A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel

“A Short Walk Through a Wide World” is a bestselling, epic debut novel that follows Aubry Tourvel, a girl cursed to keep moving or die.

Set in Paris, 1885, nine-year-old Aubry discovers a strange wooden puzzle ball that mysteriously reappears after she throws it away. Soon after, she begins bleeding uncontrollably at dinner—and realizes that only constant motion keeps her alive. Forced to flee her home, Aubry begins a lifelong journey, unable to stay anywhere for more than a few days or return to the same place twice.

Her travels take her across the deserts of North Africa, the frozen Himalayas, and even surreal worlds like an endless library beneath Paris, as she searches for purpose, connection, and understanding of her curse. Along the way, she encounters both wonder and loneliness, discovering what it truly means to live rather than merely survive.

Blending adventure, magic, and deep emotion, this story explores freedom, endurance, and the meaning of home, reminding readers that life’s true essence lies not in the destination but in the journey itself.