This book is a departure for me from my dominant reading tastes, but an enjoyable one nonetheless because of my enjoyment of the Masterpiece mystery series “Grantchester” for which this book is the “prequel”. Here we find the backstory of the show’s central character—Sidney Chambers, a young, English war survivor who decides to become a Vicar in the Church of England after he returns from fighting with the Scots Guards on the Western Front of WWII. He fought in Italy, lost his best friend Robert Kendall, and returns to the friendship of Robert’s sister Amanda, to wrestle with a host of questions about the meaning of his life, his relationship with his guilt, his hope for the future, including Amanda, and his role as a survivor in the face of so much senseless loss.

I find James Runcie’s use of the present tense both unfamiliar and appealing in its immediacy. Runcie also weaves a series of subtle spiritual insights into his narrative which I appreciated for their resonance with questions I have asked about life. I do wish he would have given more depth to the characters, though. They all seem a little flat. Overall it was an enjoyable intro to the series which has a richness to it missing from this “prequel”. The book is somewhat disconnected from the premise of the show, deliberately to be sure, which is focused on an episodic murder mystery while developing the backstory of these characters.

Favorite Quotes:

"You mustn’t dwell. It makes you moody." -Sidney Chambers' mother (5/2/21) ( )

I thought with Sidney Chambers and the Persistence of Love did the series end, However, James Runcie decided to go back in time and write about Sidney Chambers life before the stories in the first Grantchester book. And, what a treat this book was. To get to know a young Sidney, his experiences in the war, his call to be a priest, how he discovered his love for jazz. And, of course, his friendship with Amanda. I quite enjoyed this part of the story, Amanda being the little sister of his best friend and how she become such an important person in his life.

It's such a fabulous novel. I listened to the audio version of this book and I enjoyed the book immensely. This is not in any way a crime novel, like how Sidney helps Geordie Keating in the rest of the books. There is death in this book, but it's not a mystery novel. It's a novel about how Sidney Chambers become the man we met in the Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death. If you are a fan of this series, or the TV series is this a must read book! ( )

I enjoyed the Grantchester Mysteries series but the prequel is by far and away the best book James Runcie has written. This novel goes much deeper and explains how Sidney Chambers follows his destiny as a man of honesty and service to others having survived the horror of WWII in Italy. Riveting, sad, absorbing and sincere, Sidney’s story explains his sense of nostalgia and melancholy which pervades the whole Grantchester series. A thoughtful and compelling read. ( )

"They look on human existence with a sad and loving amusement, patrolling the borders between life and death, believing that the best way to behave is with dignity and grace. Grace, that was the word. This is what Sydney wants. How can he learn to have grace?"

Since I am a fan of the Masterpiece Mystery TV series, Grantchester, I started reading this novel a whim, more out of curiosity than anything else. This book is a prequel, written after the initial mystery series had been published. The story begins with the main character, Sidney Chambers, serving in the Scots Guard during WWII. There are some graphic descriptions of battle scenes but much of the story focuses on the psychological effects of war, continuing on into peacetime. Readers are given glimpses into the factors leading up to Sidney finally making the decision to become a clergyman, including one horrible event that happens during a battle, and his ongoing discussions with Reverend (Rev) Nev. It was also interesting to learn about Sydney's family members, who don't play much of a role in the TV series.

It was difficult not to insert mental images and voices of actors from the tv series into the story, so I just let them be part of the characters in the book. I am also not sure how much my enjoyment of the TV series played into my rating of the book, but it doesn't really matter. I am not usually a big reader of mysteries (although I enjoy some mystery TV shows) but I did like this novel and the way it was written. ( )

The Road To Grantchester is a prequel to the PBS series Grantchester. The book delves into the detail of what makes Sidney Chambers the person he is shown to be on the series. If you are familiar with the series you will embrace the characters in the book. If not, you will come to know why the series is so popular. There is little mystery in the book, but it is full of detail explaining the future motives and feelings of the characters. The overriding influence in Sidney’s life was his involvement in World War II. He served in the British Army during the fierce fighting in Italy. He experienced much hardship and suffered the loss of many friends. This ultimately would lead to his choice to join the Church. This personally difficult decision was even harder for his family and loved ones to accept. This is the man who is torn between his love for the church and the feelings of his loved ones as portrayed in the series, Grantchester. ( )