Algeria's Way — Alex Smith

Algeria's Way is structured around the famous El Camino de Compostelle pilgrimage in Spain, of which it has been said everyone has an affair with the Camino â€" whether a fellow pilgrim or oneself. This becomes true of Algeria, a strange girl: thin, troubled, haunted by shadowy memories of the past.

Algeria and her fellow pilgrims, each with her own issues and memories, do what, in JM Coetzee's words, pilgrims on the Camino do year after year:: ‘All we can do is our best, stumbling along in a bad world.' During the pilgrimage, Algeria hears the stories of the others and meets two very different men â€" dashing, womanising Miguel, and friendly American Simon. In a story distinguished by a sparkling style and cool irony, the reader learns of the unconventional peace that Algeria finds. The novel is a testament both to the author's excellent research skills and to her obvious capacity to live life to the full.