Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Renee at It’s Book Talk. Throwback Thursday was designed as an opportunity to share old favorites as well as older books in our TBR. As I started reviewing on Goodreads long before I started my blog, it seemed a great way of sharing my earlier reviews (which I hope have improved since the early days).
So this week I’m revisiting The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce – first reviewed in January 2015.
My Review
I loved The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry so I was looking forward to reading this. Although this was written after ‘Harold’ it is not a sequel but a companion piece as it tells Queenie’s side of the story.
As it had been a while since I read the first I thought that might be a problem as I couldn’t remember the first book in detail. I think in some ways that might have been a good thing especially towards the end where the two stories diverge.
This book is what is says on the cover, essentially the story of Queenie’s unrequited love for Harold Fry. Though given the pilgrimage he made for her, maybe not so unrequited after all. For those who have read ‘Harold’ you know the basic story, for those who haven’t the publishers blurb tells you all you need to know without spoiling the enjoyment.
Having read both books I think on balance I love Queenie’s story more. She is a much fuller rounded character than Harold as she exposes herself to us more, also seeing the other characters from ‘Harold’ described in Queenie’s version seems to make them more real and 3 dimensional. The other main reason I think I liked this book more than the first is getting to meet all the characters in the Hospice. While much of the book deals with Queenie’s memories, the remainder deals with her present day existence in the hospice as she writes her letter to Harold. The other patients and the nuns are a real joy, so much so that I will admit to crying on more than one occasion when the ubiquitous undertakers van appeared. As an aside should I ever have the misfortune to need a Hospice I want one like St Bernadine’s.
This is an excellent read that is both joyful and sad, but never depressing given that it deals with aspects of life that touch us all, namely the nature of love, regret and ultimately death.
Jill's Book Cafe 
I recently enjoyed a book of short stories by Rachel Joyce and I loved her beautiful writing.
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I’ve got the latest one to read which I’m really looking forward to, she’s a great writer.
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Is that The Music Shop?
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It is.
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I think I have this book on the boat, left there in our hasty departure in April. I hadn’t started it as I wasn’t sure if not having read the first book would be a problem; no excuses now! Thanks xx
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Get it read Mrs x
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Wonderful book and review, Jill. Unusually for me there is a part of this that has really stuck in my mind, just a small section but so beautifully sad (if that makes any sense).
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It does, this book was more emotional and poignant than Harold for me.
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I loved this one too Jill.
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[…] Jill at Jill’s Book Cafe […]
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Both books sound enchanting, Jill, thanks for this wonderful feature on your blog.
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I recommend them Skye, I’ve got her latest to read as well, which I’m really looking forward to.
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I am putting them on my TBR right now, Jill.
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Interesting take on it. I threw this one back, but loved Harold! Maybe I’ll give it another try sometime.
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We all read the same books differently and sometimes it’s just not the right time or the right book. 🙂
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Exactly! I have gone back to books I thought had merit but didn’t “do it” at that moment and loved some. Also changing format can help. I tossed Major Pettigrews Last Stand in hardback, but on audio it became an all-time favorite. Go figure, right?
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I’ve got that on my tbr pile – will be interesting to see how I find it.
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[…] be read as a standalone, but I urge you to also read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, trust me, you won’t be […]
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