ARC Review: A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke

Quotes: "She doesn't want to wander around the world. She wants the world to wander around her."

This is a single leaf on a bare tree. Forests are coming."

"The world was so full of wonders. Why do you include him? What was he to you?"
"He was a wonder."

"It appears that pictures are no substitute for words, as words are no substitute for the things themselves."

"And if everything you lost came back to you. Would that make you happy?"
"It's not the things. It's what they meant."

Review: This is described as The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets The Life of Pi, and I can see the similarities in the story.
Aubry has to constantly be on the move to stay alive. To keep this mystery illness she has at bay. She sees many magnificent sights and meets all sorts of people along the way.

The note I'd have about this is the story jumps around a lot, and it was difficult for me to follow.
I thought the loneliness Aubry has to endure in the story was so sad. Never being able to settle anywhere and constantly saying goodbye to people she cared for or became friends with.
I may try to re-read this at some point.
There was some beautiful writing in this.
I'll give it 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Avid Readers Press for the advanced copy for my unbiased review

Thank you for reading 📚

At the age of 9, Aubrey Tourvel, experiences an illness that requires her to continously travel the world or she'll die. This story was magical and wondrous. I felt for Aubry not being able to find a proper home & basically having to be on the run her whole life. However, she comes across many people along her journey & experiences many different cultures. I did enjoy the book but I think some answers would have been nice.

The New York Times declares Westerbeke’s “dazzlingly epic” debut novel “…The Life of Pi, The Alchemist, and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable.” That is quite a blurb. An instant bestseller, A Short Walk takes readers on an imaginative, labyrinthine journey that features libraries. In fact, Westerbeke is a librarian in Ohio. He says that working at one of the largest libraries in the U.S. and serving on the local panel of the International Dublin Literary Award for over ten years inspired him to write this novel.

It opens in Paris in the 1880s. Precocious nine-year-old Aubry Tourvel’s parents have indulged her stubborn tendencies, so she is accustomed to bending the world to meet her desires. A sudden, serious illness strikes her on the evening after she finds a mysterious looking wooden puzzle ball on her way home. It seems connected to the wishing well she visited with her sisters earlier. Aubry and her family soon face a difficult reality: she will only survive if she keeps moving, moving away from home to a place she has never been. To live means that she can not only not go home again, she cannot revisit anywhere either. She meets amazingly colorful characters along her journeys and visits mysterious private libraries. Spanning over eight decades and around the world more than once, this is a marvelous tale.

In 1885 Belle Époque Paris, selfish, ungrateful nine-year-old Aubry Tourvel finds a wooden puzzle ball on a dead man’s doorstep. She picks it up, but quickly tires of it and throws it away. It reappears in her backpack as though attached to her, and when her sisters ask her to sacrifice something precious at a wishing well, to do some good in the world, she refuses to part with it. Shortly thereafter she becomes very ill, spasming and bleeding profusely. The doctor makes things worse, so she runs. Running away improves her condition, so her mother travels with her until exhaustion takes over, and Aubry then sets out on her own.

Moving keeps the sickness at bay as she learns to hunt, survive, and barter rather than beg or steal. She circumnavigates the world many times, but she cannot stay in one place for more than two or three days, and can never go back or revisit somewhere she has been. The fatal illness follows her but allows her to accomplish seemingly impossible journeys. She crosses the Calanshio Sand Sea on foot, crews in the Seychelles, slaughters whales in the Faroes, follows wildebeest across the Serengeti, discovers doors to labyrinthine underground libraries, and finds love on a train to Vladivostok. And much more.

It took a while to settle into this novel but once I did, I was struck by the superbly descriptive settings, particularly in the latter half. Feeling Aubry’s journey eluded me quite often, as I felt as though I was watching her and hearing her story and only sometimes living it. Time is a fluid, inconsequential thing in this intriguing, unconventional novel―an Alice-in-Wonderland-type allegory, a coming-of-age in the broadest sense and a fantastical odyssey to find meaning, understanding, and self-acceptance.

Afflicted with a bizarre, uncurable -- and sentient -- disease, Aubry Tourvel has not been able to stay longer than a couple days in any one place since she was 10, ever since she came across a strange puzzle ball on her walk home from school. Aubry's life becomes a never-ending epic, full of adventure and wonder and encounters with places and experiences and humans of all stripes. This debut novel is a coming-of-age tale, travelogue, and magical-realism-tinged adventure in self-discovery -- all rolled into one metaphorical puzzle ball. It asks, what if you could live only in the present? What would your story look like then? What would the world look like? And what would that world's stories and the library that housed those stories look like? It looks like a life-affirming, journey, as far as this coming-of-age story would demonstrate. I'm still puzzling out the ending, but overall an enthralling read.
[Thanks to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

This was a beautifully written book that captured my attention immediately! I loved the travel aspect and was quite intrigued by Audry's story.

I did find that it lulled a little in the middle and found it hard to stay focused on the story. I also found the timeline a bit difficult to keep track of at times too. But I'm also not a huge fan of the literary fiction genre, and although this had a magical realism element, it was still not a genre I particularly enjoy because it tends to be slower paced.

I was very invested again by the end and loved how the author wrapped up the story. It was very endearing, and I tore through the last quarter of the book. Objectively, I think this was a well written, well thought out book. It just isn't a genre I'm crazy about, which is why it lost my interest a bit in the middle. I do think it's worth reading, though, for anyone interested in this type of book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avid Reader Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I went in blind not expecting this book to open up my eyes to world so intense and girl with so much hope. Just a magical story that you will likely read again and again. No give away but a must read when you’re ready for a book full of hope and love.



Thanks Netgalley for this ARC. This has been an easy recommend to customers that will become long lasting favorite by many.

I loved this magical novel! "A Short Walk Through a Wide World" by Douglas Westerbeke was creative, imaginative, and full of drama. A young woman afflicted with a unique illness, travelling the world in unconventional ways, defending herself, becoming fierce and powerful, making strong yet short bonds, and inspiring others. Was a wonderful journey, with an excellent ending. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

2.7 stars
One Liner: Got its moments, though underwhelming

1885, Paris
Aubry Tourvel was a bratty nine-year-old when she started to bleed to death at the dinner table. Soon, the treatments made her worse, and she escaped to the city’s outskirts. Then she realized that the only cure for her strange disease was to keep traveling. She cannot stay at any place for more than a few days.
Thus began her neverending travel around the world from one end to another, meeting many people but never having someone to call her own. What happens to Aubry? Does her journey end?
The story comes in Aubry’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
The premise is quite intriguing, so when I saw the book was available, I grabbed an ARC. Though I’m a fan of rounded endings, I knew I wouldn’t get it in this one.
The beginning is terrific. We start with the crisis and move on to some details in the past, and then the story goes back and forth. The timeline is as messy as it can get with no proper indication (except for the chapter titles, which are really helpful in making some sense of the flow).
Once the initial curiosity wears off, we are left to follow the MC as she meanders through different lands, meets different people, makes friends, takes lovers, and moves on.
Some of it is actually good since there are instances when Aubry goes into introspective mode or realizes that her way of manipulating others may not be the right move. Unfortunately, the MC remains distant and somehow, has the same tone almost throughout.
However, the dialogues are stilted, even uncomfortable, and abrupt at times. It’s hard to get a hang of the MC, which means trying to empathize with her is also a tough task despite the circumstances. There are quite a few side characters- some of them are more distinct, while others blur into one another. Somehow, one character who could actually be important gets only a line at the end.
This is also the kind of book that makes it easy to zone out. One second you could be reading, the next instant, you’d be planning your to-do list or humming lyrics from a song you heard a decade ago. The middle is the slowest and feels like we are going in circles.
The puzzle ball and the secret doors, libraries, etc., are an attempt at magic realism. While I admire the inclusion of libraries, I wish the scenes were better executed.
Though I ended up with a headache after reading this, I did enjoy the ending. It was better than I hoped. I might have liked it more if the book was 50-70 pages shorter. Aubry, unfortunately, is not interesting enough to sustain for 400+ pages.

To summarize, A Short Walk Through a Wide World has a great premise and some worthy elements, but hasn’t wowed me. This is a niche book, so it may not give the same results to other readers (like me).
Thank you, NetGalley and Avid Reader (Simon & Schuster), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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The review will not be posted on Amazon.

Never stay in one place more than at most four days. Never backtrack. No deep friendships, only acquaintances. Loneliness, injuries. But, many languages learned, and skills to support oneself: hunting, fishing, walking for hours on end. And, despite a debilitating illness arriving like a hammer stroke if stopping in one place for too long, a sense of wonder and compassion cultivated and kept alive by main character Aubrey LaTourelle on her long years of mostly solitary travel.

Author Douglas Westerbeke has written an intriguing novel with some lovely prose, populated by many interesting people Aubrey met over her many years of wandering. From others’ perspectives, her life feels like such an adventure traveling the world, but, the longer I spent with her, the more I felt this was actually a horror story, with Aubrey never making any lasting or deep connections, and intense pain and death always around the corner, so to speak, and a strange presence relentlessly pushing her forward, from her childhood onward.

As someone who loves libraries, I loved the libraries she occasionally found (I guessed correctly who the unseen individuals’ voices belonged to) and spent time in. They not only educated her, but functioned as portals to new locations, which was both neat and a little disconcerting.

I will confess I lost the thread of the narrative at one point; Aubrey’s new acquaintances blurred a little in my mind, except for 1) the Prince she met in India and his fascinating painter friend, and 2) the last people she met in the book.

Aubrey learned so much over her years, especially how to take care of herself and take joy in each new person and place, and even gets to experience some short romances. But there is that underlying horror, and tragedy, in the impossibility of ever standing still or finding refuge.

This is a cleverly written story; I felt sympathy for Aubrey throughout, and liked the sense of melancholy, but also joy, permeating the novel. This is an interesting effort for a debut novel, and I look forward to more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Avid Reader Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The title of this book is either ironic or misnamed. There is nothing short about this walk as it takes Aubrey Torvel, a French lass of the late 19th century, on an unrelenting journey all over the world. The travels begin in her childhood and continue through old age,as she tries to outrun a malady that causes her to bleed copiously and fatally if she stays in the same place for more than a few days. It is the perfect vehicle to present innumerable episodes in exotic settings. Unfortunately, just as Aubrey must have wearied from the constant movement, so does the reader.
We do see the character mature and become more self aware as the story develops, and what is particularly interesting is the relationship that grows between Toyrvel and her curse. It brings to mind the role of Death in The Book Thief. What starts out as an abstract concept becomes a strong character in the story.
This was a fascinating journey but I think it would have benefited from judicious editing.

I was interested in this when I heard that it was similar to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue + Life of Pi. While it does have a similar vibe/feeling to both of those books in certain ways, I enjoyed this much less. The story became repetitive and by 20% into the book I was already ready for it to be over. It goes on and on and on without the story ever really feeling like it’s going anywhere. It had a lot of potential but essentially no mysteries/questions were answered which left me feeling unsatisfied.

I really wanted to like this one, but ultimately it fell short for me. I was not a fan of the pacing, it felt like all the characters were very two dimensional, and I also have so many unanswered questions! SO MANY! I love when books give me feels during/after I’ve finished, but this book really only left me with confusion and mild satisfaction. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I'm going to keep this quick because I want to forget this book exists and move on with my life, but this book gave me the ick from the very beginning. The plot centers around Aubrey, a white European girl/woman who is cursed to have to constantly change locations so she doesn't painfully suffer and die. She lives a certain exciting life and adventures to a lot of "exotic" places.
A letter to the reader at the beginning of the book states that the author wanted to write "a page-turning adventure story I...]for adults" featuring a "woman Indiana Jones." I was expecting a more modern take, but instead it more accurately resembles adventure movies and shows from the mid-20th century, including the casual racism, exoticism, and misogyny. I think it's possible to take something nostalgic and make it new and interesting, but if that was the goal, it was poorly executed. The target audience for this book is retirees who want to read something that reminds them of the "good ole days."
Honestly this could have been a fun story but, in addition to the problematic elements listed above, the plot was relatively boring and there didn't seem to be any underlying themes or messages. Also, despite the fact that she's fluent in multiple languages and has traveled the world, Aubrey is somehow still written as ditzy and naive.

A SHORT WALK THROUGH A WIDE WORLD is a beautifully written story about life, love, and the search for finding a place in this world. Westerbeke effortlessly blended a fantastical world with the realities of real life.

Aubry Tourvel is a gift to readers. Her travels through time, her interactions with those across the globe, and the underlying “illness” that forces her to be on the move all create a unique character that is engaging. The journey the reader goes on with Aubry is only enhanced by the mystical element tying her to the reason for her situation.

A SHORT WALK THROUGH A WIDE WORLD is a lyrical epic tale bringing the reader from one port to the next and encountering vastly different and distinctive people along the way. This is a book I spent a short amount of time with because I devoured it so quickly. And yet, I am content with that because I know I will make this trip again.

Audiobook Note: I enjoyed Saskia Maarleveld’s overall narration of this book and how she gave a voice to the character. This narrator’s diction and pace were spot on. However, the truth is that I did enjoy reading the paperback more than I did listening to the book. I spent more time within the pages than with my headphones.

Aubrey finds a wooden puzzle ball when she is 9 and selfishly decides not to 'donate' in a local well with her sisters. After she keeps the ball, she is inflicted with a horrible condition that causes her to bleed profusely and be in horrible pain unless she moves locations after a few days. Aubrey is eventually completely torn from her family as she wanders the world.
For Aubrey and for the reader, the journey is the point I think although I started to have issues pressing on with the story. It's beautifully written with a premise that seemed very unique to me. That being said, it started to seem repetitive and I read to the end to find out what the point was.
I'm giving this 3 points-others may like this book more than I did. It's definitely different and beautiful but kind of dragged for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

DNF at 35%—
I was initially drawn to this book because its premise was billed as occupying a similar space to that of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which was easily one of my favorite reads of all time. While the storytelling here wasn't terrible by any means, I do think the book does itself a disservice by aligning itself with Addie LaRue, purely on a stylistic basis. The writing was just too dense and monotonous to keep muddling through in order to get at the heart of the story, which frustrated me enough to make it feel like a chore having to return to this book rather than the adventure I wish it had been. Hopefully this resonates better with other readers, but unfortunately this one just wasn't my cup of tea.

Considering I gave The Short Life of Addie La Rue 4/5 stars I had to rate this slightly lower. The level of writing is just not up to the same level in my opinion, but it is still a really enjoyable story of freeing and finding oneself. I think this is probably perfect for young adults.

Aubry has a strange condition. She has had it since she was 9 years old and she found a strange puzzle ball. Her condition is that she bleeds to death. She discovers that nothing works except to keep moving. So, she has been traveling the world her whole life to keep this condition at bay.

Aubry is a unique character and the puzzle ball…this had me guessing all throughout this novel.

I did find this tale a bit wordy and monotonous. Aubry’s condition is very interesting and intriguing but it does get a bit repetitive. I did enjoy the countries and the libraries! This added a lot for this avid reader.

Need a story which takes you all over the world…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I requested this book because it was described as the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets Life of Pi, and I truly don't think there could be a better description. If you have feelings of wanderlust, you have got to read this captivating novel.

The main character Aubry must be traveling at all times, lest a horrible sickness sweeps her body with the possibility of killing her. Aubry can stay in place for 4 days at the most before this illness hits. Due to this, we meet Aubry at a time when she has traveled the world 3 or 4 times already, never able to repeat the same place twice. Throughout the novel, we see Aubry at various points in time as she recounts her experiences to other travelers she encounters. Due to her inability to stay put, Aubry is cheated of the opportunity to love deeply, although she is given glimpses of this throughout her life.

This novel is simply lovely and I was transported by the story. It's unique and captivating and made me want to pack a suitcase and go. Definitely a standout debut and one I will be recommending to others.