Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
When I found a recommendation for this book, I (stupidly) did not realize it was the second book in a trilogy; I LOVE Richard Paul Evans, however, so I decided to read it anyway. Not having read the first book, I didn’t feel like I missed out on much and was able to fall right into the action. Miles to Go tracks Alan’s journey from Washington to Key West after the loss of his wife, business, and house; prior to the beginning of this novel, Alan’s walk is interrupted by a pretty horrible injury that delays his journey for the winter. Luckily for Alan, he meets certain people along the path to recovery and realizes that he has the power to help them, all the while healing himself.
I found Alan to be such a pleasant character–such a gentle and caring man–but possibly a little too perfect. (Or perhaps I just couldn’t believe that he wasn’t as flawed as the others.) The other characters were realistic and interesting to get to know. It was fascinating to see how each character helped one another heal.
What I loved most about this book was the life lessons shared that apply not only to Alan, but to readers. Each chapter features a quote or thoughtful idea from Alan’s journal. For example, one chapter says, “We plan our lives in long, unbroken stretches that intersect our dreams the way highways connect the city dots on a road map. But in the end we learn that life is lived in the side roads, alleys, and detours.” These quotes make me think about my own life, but it doesn’t detract from the story itself.
I found the last section of the book to kind of drag and the ending of the book abrupt, but that is only because it leads directly into the third book. I was somewhat disappointed that I couldn’t read this book as a stand-alone, but it made me look forward to another one!
I would recommend this book, but in conjunction with ALL of the books in the trilogy.
the modern austen 