A Short Walk Through a Wide World, Douglas Westerbeke
A Short Walk Through a Wide World, Douglas Westerbeke
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A Short Walk Through a Wide World

Author: Douglas Westerbeke

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Unabridged: 11 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/02/2024


Synopsis

“Imagine The Life of Pi, The Alchemist, and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable.” —The New York Times Book Review * “An epic adventure…rich with all the possibilities the world can hold.” —People

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A dazzlingly epic debut that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving.

Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death.

When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won’t allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days—nor return to a place where she’s already been.

From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and ultimately, to truly live. But the longer Aubry wanders and the more desperate she is to share her life with others, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else’s...

Fiercely independent and hopeful, yet full of longing, Aubry Tourvel is an unforgettable character fighting her way through a world of wonders to find a place she can call home. A spellbinding and inspiring story about discovering meaning in a life that seems otherwise impossible, A Short Walk Through a Wide World reminds us that it’s not the destination, but rather the journey—no matter how long it lasts—that makes us who we are.

About Douglas Westerbeke

Douglas Westerbeke was a librarian at one of the largest libraries in the US. He has spent the last decade on the local panel of the International Dublin Literary Award, which inspired him to write his own book. He lives in Ohio.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Esta on March 10, 2024

I understand why the publishing team have billed this as The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets Life of Pi because reading this 💯gave me deja vu. Aubrey Tourvel, our protagonist, is on the run from a mysterious ailment that forces her to keep moving, preventing her from staying in one place for mor......more

Goodreads review by Rosh ~on extended semihiatus~ on January 30, 2025

In a Nutshell: A historical fantasy that feels like an endless walk through a wayward world. Poor character sketching, random timelines, ad-hoc plot development, needless exoticism, unsatisfactory ending. This will be among my biggest disappointments of the year. However, to those who believe that r......more

Goodreads review by Karen on March 30, 2024

On April 2 this debut novel can be available for all readers to read. I just happened to be one of the early ones to be provided a complimentary copy by Avid Reader Press for our Little Free Library Shed. I am providing an honest review. “Here! We’ll help you.” And that seems to be what follows Aubr......more

Goodreads review by Danielle on February 25, 2025

An interesting story about an illness that causes constant relocation. 😌 The journey is worldwide and with stories to span lifetimes. ⛰️......more

Goodreads review by Dez the Bookworm on December 14, 2024

This one was unfortunately hard for me to get through…… I picked this up, put it down, picked it back up, walked away and finally came back to finish it. Parts of the story were interesting but the pacing was slow, and not a good way. I found the premise intriguing and loved the idea of solving a puz......more


Quotes

"Maarleveld's voice achieves a kind of ethereal quality that fits this story of the compelling characters Aubrey encounters along her journey. Her performance casts a spell."