Review of "The Hike" by Lucy Clarke

The idea of making a blog about books / book reviews sprang to mind while I just finished a great book called "The Hike" from Lucy Clarke. Have you ever finished a book and immediately wished you had someone to talk to about it? That was me with this book — I couldn’t put it down, and now I need to talk about it here.

Four childhood friends, one unexpected hiking trip in the wilds of Norway, and secrets that start to unravel under the weather (and something darker) looming. It´s about friendship, how they all have their own life, but still support each other.

Each one has a very different personality from the other, different upbringing as well as different live-style. Normal struggle in a busy day to day life, but friendship at the heart of the story. It´s also about pushing one another to the limit, trust and make the reader think "what would I have done in that moment". One can emphasise with the characters and identify with them in a way. Each gets to decide where to go on their one week girly - holiday and they take turns each year. Usually they are going for a Beach Holiday, this time Liz decided it´s time for a hike in the Norway mountains with wild camping. Maggie and Helena not having done any training for this hike and only agreed on this holiday because it was Liz´ turn to choose. Joni, being a famous singer and at the end of her tour, comes to join them very last minute. Liz, having done all the training, is rather desperate to go as she is kind of "running-away" from her own struggles. Their journey is getting interrupted by small "clashes" between them, different speeds of walking (one falling behind and loosing the others), weather and a small drug cartel. It is written in a way out of the view of each person, but not in the "me" view, rather in the continuous writing style, which I personally really like. There were moments I had to put the book aside as I didn´t want to think what could happen next (you know when you are watching a move and you have to close your eyes, because you are to scared to watch the next scene).

Having thought about a good moment I would highlight from this book, it comes back to the intense friendship between these four women. Being in such an exposed situation like this hike takes energy, gives blisters and make one wish for the comfort of their own home. They snap at each other and try to impress, but at the end of the day, if something happens to one of them, they are there for each other, no ifs or buts.

It´s a Thriller from it´s finest. You get sapped in right away. During the book, while out in the wild, they are being exposed to all weather and are taking risks one would think how can you, but on the other side one can also relate to. They are being watched while out and believe in the wrong people. Scary up on the mountain and the intensity is building up.

It isn´t a happy ending and I was having tears in my eyes at the end. It´s also one of these books where you just can´t stop thinking about them. I liked it very much!

One person on the book cover says "perfect escapism" and I totally agree.