Maureen, a Harold Fry Novel by Rachel Joyce

 

Maureen, A Harold Fry Novel by Rachel Joyce

Maureen is an unhappy woman living life in her small English town the way she feels is expected of her. Cleaning her home, making sure the coffee cups handles all line up and caring for her husband, Harold. Only Harold’s life included his work, friends, and a walk across the country to visit one of them as she died. The thing both Harold and Maureen share is their grief—their son David has committed suicide. Harold learns acceptance on his long walk and encourages Maureen to make the pilgrimage to the garden of the friend, a woman, whose impending death inspired his healing walk, and where, he says, David, their son, is.

In an action out of character, Maureen takes their car and sets out to drive to this place, to get away from the grief she feels living with a calm Harold, and to find both herself and David. It’s a beautiful story of how women can isolate themselves in routine, and only when Maureen faces calamity along the way to she appreciates the gift she’s been given.

This is the third book of three by this author dealing with these characters, but even without having read the earlier books, this one made sense and emotional and resonant.

I received an ARC of Maureen from the publisher, Random House, and it is on sale February 7, 2023