I have read a few travel books before not knowing that this was a genre in itself. To be frank, I quite enjoy stories which have a strong element of travel. For one, you know from the very beginning that the story is time bound. So the crescendo will come during the trip and most likely, the story will reach its end near the end of the trip. What attracts me more is the discovery of new places. More often than not, these books are written from a unique perspective. So authors do add little trivia or anecdotes about the places that might not be known to someone who hasn’t really been there. And in addition, the descriptions are always so beautiful and wonderful. I mean, I’m sure if I actually visited Paris or Venice, I won’t find the streets as romantic as I find them when I read about them in a novel. That’s because distractions like the crowds, the noise or the tiredness of travel are not included in books, which you cannot ignore when you really travel to those places.
Wanderlost was the first book that I consciously picked up for the travel element. And I had to choose a book based on a tour across Europe. I know there are many beautiful and amazing places in the world, some of them remain quite untouched by mankind, but Europe will always have that old world charm that works as a magnet for every 21st century romantic.
The story itself is quite simple. The author dives right into the plot on page one itself. You are introduced to Aubree, who is the quintessential ‘girl next door’ with a perfect older sister. One thing leads to the next and soon Aubree finds herself stepping in as a tour guide for a geriatric group on a trip across Europe.
I for one found it very easy to relate to Aubree. Because, all things said, I’m a ‘mamma’s girl’. The scene in the book where her mother offers to accompany Aubree upto the security check at the airport…well…that actually happened with me.
Although I understand that it would’ve not been possible to achieve it in such a breezy style of a book, but I kind of felt a bit disappointed that the old group members weren’t given more depth. I mean, each one of them was just a cardboard cut out of the stereotypical old person they were representing. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t find them boring. Neither did I feel that they didn’t contribute to the story. But I felt they were great characters, who only remained in the background, ending where they started.
And the end…it wasn’t abrupt, but I found a few problems with it. (SPOILER AHEAD) I mean, for one, the entire tour group ends up canceling their trip further because Aubree can’t stay in Europe any longer, and then she ends up extending her trip after sending everyone back…? Then why couldn’t she have just continued with everyone else? I think that would have made the story even more interesting. And then, the readers could’ve travelled to Paris along with the group (sulking face).
Over all, a very quick, no drama, no shockers read. The book delivers on the travel front. The destinations are sumptuously described and you get to look at many well known European cities through a new angle. So if you wish to get lost and wander through Europe, without moving your physical self, give this book a read.
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