I really wasn't sure what to make of this book at first - in spite of the way it's marketed it really isn't a book about hiking. Anyone who picks it up as I did expecting to read about the scenery, wildlife or experience of the Pacific Crest Trail is going to be very disappointed - the author may as well have been walking the Appalachian Trail or the South Downs Way or indeed doing any physically demanding activity with little preparation for all you learn about the trail itself, and I did find it extremely frustrating to read about the hardships she endured as a result of not really having done any research.

Having said that, I did find it a fascinating read from a feminist perspective. The central theme, about accepting your mistakes, forgiving yourself and moving on and about how society really doesn't accommodate the fact that women want to be in the driving seat of their own lives as much as men do, resonated very strongly with me too. I probably wouldn't have picked up a book marketed as being about self-discovery rather than hiking, so oddly this worked out for me.

I suspect this is one of those books that will divide male and female readers very strongly. I'm sure most women will empathize with the absolute terror of the chapter in which she is confronted while completely alone by two men who are both disrespectful and attracted to her, most men would probably not understand why that chapter had me chewing my nails on the edge of my seat as nothing actually happened.

In summary, not the book I was expecting but one I'm glad I picked up nonetheless.