El’s review of The Salt Path > Likes and Comments
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I totally agree. I had to skim read towards the end!
Have to agree, I’m waiting for it to end. Very very repetitive and I thought there would be alot more reflection and self discovery. Disappointed
Even though I really enjoyed the book, I totally agree with your assessment. A good editor would have made it much better.
The map provided is pretty weak as well.
I still have to read 20 pages and just want it to end!
Yes the book is repetitive and uneventful, a disappointing read that I couldn't wait to finish.
Totally agree..I wanted to read more about the couple and their adventures not about the places they visited..thought at one point she worked for the tourist board !
I did pick up on a bit of repitition, but I thought it was a narrative tool to reflect how repetitive continuous walking, setting up camp and living off the same meagre rations could be despite the changing scenery. To me the repetition of certain words and phrases, ideas etc just helped my feeling that I was experiencing the path with them.
I agree with you about the style and also the length of the story. But I still would have given it more than one star for this astonishing true story and for the tenacity of this couple.
Completely agree. Like you said, there was a very good story at the heart of it but it was badly told. I just didn't believe the anecdotes about being mistaken for Simon Armitage etc
I really wanted to love this, and in parts I did. I’m glad that it wasn’t all self pity and moans. I laughed in parts and thought this brought a nice tone to a really sad story when you think of it. I did find myself thinking that I had read it previously and to be honest was glad when it ended.
I have myself had a life altering injury- I lost my career, my purpose and so much more... though I won’t dare say I understand what they were going through, in terms of loss. And like them I walked a long trek, the Camino del Santiago ( 530 miles continuous). My experiences were many but my moments of truth and discovering so much about myself were the richness in my journey. All this being said- I was disappointed with this memoir, I found it painfully boring and repetitive!!!!! The moments of feeling peace and belonging were so fleeting and always followed by the same old description... no food, hardship etc etc... The ending is quite good- but tells the juice of her story in the last chapter. Yes, her prose is quite poetic- but it was like reading her diary. I wouldn’t recommend.
i felt bad that i just wanted it to end as the potential to be a great book was there but itwas her first book
will be an interesting dismiss at my book group
I have just finished it and I gave it 3 stars, mainly for the poetic nature of her writing. But that in itself does not make a 5 star book. I have to agree with the others who said it was repetitive. All books are subjective and I this one just wasn't for me. If I were walking the Salt Path, I'd want to know far more about the stories and tales behind the landmarks and villages that dot the path. This isn't that book. I did get an insight into homelessness, but I felt she could have done more post walk research and told the reader more about the problems of homelessness, particularly in tourist dominated areas, such as the South West.
This is a debut book and to think the editor &/or agent did not have considerable input would be rare.
Yes, I found myself skimming through sections to get to the end or at least for the "memoir" sections. It was nice hearing about England though.
I kind of agree. This was a book that I thought I ought to like but didn’t really. It was quite repetitive and although I had some sympathy for the predicament the author found herself in I couldn’t help feeling a bit irritated at some of the seemingly blatant errors that she made. I felt bad that I didn’t enjoy it more.
Halfway through and pretty much agree with all that's said here. As for that Simon Armitage nonsense...
I also found them to be a little judgemental for my liking. I'm pretty worldly-wise and open-minded and so naturally don't get excited by people who perhaps are not so, which is how they came across unfortunately. Still, a terrible story of how your life can change so dramatically, never take anything for granted etc. And good on them for what they did. I would have preferred to read about their story in a short newspaper article though :)
I've not finished it. It's going to the charity shop.
So relieved to find I wasn’t the only one skimming to the end - from all the reviews, both me and husband thought this was my type of book - but repetitive and judgemental, and not at all uplifting
I totally agree. Everyone said how life affirming this book would be - it was just a bit meh
I felt the narrative was representative of the days weeks and months of the homeless. Our ways of thinking aren’t changed in the matter of a few days or chapters to make the reader have warm fuzzies. A life story does not have the excitement mystery horror of fictional writing. As we read we need to understand our genre.
Totally agree. Could have been much more descriptive of the route they took and the landmarks- I feel none the wiser having forced myself to continue. The personal story was so frustrating as it was written with so much "pity me" and no acknowledgment of the plenty of mistakes they made to land them there. This was not poverty as most people experience, but lack of organisation and planning that led to their losses. The fact they keep on making bad decisions (not seeking legal aid, not submitting the mitigating 'evidence' correctly, forgetting medication, no sun cream or hats, stealing, not charging phones to keep contact with friends and family...). Ultimately a tale of mist fortune and dumb luck rather than hope.
Nowt as queer as folk. Great narrative, great story.
I agree! I'm listening to the audiobook and had to put it on 1.5x speed just so I can get through it.
I absolutely agree. I gave it three stars as I wanted to like it.
Totally agree, plus a huge dose of self pity and self absorption from the author, with too much telling and not enough showing.
I agree. As a documentary it was fine, a chronology of event but as a story it did nothing for me.
Yep agree, considering what they are going through it’s amazing how unlikable Ray comes across in this too. A bitterness towards most people they come across in the narrative seems deeper rooted than the events they have to face in this book. I found the lack of self awareness grating too, chapters of self pity and lack of money only to be followed up with poor decisions , then back to self pity. For instance they are starving, They get money, they spend it on fudge and cider .. then continue complaining about how hungry they are. and how little money they have. There are poor unfortunate people feeding families on the money they receive on a weekly basis
I totally agree with your review--it was the same story at EVERY location--and there were TONS of locations. Got to be boring.
Thank you for this review. Couldn’t agree more.
Totally agree with this review. Thank you. There is a great story here and seeing homelessness from her perspective was interesting but an acknowledgement of their own complicity in their downfall would have helped the tone of the storytelling.
Could not agree more. Wanted to like it but I just can’t get through with it.
Thank you for your review. I’m about 1/3 through and waiting for something to happen! Sounds like I have a long wait. The beginning was really interesting, but now it’s so repetitive and boring. I may give up.
Feel a bit the same albeit the story of human endurance in the face of adversity was brilliant. Inspirational couple but did find the way it was written a bit repetitive and found myself skipping over the descriptive parts of the countryside etc
wow, agreed with this and glad I wasnt the only one.
Agreed!!!! I only just started and find it waffling on far too much!!!
Very few books enter my Hate Palace, but Oh My! What a moany, self-centred bore. Would have loved more actual Salt Path content, but it probably wouldn't have made much difference!
Agreed, I'm struggling to get through it, but I don't really want to put it on the DNF pile. I might just take a little break from it and come back to it maybe. I really like the concept of this book, but it's a looooong journey.
Given walking is repetitive and monotonous I think she made it interesting, am enjoying it
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Janine
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Apr 29, 2019 10:33AM
I totally agree. I had to skim read towards the end!
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Have to agree, I’m waiting for it to end. Very very repetitive and I thought there would be alot more reflection and self discovery. Disappointed
Even though I really enjoyed the book, I totally agree with your assessment. A good editor would have made it much better.
The map provided is pretty weak as well.
I still have to read 20 pages and just want it to end!
Yes the book is repetitive and uneventful, a disappointing read that I couldn't wait to finish.
Totally agree..I wanted to read more about the couple and their adventures not about the places they visited..thought at one point she worked for the tourist board !
I did pick up on a bit of repitition, but I thought it was a narrative tool to reflect how repetitive continuous walking, setting up camp and living off the same meagre rations could be despite the changing scenery. To me the repetition of certain words and phrases, ideas etc just helped my feeling that I was experiencing the path with them.
I agree with you about the style and also the length of the story. But I still would have given it more than one star for this astonishing true story and for the tenacity of this couple.
Completely agree. Like you said, there was a very good story at the heart of it but it was badly told. I just didn't believe the anecdotes about being mistaken for Simon Armitage etc
I really wanted to love this, and in parts I did. I’m glad that it wasn’t all self pity and moans. I laughed in parts and thought this brought a nice tone to a really sad story when you think of it. I did find myself thinking that I had read it previously and to be honest was glad when it ended.
I have myself had a life altering injury- I lost my career, my purpose and so much more... though I won’t dare say I understand what they were going through, in terms of loss. And like them I walked a long trek, the Camino del Santiago ( 530 miles continuous). My experiences were many but my moments of truth and discovering so much about myself were the richness in my journey. All this being said- I was disappointed with this memoir, I found it painfully boring and repetitive!!!!! The moments of feeling peace and belonging were so fleeting and always followed by the same old description... no food, hardship etc etc... The ending is quite good- but tells the juice of her story in the last chapter. Yes, her prose is quite poetic- but it was like reading her diary. I wouldn’t recommend.
i felt bad that i just wanted it to end as the potential to be a great book was there but itwas her first bookwill be an interesting dismiss at my book group
I have just finished it and I gave it 3 stars, mainly for the poetic nature of her writing. But that in itself does not make a 5 star book. I have to agree with the others who said it was repetitive. All books are subjective and I this one just wasn't for me. If I were walking the Salt Path, I'd want to know far more about the stories and tales behind the landmarks and villages that dot the path. This isn't that book. I did get an insight into homelessness, but I felt she could have done more post walk research and told the reader more about the problems of homelessness, particularly in tourist dominated areas, such as the South West. This is a debut book and to think the editor &/or agent did not have considerable input would be rare.
Yes, I found myself skimming through sections to get to the end or at least for the "memoir" sections. It was nice hearing about England though.
I kind of agree. This was a book that I thought I ought to like but didn’t really. It was quite repetitive and although I had some sympathy for the predicament the author found herself in I couldn’t help feeling a bit irritated at some of the seemingly blatant errors that she made. I felt bad that I didn’t enjoy it more.
Halfway through and pretty much agree with all that's said here. As for that Simon Armitage nonsense...
I also found them to be a little judgemental for my liking. I'm pretty worldly-wise and open-minded and so naturally don't get excited by people who perhaps are not so, which is how they came across unfortunately. Still, a terrible story of how your life can change so dramatically, never take anything for granted etc. And good on them for what they did. I would have preferred to read about their story in a short newspaper article though :)
I've not finished it. It's going to the charity shop.
So relieved to find I wasn’t the only one skimming to the end - from all the reviews, both me and husband thought this was my type of book - but repetitive and judgemental, and not at all uplifting
I totally agree. Everyone said how life affirming this book would be - it was just a bit meh
I felt the narrative was representative of the days weeks and months of the homeless. Our ways of thinking aren’t changed in the matter of a few days or chapters to make the reader have warm fuzzies. A life story does not have the excitement mystery horror of fictional writing. As we read we need to understand our genre.
Totally agree. Could have been much more descriptive of the route they took and the landmarks- I feel none the wiser having forced myself to continue. The personal story was so frustrating as it was written with so much "pity me" and no acknowledgment of the plenty of mistakes they made to land them there. This was not poverty as most people experience, but lack of organisation and planning that led to their losses. The fact they keep on making bad decisions (not seeking legal aid, not submitting the mitigating 'evidence' correctly, forgetting medication, no sun cream or hats, stealing, not charging phones to keep contact with friends and family...). Ultimately a tale of mist fortune and dumb luck rather than hope.
Nowt as queer as folk. Great narrative, great story.
I agree! I'm listening to the audiobook and had to put it on 1.5x speed just so I can get through it.
I absolutely agree. I gave it three stars as I wanted to like it.
Totally agree, plus a huge dose of self pity and self absorption from the author, with too much telling and not enough showing.
I agree. As a documentary it was fine, a chronology of event but as a story it did nothing for me.
Yep agree, considering what they are going through it’s amazing how unlikable Ray comes across in this too. A bitterness towards most people they come across in the narrative seems deeper rooted than the events they have to face in this book. I found the lack of self awareness grating too, chapters of self pity and lack of money only to be followed up with poor decisions , then back to self pity. For instance they are starving, They get money, they spend it on fudge and cider .. then continue complaining about how hungry they are. and how little money they have. There are poor unfortunate people feeding families on the money they receive on a weekly basis
I totally agree with your review--it was the same story at EVERY location--and there were TONS of locations. Got to be boring.
Thank you for this review. Couldn’t agree more.
Totally agree with this review. Thank you. There is a great story here and seeing homelessness from her perspective was interesting but an acknowledgement of their own complicity in their downfall would have helped the tone of the storytelling.
Could not agree more. Wanted to like it but I just can’t get through with it.
Thank you for your review. I’m about 1/3 through and waiting for something to happen! Sounds like I have a long wait. The beginning was really interesting, but now it’s so repetitive and boring. I may give up.
Feel a bit the same albeit the story of human endurance in the face of adversity was brilliant. Inspirational couple but did find the way it was written a bit repetitive and found myself skipping over the descriptive parts of the countryside etc
wow, agreed with this and glad I wasnt the only one.
Agreed!!!! I only just started and find it waffling on far too much!!!
Very few books enter my Hate Palace, but Oh My! What a moany, self-centred bore. Would have loved more actual Salt Path content, but it probably wouldn't have made much difference!
Agreed, I'm struggling to get through it, but I don't really want to put it on the DNF pile. I might just take a little break from it and come back to it maybe. I really like the concept of this book, but it's a looooong journey.
Given walking is repetitive and monotonous I think she made it interesting, am enjoying it
