Call of the Camino: A Novel by Suzanne Redfearn is a fascinating story from beginning to end. Most of the novel takes place along the Camino de Santiago trails, a religious pilgrimage undertaken for more than 1,000 years. The story toggles between 1997 and 2024. The novel is partially based on a true story about thirteen founding families and a land dispute involving opposing views for Dur, England’s future.

The story begins in 1997 with Isabelle Vidal, almost 18, a cattleman’s daughter. Her home is in Dur, England, but she attends a Catholic high school in Pau, France. She’s an exceptionally bright girl, can speak six languages, and wants nothing to do with the Dur land dispute between families. To avoid having to take sides and vote, Isabelle runs away from school and ends up on the ancient 500-mile Camino de Santiago in Spain. She insists on paying her own way and works at the various stops to pay for lodging and food. Isabelle is a strong healthy girl, used to walking, and makes lasting friends along the way. But her journey isn’t easy and takes an unexpected turn.

In 2024, Reina Watkins, a New York journalist, is copy-editor for a popular magazine. She still grieves the death of her father who died when she was eight. Through a quirk of fate, she has an opportunity to write about the Camino de Santiago and finds herself on the same journey her father walked at her age and wrote about in his journal. Unexpectedly, her nemesis, Matt Calhoun, a fellow journalist, is also on the trail, putting a damper on her Camino experience. Reina gives the journey her all, enduring the dusty trails, the ensuing blisters and aching muscles, but also appreciating the beauty and history of the trail. She makes friends with interesting people and finds unexpected strength within herself.

I found Call of the Camino a deeply moving story of two women whose entwined paths in different eras result in transformative journeys. The author, who has walked the Camino herself, does an outstanding job of describing the sights, the spirit of the pilgrimage, the cuisine, and also the difficulties of the journey. As Isabelle and Reina each meet and make friends among their fellow pilgrims, their worlds are enriched. I recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous spirit, for those who have walked Camino’s hallowed trails, and especially for people who might take this epic journey.