I’m a mess. There was something so intrinsically human about this book, I couldn’t look away. Who knew a book about two unlikeable characters going on a long walk would end up being so profound?

This is a really slow moving book where so much and yet so little happens. Something I really loved is how there in an inevitable outcome to the book that you know about reasonably early on, but the book still keeps you guessing as to how this comes about. I thought the impending sense of doom throughout was perfectly written.

It has an interesting structure where one character is telling their story and the other is adding their own voice via footnotes - I love any book that plays with structure so this really added to my overall enjoyment.

None of the other reviews seem to reflect that they felt any sort of sadness at the end of this book but I was literally sat here sobbing afterwards.

A subdued but interesting novel about the fractious bond between two men. Slow-paced but thoughtful and I really enjoyed how the story eventually illuminated the relationship between the main characters.

The synopsis for this book intrigued me it was a book that sounded quiet, I do like a quiet book it can be one that makes you think.

The book is essentially two guys walking along Offas Dyke, a route through the Welsh countryside that takes the walkers through the forest, mountain, marshy, and at times very stormy. On the whole, it is told by one of the men, with the other putting in his opinions when needed. One is an artist and the other works as a call center worker for the benefits agency.

The two men are very different and as the story meanders through the countryside so the story of the men meanders with it. I discovered that they used to be friends, they used to be close but have drifted. With them, their sense of what they feel is important in life has also moved in different directions.

They both have demons and they still need to deal with them. Hopefully talking and walking will help them clear the air and their pasts.

This is a slower-paced story and one that I wasn't sure about initially, it felt a little disjointed and I didn't really feel I could gel with the two men. Gradually, however, they grew on me and I got to see how they thought, what they thought, and their opinions and views on many things in life. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, this is a quiet story, but that doesn't mean it is without its louder moments.

This went from a book I wasn't sure about to one that I really knew I had to finish to understand the whole story and of course to see how things ended. This is one for those who like a story about life and discovering what is important. It is one that I really enjoyed after a shaky start and I would happily recommend it.

With a deftly drawn cast of characters, an intriguing plot and an immersive and compelling narrative, this is a one sit compulsive read.

Book was a little slow but I did enjoy it. I will definitely look for more by author. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for chance to read and review.

I wasn;t sure if I was going to enjoy this book or not....but i did.

slow paced but an easy read.

Well written

Enjoyable

As someone who enjoys walking in the countryside; a novel with two friends walking Offa’s Dyke would, in my mind, be idyllic. However, this is not the case for Benny and Stephen whose strength and endurance are pushed to their limits.
After his father dies Benny decides to go on the walk that they had planned to do together. Following drinks down the pub with Stephen he ends up inviting Stephen on the walk. He regrets this as it was supposed to be just him walking Offa’s Dyke in honour of his dad.
We soon learn that, although they’ve been friends much of their lives,the bond between Benny and Stephen is not strong and tested to the limits when things start going wrong on their walk.
Their are moments of humour when Stephen adds footnote comments to Benny’s narration of events. Although neither Benny or Stephen are likeable characters the book is a great read with warmth and humour.

I wasn't really looking forward to reading this book - the blurb didn't really grab me and it was a book I was offered rather than one I requested. I have to say that I really enjoyed it - it had vibes of Three Men in a Boat for me which I loved when I was younger - and whilst it was quite a grim and depressing read in some ways, there was humour in it and I found it compelling and very readable. I would recommend it.

Walk by James Rice.
Bunny and Stephen go on a walk to different pubs Starting at the miners arm pub. Slow but OK read. Wasn't what I thought it would be. 3*.

There seems to be a current trend for writing books with unlikable characters - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Fortunately in this instance it works. Both Benny and Stephen have different traits and so there is always going to be some antagonism between them but somehow this only adds to the story, probably because we all know a Benny and/or a Stephen. I liked that Stephen's photography was done on film rather than digital as this added to the walk which was meant to be an escape from the 21st century way of life for a short time. Stephen moans from the offset and you know this is only going to get worse as they progress on their way. Certainly a different kind of read for me though still enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Now this book was not what I was expecting to read from the blurb.
But enjoyable nonetheless.
Benny and Stephen used to be good mates at school but drifted apart.
When Stephen returns home from university,Benny asks Stephen to basically go on a pub crawl that he intended to do with his Dad before he passed away.
It starts at The Miners Arms pub but along the way Benny and Stephen find out more about each other than they were expecting!

*3.5 stars*

Benny and Stephen are two completely diverse characters. Their conversations are mundane. Here are two guys who knew each other years ago at school, then saw very little of one another until Stephen returned from Uni in London.
They now meet for a Friday night pint, but there’s an awkwardness between them, the same conversations over and over again, difficulty in articulating their thoughts to each other, and they seem to have opposing views on everything. But it’s what these two don’t say that’s important to this storyline, the thoughts that are never transferred into words.

Benny had invited Stephen to join him on his upcoming walking trip after a boozy drinking session at the Miners Arms - big mistake! Benny had intended doing this walk with his dad just like they did years ago - unfortunately his dad became ill and passed away, so it was going to be a solo walk in honour of his dad, a kind of pilgrimage. And then he went and opened his big mouth (the beer talking obviously) and suddenly Stephen became a part of it all! The realisation had Benny silent screaming into his pillow!

Offa’s Dyke in Wales is the chosen route for this walking trip, and Benny decides there are to be no distractions from the outside world, no checking social media accounts - that’s the point of this walking trip, to get away from it all, get back to nature.

However, these two really do irritate each other, and as the walk progresses, they run out of money, have barely any food, and as other calamities befall them, let’s just say that it becomes the walking trip from hell!

The amount of things that go wrong for Benny and Stephen pushes them both to their limits, and although it produces some amusing as well as distressing moments, I found the human element to be really quite moving at times.

When I read the blurb I thought it was a sort of thriller and I was wrong. It's a sort of travelogue, the story of two fairly unlikeable character that face a quite unfortunate hike.
The author did a good job in keeping my attention alive and I liked how he deals with topics like grief, resilience, and communication.
Ben and Stephen are fleshed out and quite unlikeable but they grew on me.
There's humour and there's life.
An interesting read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Excellent novel, telling of two old friends walking Offa’s Dyke - the length of Wales. With an entertaining conceit of it being a third person narrative, as recounted by one character with footnotes offering commentary, challenge and contextual information from the second, this was a vivid, at times emotionally brutal, study of how we grow, how we respond to grief, and the need to listen to other perspectives. Rice does a great job of making some rather unlikeable characters (as portrayed) come to life with warmth and humour.

So pleased this book was brought to my attention.