I was so excited to read A Short Walk Through a Wide World, as magical realism and travel/adventure are two types of book I love, and this is one of the rare books that exists in the overlap between those two genres. And it does deliver in both regards, although not in the way I expected.

The book follows a young woman, Aubry Tourvel, as she grows up suffering from a mysterious illness to which the only cure is to keep moving. Every few days, she has to pick up and leave, and as a result has seen more of the world than possibly anyone else. The book explores themes of home and belonging (or lack thereof), identity, communication (some of my favourite parts are when Aubry meets and befriends people with whom she has no common language), and a sense of wonder at witnessing all the world has to offer. I also loved the emphasis on seeing the world at a walking pace.

This is a short novel, and a fun read. If you are someone who enjoys fantasy novels that are largely about the vibes and the atmosphere, this is a book for you. If, however, you can't get past a few plot holes or unanswered mysteries, then you might be a bit frustrated! I fall somewhere in between these two types of readers, so for the most part I was happy to travel around with Aubry and see what happened. Occasionally, however, I had questions that took me out of the story. For instance, at one point it is mentioned that Aubry is running out of places she has never been before, and yet she never seems to travel with any kind of strategy.

This book felt like an introduction to a world that I would like to read more of. A lot of concepts and threads are woven together here, and this book could have been longer and delved deeper into many of them. Hopefully we will see more from this author and get a deeper development of some of these themes, because it is clear that he has unique and intriguing ideas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book is exactly the adult adventure book that it claimed to be. Filled with travel and adventure, we are taken on a journey alongside. Told through time jumps, we feel like we are being told the story by Aubry herself.

It is filled with underlying messages, but the primary one that remains with me is the importance of observing and witnessing the world around you.

While this book didn't leave me thinking about it when I wasn't reading it, it kept me hooked for the times I had it open. I'd recommend this book to those looking for a captivating and cozy read to escape in.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Douglas westerbeck. I will be checking out his future novels. I feel the takeaway from this is that people are just looking for a place to call home and also to not take anything for granted because you don't know how much time you have. Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for my advanced copy.