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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
czidya's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A Passage North is a beautifully written reflection on trauma, grief, memory, and love, set largely within the mind of Krishan, a young professional, as he travels across Sri Lanka to attend a funeral in a remote village.
Arudpragasam's writing is wordy, but never unnecessarily so, such that it allows him to communicate complex, often difficult to express ideas with stunning beauty.
"What for lack of a better word was sometimes called love, he had realized that night, was not so much a relation between to people in and of themselves as a relation between two people and the world they were witness to, a world whose surfaces and exteriors gradually began to dissipate as the two individuals sank deeper and deeper into what was called their love."
Arudpragasam's writing is wordy, but never unnecessarily so, such that it allows him to communicate complex, often difficult to express ideas with stunning beauty.
"What for lack of a better word was sometimes called love, he had realized that night, was not so much a relation between to people in and of themselves as a relation between two people and the world they were witness to, a world whose surfaces and exteriors gradually began to dissipate as the two individuals sank deeper and deeper into what was called their love."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Mental illness, War, and Torture
Moderate: Suicide, Gore, Racism, Hate crime, and Drug use
Minor: Self harm, Homophobia, and Alcohol
jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
You can say so much about A Passage North, and not one word will be enough to describe how beautiful and meditative this book is. I should start and say that this book is absolutely not for everyone. It’s incredibly slow-paced, it meanders, a single sentence/thought can go on for an entire paragraph, and some may find it too erudite for their taste (which is completely fair).
The opening passage—a “mere” three sentences long that spans two pages—makes clear what’s in store for the reader in terms of pacing, approach, and writing style. And, for me, it was one of the most beautiful opening passages I’ve read in a long while. Arudpragasam writes in such a reflective and thought-provoking way that just stays with you from start to end. Reading this book is a moving experience told from the perspective of Krishan, the protagonist, whose thoughts wander off to philosophical ideas of being, death, desire, love, among other themes. Philosophical ideas themselves are difficult to tackle, and yet, Arudpragasam masterfully ties them to Tamil history to also reflect on their grief and trauma stemming from the Sri Lankan Civil War.
A Passage North is as much a philosophical lesson as it is a history lesson. It will make you pause and reflect on what you just read. And, really, it’s incredible to realize that so much thinking can take place in the span of a train ride, which is the case for Krishan, who was on his way north to his grandmother’s caretaker’s funeral. This journey was as poignant for me as it likely was for the protagonist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Sexism, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Homophobia, Drug use, and Rape
harshibuvan's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
I found this book breathtakingly beautiful with the imagery and stories. At the same time it broke my heart reading the plight of the Tamil people that I would have been a part of it my parents hadn't left Srilanka. There’s something chilling about reading about murder in a book, with the sense that it was a part of history, that it happened way before you were born, and then talking about it with your parents who tell you they remember reading it in the newspapers when they were young adults.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
jouljet's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War, Mental illness, and Grief
narpetcards's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, War, Death, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Medical trauma, and Self harm
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.5
The plot of A Passage North may be sparse - Krishan travels by train from Colombo to northern Sri Lanka to attend a funeral - but there is actually a lot going on in this slim novel, most of it in his head. As he travels Krishnan’s memories traverse his grandmother and her career Rani, whose death in unusual circumstances led to his journey. He also recalls his time with his former girlfriend Anjum, from whom he recently received an unexpected email. And of course he mulls over Sri Lankan history, particularly the civil unrest and its effects on the north. The impacts of grief and the long lasting effects of trauma can be clearly seen.
The novel unfolds in a stream-of-consciousness style. The writing is lyrical yet compelling and wholly absorbing. It’s very much a quiet, insular novel whose power and impact creeps up on you slowly and increases the more you think about it. Which is fitting for a book so focused on the power of thought and memory to help us make sense of the journey life has taken us on.
Sensitive readers may need to take care towards the end of the book where Krishan muses in great detail about exactly what is happening to Rani’s body during the cremation process. I imagine this could be very triggering, especially to those who have recently suffered a loss.
Final Verdict - Very insular and literary. This one has got to be among the top contenders for the Booker.
The novel unfolds in a stream-of-consciousness style. The writing is lyrical yet compelling and wholly absorbing. It’s very much a quiet, insular novel whose power and impact creeps up on you slowly and increases the more you think about it. Which is fitting for a book so focused on the power of thought and memory to help us make sense of the journey life has taken us on.
Sensitive readers may need to take care towards the end of the book where Krishan muses in great detail about exactly what is happening to Rani’s body during the cremation process. I imagine this could be very triggering, especially to those who have recently suffered a loss.
Final Verdict - Very insular and literary. This one has got to be among the top contenders for the Booker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and War
deedireads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
A Passage North is undoubtedly a beautiful and impressive novel. At times, it felt a bit over the top to me, but on the whole I liked it and I’m glad I read it.
For you if: You are open to experimental, description-heavy narration styles.
FULL REVIEW:
A Passage North was my first read from the 2021 Booker Prize longlist, and what a way to kick things off.
The book is about a Sri Lankan man named Krishan. Two things happen to kick us off: he receives an email from an ex-girlfriend, Anjum; and he learns that his grandmother’s former caretaker, Rani, has fallen down a well and died. The novel takes place over the following two days or so, as he travels north to Rani’s village to attend her funeral.
So much of this just feels like a Booker book — heavy themes, lyrical prose … and not a single bit of dialogue in the whole book, lol. There are conversations recounted and remembered, but none of them are written as dialogue. The whole novel takes place inside the thoughts and memories swirling around Krishan’s head — memories of his time at university, of stories and poems that moved him, of his relationship with Anjum, of his grandmother’s fierce denial of her aging body contrasted with Rani’s halfhearted battle with depression and PTSD.
Paragraphs go on for whole pages or more, while sentences go on forever and ever, never ceasing, as though they could keep going forever, as though you will never reach the end, twisting and turning around in his thoughts with momentum, with revision, and just when you think they’re concluding, there’s another clause, another comma, another line taunting you, making you feel as if you’re trapped for all eternity.
You know that feeling when you stay in a really fancy hotel or do something bougie and you’re like this is amazing, but also so extra? That’s how I felt about this book. The narration style often felt overworked, to the point where it was almost distracting. I did sink into it during some stretches, and the audiobook helped a LOT, and it really was a beautiful, impressive book. So I walked away feeling net positive.
If you love lyricism and you’re up for a challenge, give this one a shot. But if you’re not one for experimental styles, proceed with caution.
TL;DR REVIEW:
A Passage North is undoubtedly a beautiful and impressive novel. At times, it felt a bit over the top to me, but on the whole I liked it and I’m glad I read it.
For you if: You are open to experimental, description-heavy narration styles.
FULL REVIEW:
A Passage North was my first read from the 2021 Booker Prize longlist, and what a way to kick things off.
The book is about a Sri Lankan man named Krishan. Two things happen to kick us off: he receives an email from an ex-girlfriend, Anjum; and he learns that his grandmother’s former caretaker, Rani, has fallen down a well and died. The novel takes place over the following two days or so, as he travels north to Rani’s village to attend her funeral.
So much of this just feels like a Booker book — heavy themes, lyrical prose … and not a single bit of dialogue in the whole book, lol. There are conversations recounted and remembered, but none of them are written as dialogue. The whole novel takes place inside the thoughts and memories swirling around Krishan’s head — memories of his time at university, of stories and poems that moved him, of his relationship with Anjum, of his grandmother’s fierce denial of her aging body contrasted with Rani’s halfhearted battle with depression and PTSD.
Paragraphs go on for whole pages or more, while sentences go on forever and ever, never ceasing, as though they could keep going forever, as though you will never reach the end, twisting and turning around in his thoughts with momentum, with revision, and just when you think they’re concluding, there’s another clause, another comma, another line taunting you, making you feel as if you’re trapped for all eternity.
You know that feeling when you stay in a really fancy hotel or do something bougie and you’re like this is amazing, but also so extra? That’s how I felt about this book. The narration style often felt overworked, to the point where it was almost distracting. I did sink into it during some stretches, and the audiobook helped a LOT, and it really was a beautiful, impressive book. So I walked away feeling net positive.
If you love lyricism and you’re up for a challenge, give this one a shot. But if you’re not one for experimental styles, proceed with caution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Child death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
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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