A Short Walk Through a Wide World

More about the book

In this dazzling debut, a woman's extraordinary life unfolds as she travels the globe to escape a mysterious curse that threatens her existence if she ever stops moving. Set in Paris in 1885, nine-year-old Aubry Tourvel discovers a wooden puzzle ball on her way home from school. After tossing it aside, she finds it reappearing in her backpack, leading to a life-threatening medical crisis at dinner. When treatments fail, she flees to the outskirts of the city and realizes that her survival hinges on constant movement. Thus begins her lifelong journey, unable to stay in one place for more than a few days or return to familiar locations. From the scorching Calashino Sand Sea to the snowy Himalayas, and from a bottomless well in Paris to an infinite underground library, Aubry learns the essence of survival and what it means to truly live. As her wanderings continue, her desire to connect with others grows, revealing that her experience of the world may differ from those around her. Fiercely independent yet filled with longing, Aubry is a memorable character navigating a realm of wonders in search of a true home. This spellbinding tale highlights the importance of the journey itself, reminding us that it’s not the destination but the experiences along the way that define us.