I'm going to admit that I've previously considered joining a book club, but only so that I could go and drink wine with some friends. I used to enjoy reading but somewhere along the way, as the mountain of books on my bedside table about Autism grew, I switched to spending more time in front of a computer screen (this darn blog has a lot to answer for...).
There's not been many books that have piqued my interest enough to make me pick them up, and there's several where I've only got past the first couple of chapters before giving up.
So when I was given a copy of The Girl at the End of the Road to review, I knew it would have to be good for my blog readers to ever see my thoughts on it. So here we are.
It wasn't just good, it was brilliant! A real page turner; I had finished reading it in only two nights, which must be a record for me.
The story is told through the eyes of Vincent, a financial salesman who finds himself out of a job and no longer able to afford his luxury life in London. He has to return home to live with his parents whilst looking for new work, and once there he is reminded of his younger years and friends from that time. Vincent gradually begins to enjoy the slower pace of life; walking the dog, helping his parents, and looking after his grandmother. In the library one day, he bumps into a girl who was in his class when they were at school, and he is intrigued by her unusual outlook on life. When he offers to give Sarah driving lessons, a friendship of sorts is rekindled and his values from his fast-track life are seriously questioned.
The language in the book is so descriptive and just draws you in; at the end of each chapter you want to immediately dive into the next. The characters are very likeable and the life situations very imaginable, covering everything from young relationships to old age issues and health. Vincent is forced to take a good look at himself and some might say he ends up a better person for it; Sarah remains the same unique person with the same idiosyncracies throughout. Autism is in this book but is very delicately approached and makes for an interesting read whether you have experience of it or not.
I wholeheartedly recommend The Girl at the End of the Road, out now. You can buy it at Amazon.
