again.

A Wonderful Revealling Journey of Harold Fry

This is a wonderful story of a personal journey of discovery for Harold Fry. Poor Harold initially appears terribly mundane and the story is a little slow to start. However, the slow start is deliberate. Each step of his journey we learn more and more of the personal side of Harold as he reflects on his life; of mistakes, missed opportunities, and regrets. The gradual unveiling is masterfully handled by the author, leading up to the terrible tradegy near the end. The descriptions of the countryside he passes are detailed and colourful, the characters he meets are varied, rich, and entertaining. Although we learn of a terrible tradegy near the end which puts the whole story in a completely new perspective the end note is very positive, reminding the reader of the power of resiliency. This story made me laugh and cry and made me reflect on my own life journey, of regrets, and missed opportunities, thankfully not nearly as tragic as Harold. A great listening experience

What a wonderful story!

So sad how 20 years of a relationship could be wasted. Secrets, unspoken words, tragedy, loneliness.

A 65 year old man embarks on a journey (pilgrimage) to see a long lost friend who is dying of cancer. On the way, he meets ordinary yet special people who inspire him and give him hope - most of the time. He thinks about the shadows of the past and how he thinks he failed his wife, son and friend. Meanwhile, his wife is going through the same feelings while left at home. Has he left her? Will he come back?

The narration was superb. The male narrator didn't try to imitate the female voices as some do (badly!). But you always knew who was speaking.

Very moving and emotional. And so well written and narrated. An absolutely wonderful story!

Made an old cynic weep

What a super novel. A great story with several stories within the main one and as they unfold, I was left inspired.

A stubborn man

Where does The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top.

What did you like best about this story?

It was easy to follow the story of this man who set out on what appeared to be quite a ridiculous walk to prove a point.

If you could take any character from The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I think the women in this story deserved attention - the long suffering, confused wife and the 'friend' who prompted the walk.

Any additional comments?

The various characters that Fry meets on his travels were interesting - at times almost ridiculous especially the large group he attracted. However, the encounters were unexpected and had a certain simplicity and honesty.