When to Walk by Rebecca Gowers

Originally posted Mar. 4, 2008

I had a hard time concentrating on this book at the outset. The book covers 1 week (each day a chapter) in the life of Ramble (how aptly named she is!) Saturday left me very confused and seemed more erratic than necessary, but by Monday I was just getting into how it flows. The first part of the book was definitely difficult, and left me mostly confused and wondering when it could possibly garner some cohesion. It took me fewer days to get through the rest of the book, but the first part I really dragged through. At the point at which a bond was made with a neighbor, Ramble began to become more real to me. When Rebecca Gowers brings you into the convoluted mind of Ramble, you can begin to enjoy her non-adventures as a travel writer who never goes anywhere. She definitely has an interesting command of the English language and her research methods are quite fascinating.

For the full week her mind narrates the book, but I for one felt that the end was rather predictable. The book in itself is an interesting scenario of how a mind can work, but do we ever really know who she is by the end? I would have to leave that to future readers. Nevertheless, it is a very different book, full of unorthodox ideas and fun as well. I don't think I would necessarily recommend it to the average reader, but certainly to someone who is more interested in the psyche, and how people react to various crises. I believe Ramble is stronger than she knows and her current predicament is somewhat of a blessing. An unusual book, well researched in an odd way.