THE CAMINO CLUB

“We all rescue each other on the Camino.”

Each of the six teens walking together with their guides on the Spanish portion of the Camino de Santiago has a different reason for being there—and each will test the limits of their bodies, hearts, and spirits during their once-in-a-lifetime journey. Manny, Claire, Shania, Troy, Diego, and Greg are an unlikely sextet who have committed crimes back home in Toronto but have qualified for a diversion program in lieu of spending time in juvenile detention. To pass the program, they must spend a week and a half walking a portion of the Camino, journaling, and attending mandatory daily group sessions. When they first meet, Diego compares them to the crew of The Breakfast Club—and like the movie characters, they go on to complete their punishment with fellow offenders, learning to care deeply for each other, and themselves, along the way. Alternating chapters are told from three of the peregrinos’, or pilgrims’, points of view: Shania’s, Troy’s, and Diego’s. The teens soon learn that everyone has their own complicated reasons for ending up there, and the author doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, including gay conversion therapy and grief. The group is ethnically diverse and includes gay and lesbian characters; each faces personal challenges that will help many readers feel seen.

A vivid Spanish countryside setting and captivating journey bring new depth to a classic architecture.