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tiriol's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death, Torture, and War
Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
sebby_reads's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A Passage North is an exquisite novel from Sri Lankan Tamil novelist Anuk Arudpragasam. The novel recounts the complex thoughts of Krishan as he travels from Colombo to a village in northern Sri Lanka to attend the funeral of Rani, his grandmother’s former caretaker.
Upon receiving the news of Rani’s death, Krishan has been dejected and the email from his ex set him in a great turmoil. As he takes a long train ride to the northern province, he recollects his thoughts on various matters in his life. His grandmother’s deteriorating health and her stubbornness, Rani’s tragic past haunted by the aftermath of the Civil War and her relationship with Krishan’s grandmother as well as his complicated relationship with his former lover, Anjum are cascaded through his recollections along with notable literature works and philosophy.
A Passage North is indeed a collections of Krishan’s introspections and contemplations intertwined with various scars of the country’s civil war left on its survivors. Written in elongated sentences with sophisticated proses, it is equally challenging and mesmerising to read this novel. As there is absolutely no dialogue in entire book, the endless train of thought is never interrupted but when necessary, diverted into a different path eloquently. Most of the time, these thoughts are like a string of magnetic beads linked to one another loosely yet never segregated which perfectly depict the profuse recollections and emotions pass through the mind of the protagonist.
With meticulously refined (and most of the time lyrical) narrative, the writer tackles on trauma and pain, memories and desire, as well as oppression and sexism through the narrator’s relationships with other characters and their background. The voice of Tamil diaspora is heard in a mixture of their struggles, guilts and pains which still remain with them. Throughout the book, the ingenuity of Anuk Arudpragasam’s storytelling can be seen. A very well deserving of 2021 Booker Prize shortlist indeed for this literary masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Violence
schmetzi's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
so good man
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, War, and Violence
smavy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
What an amazing book. Deeply moving and introspective, this book meditates on loss and death in a uniquely styled prose. Told solely from Krishan’s perspective, and full of his interior processing of important life events but also minute happenings, this book is rich with detail. It has no dialogue so it reads like waves upon waves of meditative prose. The book is a full immersive experience. I didn’t miss the dialogue. And the plot, well, there is a linear thread that holds the story together, but the real plot is just how Krishan processes life, death, loss, love, etc. Amazing book. If I had to give one criticism - there was a lot more exposition about the Sri Lankan civil war than necessary. Those details could have been woven with more finesse (which was on display throughout). That part read more like a news story. Otherwise, one of the best reads of 2021.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
War crimes, torture and murder of prisoners, war casualties,strabbyfieldz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
a collection of thoughts, themes and ideas presented just like the echos of memory. loved the reference to mythological stories contrasted with the historical events that occurred.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Racism, and Police brutality
Minor: Rape and Homophobia
the_literarylinguist's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Suicide and Violence
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