I have mixed feelings about this book – no pun intended. I loved it because it’s the story of a Canadian couple – two women from Lion”s Head ON – who walked the Camino France´s in 2018. It is a very genuine story, however, there was too much of one thing and not enough of another. Please let me explain.
The author, Jules Torti, was the chief editor of Harrowsmith magazine – one of my favourites. As an editor, Jules knows about writing, at least writing for periodicals, where language has to be crisp, layered and unique. Hence there is little of the long drawn out pilgrim ramblings of the heart, mind and body. Nor are there the long drawn out descriptions of other pilgrims’ ramblings of the heart, mind and body. The descriptions of Trail Mix are limited to the interactions of the couple walking. They do meet interesting people along the way, but these encounters are not the focus of the book. Their relationship is.
In fact this Camino seems almost secondary to their life as a couple. There are many comparisons to other trips they’ve taken, their life in Canada and their presumptions of what a Camino should or should not be. This is the too much part, as well as trying too hard to be a clever writer.
What is lacking is any feeling of the spiritual aspect of the Camino. There is no sense of wonder, no serendipity, no miracles and no angels. They even skip the pilgrim mass – really!
The last few chapters after their arrival in Santiago are better. Relieved of having to consider the religious aspect of a pilgrimage, they can revel in the natural wonders of Muxia and Finisterre, which is their forte.
I’m always happy to support Canadian authors. The ending is very special!