Valet Reader

Dad, I’m sorry, but I have to be honest. Sometimes when you recommend a book to me I’m a little bit leery. We’re just not always on the same wave length I guess. But hey, I know it goes both ways so I don’t feel so bad saying that. Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I want to thank you for recommending this book to me. It was truly fantastic. And I’m not only saying that cause it took me all of 2 (ok, maybe 3) hours to read. Before any of you go out and buy this book (cause I know that’s what your going to do) read on and see if it’s really up your alley.

When my dad mentioned this book to me my mom was in ear shot and I think the first words out of her mouth were along the lines of “but… it’s so sentimental.” Really mom, You’re going to begrudge a book because it’s sentimental? Yep, it came as a bit of a shock to me that my mom would say that, and that my father would say that he enjoyed it. It’s not as though he doesn’t enjoy “sentimental” books, but that genre of book is a far cry from the Harlan Coban and James Patterson books he usually has stacked up on his dresser.

The truth of the matter is that it is indeed a “sentimental” book. Up until about page 146, the book is sad, depressing, heart wrenching, gut gnawing and painfully “sentimental.” Yet, it somehow recovers itself profoundly and actually has some pretty intense thought invoking moments.

The premise is pretty simple, a series of incredibly unfortunate things happen to a successful man and on the verge of his own demise he decides that he is going to take a walk. Not just your round the neighborhood jaunt but a walk that will take him from Seattle, Washington to Key West, Florida, the furthest point he can get to on foot in the US.

Once he, Alan (the main character), begins walking the book changes completely. Although the characters you are introduced to in the first half the book aren’t that well developed, as a reader, I still felt some affinity towards them. But, the second Alan walks out of his home they are completely left in his wake. Along the way he meets new characters and occasionally thoughts of his past invade his mind. For the most part, the people he meets, en route, help him evaluate his current situation and his place in the world, something for which I think he is desperately, although unknowingly, seeking.

The fast pace of the book definitely kept me interested but I will say that it also made some of his interactions with people along the way seem a little curt. I guess in the long run that’s the way Evans envisioned his book. After all, this is the first book in what is going to be a series of books chronicling Alan’s walk across the country. At the rate Evan’s character is moving though it will take at least 10 books for him to get there.

It wouldn’t be right for me to not be critical of something in this book though. While all along it was hard to not feel sympathy for Alan I feel like he could have used a good ole slap to the face. Of course he is moving on by taking his little “walk” but Evan’s has created a character that has, in a way, just decided to “walk” away from all his problems instead of trying to over come his own hardship. Of course, I think that is part of the central idea to the book, walking away to “live” and find healing, but ultimately it’s to escape. Again, not that there’s anything wrong with that, I think we’ve all had the idea to do something like that before (and hell, I even have, when I moved to NZ) but don’t try and sugar coat it and pretend like that’s not the reason for walking. I know I’m being a bit too critical, it’s a fictional story after all, but that’s just the way my mind works.

On the whole though, this one is worth picking up. It’ll take a couple hours of your time and will actually make you think and wonder about aspects of your life while you enjoy a good “sentimental” (as my mother would say) story.