I almost didn’t get to read this one, even though I’ve had it on hold for ages. Brain has been having a lot of issues lately and the health has not been fantastic, but I got it read right before the library had to take it back. Fantastic for me!
The book follows Ben, a man who wants to go for a walk while on a business trip and that walk leads him into a whole alternate world of torment and adventure. Parts of this involve facing his past, his future, and also just generally going through trials and tribulations until he finally reaches the end. There’s monsters, a talking crab, vampires, and potions made of flesh, making for a very surreal experience of a man who just wants to get home to his wife and kids after a walk that has taken him decades.
I thought it was a great read. There’s elements of fantasy, horror, and thriller all interwoven into the journey that feels much more episodic. We also get a lot of insight into Ben and his character, and his reflection on how he’s changed over the decades going through whatever the path decided he needed to go through. It’s also great to see a man who misses his family to this degree while he’s going through all of this, and how it remains his motivation throughout.
The ending was also fantastic. There’s hints throughout the book that lead into it and this is one of the few times where I really don’t want to spoil it because the realization at the very end of the book was so much fun. It wraps up wonderfully and I do really recommend it if you’re looking for a bit of a weird read.