This novel by Cheryl Strayed is this month's book for Essie Button's 'Buttons Book Shelf' before starting I had absolutely no knowledge of what it's about at all except that there has recently been a film adaptation of it in cinemas. I am yet to see the film but will definitely be watching it now that I have read the book!
The title 'Wild : A Journey from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail' gives you a hint towards the main plot. We follow Cheryl on a her journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mojave to the Washington - Oregon border.
While on the trail she experiences not only a physical journey but an emotional one. She lost her mom to cancer when she was 22 and has been struggling in the 5 years which followed with losing her, you witness her anger and pain as she tries to let her go. Losing her mom caused her to go down a self destructive road during the years which followed. She retreated from her marriage and her family, had affairs and took drugs. She had become someone she wasn't proud of and more importantly someone her mother wouldn't have been proud of.
The novel is written by Cheryl herself so it allows for you to fully connect with her. Because of this connection I felt like I really was on the trail with her, building up my own blisters on my feet and carrying my own ridiculously heavy pack. You want her to succeed, you want her to reach the end of her journey, you want her to find herself again. It's been a long time since I have felt such a strong connection with the main character of a book and I wasn't expecting to connect as instantly as I did to Cheryl.
Within the early chapters she tells stories of her childhood and in particular of her mother. She gives you an idea of her upbringing and of her family. She explains that her mom was a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her dad. She did finally muster up the courage to leave she for good, and she took Cheryl, her brother and sister away with her. After struggling to get by (but always managing to) for years. Her mom remarried and they were happy. She also speaks about her mom's illness and everything they went through, from the diagnosis through to being told she didn't have much time and finally having that conversation with her about her funeral arrangements.
By understanding where she's come from you are able to understand why it is so important for her to finish her journey. Not only that, when she recites the emotions she went through while her mother was sick and the anguish she went through losing her. It reminded me of how important my mom is to me, and how the people you love can be taken away in an instant...
The main bones of the book, of course, are dedicated to her journey along the trail, the people she met along the way and the relationships she made. You are also witness to her hardships on the trail, like the sheer exhaustion she feels at the end of each day or her cravings for real food and Snapple lemonade.
What appealed to me about this book, other than the fact that it's a true story; was the adventure. We are always intrigued when people do things a lot of people wish to do but majority of the time never do it! After reading this book I want to trek all over the place... have an adventure of my own, see amazing sights and push myself, complete freedom is something we all crave!