I’m so excited to see this movie, since it was a book I really loved. Plus, Reese Witherspoon! I hope all the charming and knuckle-biting parts come through as they were in the book.

Plot

This is the story of Cheryl’s journey on the Pacific Crest Trail. She knows little about taking such a hike, but sets out anyway, somewhat prepared. We join her as she fights her ways through heat and cold, a pack far too heavy, shoes that are killing her toenails, hunger, and even scary creatures out on the trail–both human and animal.

Characters

I admire Cheryl’s tenacity and her willingness to do something crazy as a means for healing. At times, I did want to smack her a bit for making poor choices, but who’s to say I would’ve done any better? It’s easy to read the book and see where she went wrong, but going through it was clearly difficult. I think being on the trail did give her the closure and peace she was looking for, as well as a great story to tell.

Writing Quality

It was well written and felt more like fiction at times. It was funny enough, daring enough, and aggravating enough to keep the pace moving. I don’t really recall any parts that felt slow or poorly written. She is a wonderful storyteller.

Entertainment

Anyone who spends months hiking is bound to have some crazy stories, and this book is full of them. From the random people she meets, to the animals she must fight against, not to mention the weather itself and her own lack of preparation, Cheryl pretty much does it all on this trip. From parties to nearly dying of thirst, to flip flops made of tape, it’s enough to make you wonder why anyone would bother, then want to try it for yourself.

The Goodreads Description

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — and she would do it alone.

Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

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