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A Short Walk Through a Wide World

By: Douglas Westerbeke
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.


IF YOU COULD NEVER STAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

Escape into this spellbinding novel of adventure, wonder and self-discovery, for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Midnight Library and Life of Pi.

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 satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to succumb to a mysterious illness.

When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realises that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey around the world . . .

From scorched sand dunes to snow-packed mountain peaks, 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 it soon becomes clear that the world she travels through is not quite the same as everyone else’s.

©2024 Douglas Westerbeke (P)2024 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

A gorgeous ode to wanderlust... Douglas Westerbeke's dazzling debut takes readers on a thought-provoking journey through cultures and timelines...and also, through a mysterious cave-bound library. I savored every page of this book! (SHELBY VAN PELT, bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures)

What listeners say about A Short Walk Through a Wide World

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Loved this story!

Such a magical narration, it’s a journey (or several) around the world, with so good descriptions that it’s almost like it was me who was the protagonist of this story.

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Short walk through a wide world

Although the concept as a whole was very good it was let down by a very underwhelming finish. Mostly well written and worth the read though.

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Beautiful story

This kept me wanting more. Mystery and also a little tragic. Satisfying ending. Well read.

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Took me to many worlds

I was drawn in very quickly to the narrative twists and turns in this many places book. Well written and narrated. I’d actually like the author to add to this in a series.

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