The Scoop – review (AD)
I was kindly sent a paperback copy of The Scoop by Cat Walker in exchange for an honest review*.
The Scoop book blurb
Casey Jones’s life is a mess. Her job bores her, her parents confuse her, and she has repeated nightmares about her ex-girlfriend. In a moment of madness she packs in her job and plans an adventure with her schoolfriend, long-time lad Danny. What she didn’t plan for was an extra passenger, in the shape of Danny’s estranged twelve-year-old son, Ari, who has problems of his own.
The three of them are thrown together for an intense rollercoaster ride in Alice a converted bright pink ice cream van through some of the most beautiful and dangerous places in the world, from Tulse Hill to Tibet.
My overall thoughts of The Scoop
Casey is a thirty something woman who feels a little bit lost. She doesn’t have a direction in life, no significant other, a job she doesn’t love and a burning desire to just up sticks and find herself.
I can really empathise with her I had this feeling myself and moving away from everyone and everything I’ve ever known was the absolute making of me.
After reconnecting with her childhood best mate Danny she decides to quit her job, get a campervan and go travelling – gutsy and admirable!
Although it doesn’t quite go to plan for Casey – she quits quite dramatically but then has to work out her notice, Danny buys them a mobile home but it isn’t quite the campervan that Casey had in mind and then of course there’s Danny’s big secret his son who is also joining them on their travels.
So the trio are off to a rocky start but onwards they plough – or drive rather – in their pink converted ice cream van with a top speed of 65mph in search of adventure and enlightenment.
I found this a really great read which offered some much-needed escapism during the corona virus pandemic.
This book really made me think as well as laugh out loud at moments too. It isn’t too heavy or light-hearted it has a really good balance as there’s some really serious themes explored within it.
The descriptions of the countries in which they travel really brought the journey alive for me and I felt as I turned each page that I was bumping along beside them with the oranges and potatoes in the back of the ice cream van.
That’s credit to author Cat Walker whose words really made me feel immersed in the story.
There’s a lot of emotional turmoil in that ice cream van – Danny coming to terms with actually stepping up into being a father while Ari is desperately worried about his mum’s cancer treatment and operation and trying to deal with his emotions while turning into a teenager on the road with a dad he barely knows and a woman he’s just met.
And of course there’s Casey – she’s a bit lost, lacking direction and hungry to find out a sense of purpose and what her next move should be. She’s haunted by her ex girlfriend and closed herself off from love – can she find herself and maybe someone new along the bumpy way?
I really liked the dynamic between the trio and how they bonded throughout the trip.
Casey really grew as a person I think and stepped up so Danny could become the man he needed to be for Ari and Niobe.
Ari and Casey’s relationship grew into a lovely friendship and I enjoyed their part of the trip without Danny a lot.
I feel like I’ve actually grown as a person for reading this book.
The trio meet some interesting characters on their journey to spiritual enlightenment who each bring something different to the table and with their stories and passion educate not only the characters in the book but me too.
There’s so much interesting history, sociology and politics wrapped up in Europe’s turbulent past and I felt like I learnt so much as did the characters during this trip.
If you want a story that’s rich with both a a geographical and emotional tale then The Scoop should be on your to be read pile.
You really are taken on a journey across Europe with this story from Tulse Hill to Tibet where beliefs are challenged, the gulf between capitalism and communism is questioned, the reality of war and the fallout is explored as well as relationships blossoming and at the end of which your mind is definitely enlightened.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
The Scoop is available to buy now from retailers such as Amazon
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*Disclaimer
This review has been written with 100% honesty.
I was not financially compensated for this post. I was given an advance copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.
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