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Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

 



Published: 2014, penguin

Genre: fiction

Themes: adventure, old age, romance, walking, companionship

My rating (out of 5): ❤❤❤❤

With another COVID lockdown looming, I made it my business to get down to the library and pick up enough books to get me over Christmas and then a few weeks into the New Year.  I wanted to get something fairly easy going, that didn't require too much concentration and that I could pick up and put down without loosing track of the plot.  Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper fitted the bill perfectly.

Don't get me wrong, this book is not fluff and nonsense, but it does read easily and I liked the characters described in the story.  The principal character is Etta who is a lady of 82 who has started to become forgetful and suddenly decides she would like to see the ocean, just once, before it is too late.  This may seem like a simple thing to do, but Etta lives in Canada, and the route she wants to take is 3,232 km and she intends to make the journey on foot.  Her husband, Otto, is informed of her plans by a note left on the kitchen table and, after briefly considering trying to find her, decides to let continue because that is what she wants to do.

Etta sets off wearing her best boots and the only things she takes with her are Otto's rifle and a few essential items in a bag.  As she makes her journey we learn all about Etta and Otto and also their close friend and neighbour, Russell.  Russell has loved Etta just as long as Otto, and way back when it was thought that Otto had been killed in the war, Etta and Russell looked set to marry, but then Otto returned and Russell quietly stepped aside as that was the right thing to do.

Everything that happens in the story is quiet and measured, and although there are life-changing events that happen to all of them, they accept their lot and move on with their lives.

So where does James fit in to the story?  Well, James is a coyote, and he joins Etta on her journey and walks alongside her to keep her company.  They talk to one another, and James only leaves Etta when she goes into towns for supplies, as he doesn't like towns.  He takes the long way round and they meet up again on the other side after James follows Etta's scent.

The book examines close relationships and how real friends can allow each other to have space to be themselves and do what they have to do.  We also see how the lives we lead influence small acts of kindness and how Etta's courageous journey provides inspiration to others along the way.  It is an uplifting book with many life lessons within the pages and I'm glad I found it.



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