From the back cover:
" 'You're beautiful,' Johnny told her and so, full of hope, seventeen-year-old Felicia crosses the Irish Sea to England to find her lover and tell him she is pregnant. Vividly and with heart-aching insight William Trevor traces her desperate search through the post-industrial Midlands. Unable to find Johnny, she is, instead, found by Mr. Hilditch, pudgy canteen catering manager, collector and befriender of homeless young girls."

This will be going to JuneBug31 soon.

(paperback)

Cestmoi graciously delivered this book into my hands yesterday from Penhaligon whilst I was visiting in Toronto.

Thanks Penhaligon, hope to meet with you next trip!!

'FELICIA'S JOURNEY' was a sad novel from the viewpoint of Felicia, but worrisome and concerning wondering what Mr. Hilditch was up to.

Felicia is a 17 year old girl from Ireland who meets Johnny and becomes pregnant. Johnny must leave Ireland and go back to his home in England but before he dashes off, Felicia is unable to obtain his address. Felicia leaves Ireland on her own and arrives in England in search of Johnny so she can tell him she is pregnant with their child. Felicia only believes that Johnny works in a lawn mower factory. She sets out in search of factories and is disappointed when the first one she finds has never heard of Johnny.

Mr. Hilditch is a fat, canteen catering manager who runs into Felicia at his place of work. Felicia tells Mr. Hilditch that she is looking for lawn mower factories but he cannot help her. Mr. Hilditch, unbeknownst to Felicia, likes to befriend homeless young girls and he sets out to observe and trap Felicia into his clutches. What ensues will keep you reading and reading until the end!!

Thanks to Penhaligon again for sending me this story!!

Released on Saturday, October 25, 2003 at Passed to a fellow Bookcrosser in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Passed onto cestmoi today while she visited with me at my home.

I LOVED this one!!

A recommendation from JuneBug31 - I couldn't refuse!

Very suspenseful and eerie. Felicia was very strong and smart - I think she must have lost part of her soul after Hilditch convinces her to do what she does (don't want to give anything away!)...otherwise I think she would have returned home to her family....she would have found a way.

I can't remember who wanted this one, but its travelling from Toronto to Moncton with me, then Moncton to Fredericton with MissQ to it's new home.

cestmoi sent this one up for me at the mini-meetup this weekend - sorry I couldn't make it - would have loved to see you again!