I received an electronic ARC from Avid Reader Press through NetGalley.
This reads like a debut novel as there are portions that don't flow together smoothly and plot points that just aren't fleshed out enough to fit. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed it for what it is.
The story begins in the middle with readers seeing what happens when Aubry Tourvel remains still too long. We meet a family who helps her and in exchange, she shares portions of her story. She returns to the beginning when she was a rather spoiled nine-year old. We see her decide not to place a loved item in an old well when her sisters do. Readers then learn about the mysterious puzzle ball she found that will play a role throughout the book. Life is fairly straightforward for this Parisian family until the two events come into play.
Aubry has a mysterious illness that causes tremendous bodily harm if she remains in one location too long. Her entire life is spent moving around the globe from one location to another. She has to constantly find new places as she cannot return anywhere. The entire story revolves around her travels and people she met along the way. Readers are given headings for each chapter to follow where she is in her life as she relates each event.
It's an interesting premise and a bit different as she has to constantly move to avoid dying. She is wracked with pain when staying too long but continues to interact with people as she journeys from place to place. She has times of respite in a nebulous underground library system that only opens for her at certain times. She wanders these rooms and reads books and scrolls to learn about other lives. The time travel through the libraries is a bit gimmicky but does offer further information for the plot line.
I did enjoy the story and let go of the disjointed moments. She is not the deepest main character but she is a pleasant and complicated one.

This is one of those fantasy books that transcends the genre classification. The book is a historical adventure tale that has a few fantasy elements but who are we, the reader, to say that magic doesn’t exist in the world? The story centers on Aubry Tourvel’s life. The story begins, well, not at the beginning but probably somewhere in the middle. Aubry has a mysterious illness of unknown origins that may or may not be tied to a puzzle ball she found on her way home from school one day. She is nine years old when she finds that staying in one place, and returning to places she has already been, causes her to fall gravely ill. Her sickness forces her to live her life alone and perpetually in motion. This book is the story of her journey and the people she meets along the way. I enjoyed following Aubry on her journey and was delighted by all the amazing humans she gets a chance to meet. You would think that having to travel the world alone would be an isolating experience, instead the story is laid out in the momentary connections she makes along the way. This book is a reminder that each person we meet is a chance at something amazing. That while a language barrier may seem like an impediment to forming a bond, connections can be made without communication. Human experience is not something that can be measured in how many places you’ve been or how big your house is. A human life boils down to the impact you have left in your wake and the people you have met along the way. While this book is beautiful it also has a bit of an underlying darkness or sadness that makes the whole experience of reading it stick with you. I love how the fantastical elements were handled in this book. It makes the reader believe that maybe there is magic in the world it just hasn’t happened to us. If you’re looking for a deep book that also gives you the “warm and fuzzies”, then this is the book for you.

"..the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving.

Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death... Realizing that it is "... the act of movement that keeps her alive, [Aubry] begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won’t allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she’s already been." Aubry travels the world -- deserts, jungles, etc., {not the usual touristy places!] and finds that the "world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else’s."

Aubrey leaves home at nine years old {?!--at first with her mother] and the novel ends with her as an old woman woth long, white hair [mentioned numerous times]

Aubry is resourceful, resilient, strong-willed, determined, and without a cure to her mysterious disease. Her spear, mind and senses are her greatest weapons.

Lots of libraries and books in this tome and the author is a librarian!
Many, many adventures and characters and settings.

Question: Where did Aubry learn her fighting skills?

A unique and original book. Magic realism, fantasy, fiction.

Well-written, but to be honest, I was not entranced--though I wanted to be! Can't quite put my finger on why it didn't do it for me.

A few phrases I liked:
"the wind gentles"
"the morning light..slowly lifting the night"

Very little humor. Easy enough to read, but never really captivated [sigh]. And at about 3/4+ through, it somewhat derailed. And, I did not necessarily care for the ending although I saw it coming and don't know what I would have done differently.

3.5, not rounding up.

Aubry was a willful nine-year-old French child when she encountered a wooden puzzle ball and an obviously cursed well in rapid succession. When she failed to throw the former into the later, she developed a confounding condition: whenever she remained in one place too long, she started bleeding to death. If she ever retraced her steps, agony followed. So begins a life in exile. Aubry encounters wonder and peril, kindness and cruelty, and an infinite wordless library that would put Borges to shame. A lovely, melancholy piece of magical realism that's more invested in vibes than logic.

Aubry is suffering from a mysterious disease which forces to be on constant move and never stay at a place for long. This discovery sets her off on a never ending journey around the whole world multiple times. It is unlike anything that I have ever read and was interesting storytelling as well. I enjoyed the descriptions of different places but it was overdone at some places that it felt dragged, My issue was with the ending that it again felt a bit too neatly tied up and didn't feel it did justice to this amazing premise.

Thanks so much for the review copy. I enjoyed traveling around the world with Aubry Tourvel. I look forward to reading more books by Westerbeke.

Since Aubrey Trovel was 9 years old she has been on the run from a mysterious disease that forces her to keep moving. She has traveled around the world a few times already.

I don’t think I’ve read a book like this before but I don’t read a lot of magical realism/fantasy. I really enjoyed her travel diaries, her loneliness and the relationships she made with different people around the world.

The first half of the book was quite interesting. Then it starts getting slow. Also there is so much left unexplained in the book. The reason behind her illness, the mysterious libraries and the puzzle ball. It’s an interesting read if you are a fan of magical realism.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an advance readers copy in exchange for my review.

To be honest, I wasn't sure about this one when I got the ARC, but it really surprised me. It was billed as The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Life of Pi. I have never read either of those, so I still didn't have much to go. The premise got me to request the book. A Parisian nine year old, Aubrey, finds a strange puzzle ball on the road one day. Thinking nothing she tries to get rid of it, but it keeps coming back. Then one night, Aubry begins to bleed, painfully bleed. Nothing can be done for her and she discovers that unless she goes somewhere she has never been before, the bleeding will continue until she dies. So she travels, on and one, never to the same place twice.

We follow her on all of her adventures and see all of the sights she sees along the way. Often, where she has been and where she is makes no sense. I enjoyed the novel, but I can't say I always understood it. The stories were often out of order, or maybe she was out of order, it was at times hard to follow. If you can handle leaving with a little confusion, this is an adventurous read.

I admire the author for a wonderful concept and for making the effort to bring this novel to life.

Unfortunately, this one fell short of my expectations. I believe aligning this to the invisible life of Audie Laurie has brought this down a star as I had expected similarities in the flow of the story.

For me, it was a bit 'finicky' it the time jumps and how one event tries to trigger another. I found the descriptions for places were overdone. I do feel this would have worked better if it was classified for YA.

In saying that, I appreciate the story that was written and look forward to seeing more works from the author, great concept.

Thank you for the ARC.

It’s 1885 and while Aubry is the stubborn of her siblings, she is also the one that befalls a very strange illness. As long as she is on the move she is fine, but stay in one place for too long and she is struck down with tremendous pain, including bleeding from everywhere. At just 9 years old, she is now on her own traveling the world, unable to go back to anywhere she has been and certainly unable to go back home.

Whew. I don’t even know how to begin reviewing this book. It’s a little bit Addie LaRue but different at the same time. I could 1,000,000% see this book as movie, and a fantastic one at that. This debut will take you on wild ride with it’s unique premise and phenomenal storytelling. I recommend taking your time with this read, as there is so much to it and I wanted to savor every moment! It left me with a lot of questions and I think it would make an excellent book club pick!

An enjoyable read with hints of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. My favorite aspect was the changing landscapes. I loved the various locales and it really made the book feel refreshing. The plot dragged a bit a times, but I was invested enough to keep going and I think the author has a ton of potential.

In "A Short Walk Through A Wide World" by Douglas Westerbeke, readers are introduced to Aubry Tourvel, a young girl plagued by a mysterious condition that compels her to keep moving. As Aubry embarks on a journey spanning from the streets of Paris to the remote corners of the world, Westerbeke's narrative style invites readers to ponder and infer, leaving questions unanswered and open to interpretation. While this approach fosters engagement, some may find the non-linear structure disorienting, as the story jumps between different periods of Aubry's life, occasionally disrupting the flow.

One challenge lies in the portrayal of Aubry by a male author, which may not resonate with all readers. While Aubry is depicted as fiercely independent and hopeful, there are instances where her characterization feels influenced by gender stereotypes, potentially limiting the depth of her portrayal. Despite this, Aubry remains a compelling protagonist whose journey serves as a poignant exploration of resilience, hope, and the quest for belonging.

In conclusion, "A Short Walk Through A Wide World" offers a captivating narrative that lingers in the mind, despite its occasional shortcomings. Aubry's journey of self-discovery and survival serves as a reminder of the transformative power of perseverance, making this novel a thought-provoking read for those who enjoy immersive storytelling and nuanced character exploration.

Thank you NetGalley and Douglas Westerbeke for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded down.

I loved this one! It was delightfully realistic fantasy and I was hooked right away. Once we learn about Aubry, I couldn’t wait to read about her next adventure. About half way through the book I became increasingly more interested in the ending.

I thought the whole story was just fantastic until the ending which really felt like it wrapped it up neatly but I definitely didn’t feel remotely satisfied.

Thanks to NetGalley + Avid Reader Press for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is the story of Aubry Tourvel, she is 9 years old with an ailment that causes her to profusely bleed if staying in one location for more than a couple of days. And so the journey of constant travel begins.

Beautiful Debut !!

I found the writing beautiful and the story very interesting. It was enjoyable from start to finish and will be a big hit with many.

Set for release April 9, 2024


However, I do not feel it should be compared as an Addie LaRue or Life of Pi and these are all three very different books with just a few common threads lines. Please let the readers decide what it reminds them of as this comparison could not meet the expectations of some readers and end in a less than favorable review

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Short Walk Through a Wide World was an unexpected journey in discovering what it means to live, to move, and to be in the world. It is a tale of the stories we make, and the stories that make us.

There is magic in the story of Aubry Tourvel. Magic and desperation and a realization of what it means to survive compared to what it means to live. Being forced to travel the world, to never stay still, and be able to put down roots in any single place or any single person, Aubry must instead figure out how to live with a sickness that forces her to constantly travel the world. In her wanderings throughout the world, she meets people, falls in love, and tells pieces of her story to those who cross her path. But her only constant companion is the illness that is using her to see everything and the libraries that pop up just when she needs them most.

Aubry’s story slips in and out of time, going forward and backward in her journey and highlighting some of the events and people that she meets along the way. The entire book feels like you’re reading a lucid dream, with vivid imagery and a slow-building ache of loneliness. For Audry, mostly, but also for the idea that there is so much in the world we do not see in our lives, that so much of the world is only known to those who experience that singular moment.

If anything, this book is a love letter to stories. To life. To be able to see that what you experience is your story and that it is worth it for however long you get to live in the world.

Would you rather always be traveling - unable to stay in one place for more than a few days and unable to ever return somewhere you’ve always been - or never travel at all and always stay home?

Aubrey Torvel comes down with a sickness when she’s only nine years old that means she has to always be traveling. When we come into the story she’s in her thirties and has already traveled around the world multiple times.

This story is nonlinear and a bit meandering - though I imagine that’s how your life would feel if you were nonstop traveling for decades. I enjoyed going along for the journey and seeing the ending and enjoyed the role libraries played in the story. This book felt like a dream in a good way.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

I love the idea of A Short Walk Through a Wide World. It does remind me of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, though I definitely like Aubry more than Addie. Addie though, if I recall correctly, was punished, and for the reader it felt like something if not expected, then unsurprising. The idea that a nine year-old child was punished for not giving up something that had meaning to her by having to constantly keep moving just doesn't feel right - the punishment doesn't fit the crime. The stories of Aubry are interesting, but I wish they'd been told in order, instead of her recounting a past adventure to someone she's encountered in the present. I like the aspect of the library that randomly appears, but I feel like it also doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the book where she's constantly moving, even if it is a respite for her. The ending has some closure to it, and provides a closing of a circle somewhat to what started Aubry's journey, but it just feels off. Like this grand adventure, and it kind of ended on a whimper for me. The whole book feels kind of that way, like a grand adventure that just ends up petering out and starting all over because Aubry has to keep moving. Yes, I recognize that the journey itself is an adventure, but when she has contact with people and they welcome her with open arms as a complete stranger is where the book really shines for me. It isn't a bad story, but if it was a little different it seems like it could be an exceptional story. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Really great story, I love that it is unusual, has elements of mystery, and keeps you guessing throughout the entire book. When I read, I like a story to be able to take me into a world far away from my daily life and this does! It's a great mental escape and one I readily looked forward to reading.

Highly recommend this book!

This was a wonderful story and I enjoyed the way it was narrated. It felt like a fairy tale. Aubrey grew up to be an amazing character as she traveled the world. She learns to hunt and be mostly self sufficient in her travels and even becomes famous. I felt for her pain and her loneliness, and loved her strength. I feel like I've seen places I'll never visit and can picture them vividly, the writing was so well crafted.

My only problem with this story is with the ending. It wasn't a bad ending at all. I just didn't understand it. That may be just a "me" problem, but it was not a very closed ending with explanations and, honestly, I like things explained. I like to go "Aha! That's why that thing happened!"

All in all, a was fun trip with Aubrey, and I do recommend this book to those like magical tales.

United States Publication: April 2, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
(Of note, I could not attach a rating to this title because even after reading it I am unsure how much I liked it - if I liked it! However, because NetGalley asks for a rating to accompany feedback, my rating here reflects the work Westerbeke put into creating such an atmospheric story and characters. In the other places I have posted this review, there are no ratings attached.)

Aubry Tourvel is famous, but not by choice. In 1885, as a nine-year-old in Paris Aubry fell ill with a sickness nobody could name, find in her body, or cure. And the only way, it seems, for the sickness to be satisfied is for Aubry to never stop moving. This mysterious illness leads her to spend the rest of her life outrunning the sickness by traveling the world several times over. The catch is she cannot return to the same place twice, she can only visit each place in the world once. Eventually, she's going to run out of the world. As Aubry ages and her plight becomes known through word-of-mouth, she becomes an enigma - unknowable to even herself. She lives a very isolated life among the residents of the world. Throughout her travels she meets with temporary companions, people she wishes she could keep in her nomadic life but her constant movement is unrealistic for anyone but her. Part of her mysterious illness is also a secret way of travel in the underside of the world, through a labyrinth of libraries that provide her sanctuary from not just her illness but the harsh realities of traveling non-stop. But these library stays are brief and eventually her sickness drives her back out to travel the world. Years and years pass and Aubry determines to corner the illness before it corners her, she wants to go out on her terms. She just wants her life to end in a soft place, without having to run from the constant companion that has plagued her since 1885.

I honestly have no idea if I liked this title or not. Because of my indecision, I am refraining from placing a rating on it. It is full of beautiful descriptions of the world Aubry travels, it provides action-packed scenes as Aubry encounters various people and situations that are threatening her safety, and it tells the story of a person who finds contentment in living on the run. I read it quickly and found myself engaged in it but I also read it with a slight...dissatisfaction. I accept that some things don't have answers, and some things are unknowable but this mysterious illness that Aubry contracts, seemingly because of a puzzle ball, is a little too far-fetched. Even a hint of a potential reason why would have been better than just a great big, fat question mark about the cause of Aubry's illness and why she was chosen to bear it. I also feel dissatisfied because I'm unclear about the motivation or purpose of Westerbeke's story, I didn't glean from it any "lesson" or profound idea to carry on with after reading the last word. I would love to read an author interview with him and hear his thoughts as he created this tale. So, did I like this title? I still don't know. Just like the mysterious illness Aubry has, my like of this book will remain mysterious as well.