Bookworm: I Come Alone by Michelle J. Coote

Lately I seem to be reading a lot of books about people going travelling – I’ve gone from fiction through to real life. Whether this is through a new love for this genre of books, or just me still trying to hang on desperately to my Thai trip, who knows.

The latest offering I’ve worked through is I Come Alone by Michelle J. Coote. On reading the blurb about this true travelling tale, we’re promised to hear about a lone female traveller who quits her ‘soul-destroying’ desk job and embarks on an adventure across Thailand and India.

Ah great, I thought, I can read about people’s views of Thailand again and hopefully find common experiences mentioned which I can relate to. The issue I had with the last book ‘The Backpacker’ was that I took a dislike to the author and his general views and morals in life.

Since this latest read was by a female, perhaps I might have more in common with her? And everyone dreams of ditching the desk job and running away to another country for sun and new sights. I was looking forward to enjoying an inspiring book.

Once I'd got a little way into the book, I started to wish the blurb hadn't pulled me in so much. Michelle has been travelling before she wrote this book and so it wasn't as if she went travelling for the first time when she decided to leave her job. Something which I was expecting so that things would be more dramatic and unknown for her.

Aside from this issue I began the book and really enjoyed relating to so many things she saw and experienced in Thailand. I was pleased with the love she felt for the country and how she described how welcoming the people were. Exactly what I'd thought!

The book then goes on to describe her experiences in India as well.

Although the descriptions were great and it was interesting to hear what happened and what Cootes thought of these places, food and people, it did feel like reading someone's travel journal.

Not in a voyeuristic and exciting way though, almost like reading through an itinerary of somebody's trip.

I guess this is the issue when reading 'real life' travel stories. Although people may have good experiences, they may not be natural or gripping writers.

Good points
Some interesting tales
Good descriptions
Liked how I could relate to mentions of Thailand
Gained some insight into India

Not so great
Wasn't what I expected
Quite a 'plodding along' sort of book, nothing too dramatic happens
Constant references to travels before and after the time of the book, which you don't know about
Quite a bland ending

Looking back the book was easy to read and expanded my knowledge of both Thailand and India and even perhaps gave me ideas for my return to Thailand (whenever that may be, but I'd say it's pretty inevitable). However, for how it's described, I found myself disappointed with what I Come Alone had to offer.

I'm taking a break from travel tales for now, with a fictional, traumatic story about lost love and am hoping for a PS I Love You alternative (or at least that's what the blurb suggests!)