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weeb_grass's review against another edition
3.0
First, I will say that some of the prose and lyrical writing in this book is simply phenomenal. The author has true artistic talent when it comes to stringing words and sentences together.
However, that being said, there really was not much of a plot. This felt less like a novel and more like a stream of consciousness. This was like... a really well written diary. And don't get me wrong, these types of books are great! Memoirs and observations and other journalistic books are awesome works of literature, but this wasn't sold as such. I thought I was going to learn about Sri Lanka's post-war northern environment. Instead, I learned about this one Southern dude's relationship issues and his vague connection to a Northern woman. It was like the protagonist was trying really hard to make himself relevant in this narrative, and he just... wasn't. Like, at all. You could clearly tell he was grabbing for smoke when it came to his necessity to this conflict.
I will note that, while the main character was dull and irrelevant to the story, he was empathic and insightful. I enjoyed reading about some of his observations throughout the book.
Yeah. Idk. I mean, I'll definitely read anything this author puts out because, like I said, he's an incredible writer. But I'm praying his next main character is a bit more essential to the story.
However, that being said, there really was not much of a plot. This felt less like a novel and more like a stream of consciousness. This was like... a really well written diary. And don't get me wrong, these types of books are great! Memoirs and observations and other journalistic books are awesome works of literature, but this wasn't sold as such. I thought I was going to learn about Sri Lanka's post-war northern environment. Instead, I learned about this one Southern dude's relationship issues and his vague connection to a Northern woman. It was like the protagonist was trying really hard to make himself relevant in this narrative, and he just... wasn't. Like, at all. You could clearly tell he was grabbing for smoke when it came to his necessity to this conflict.
I will note that, while the main character was dull and irrelevant to the story, he was empathic and insightful. I enjoyed reading about some of his observations throughout the book.
Yeah. Idk. I mean, I'll definitely read anything this author puts out because, like I said, he's an incredible writer. But I'm praying his next main character is a bit more essential to the story.
wheelylauren's review against another edition
3.0
This is a reflective sort of book set in Sri Lanka which was an interesting place to read about! I love the philosophical elements of this book but felt it often went off on tangents that were too long and I lost sight of the main plot. I listened to this as an audiobook.
goldencages's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The prose of A Passage North is incredible. Lyrical, profound, and though adorned with long sentences (there were no short sentences, I swear), always comfortable to read. Anuk Arudpragasam has a way with words that makes them flow so seamlessly together, even when strung together to lengthy observations about a world ravaged by war and violence, grief, and heartbreak. On that note, his observations were so astute, picking up tiny details that usually only remain in our subconscious; I have a lot of respect for how he put them all into words.
As for the story, it reads itself like one continuous inner monologue as Krishan, the main character, makes his way up to the north of Sri Lanka, grappling with the ways the war has shaped him and the people around him, in manners that are both more and less obvious. I found the story sometimes to be too meandering, and I don't think it's for everybody, but overall it draws a haunting portrayal of grief, of (collective) trauma, and of human capacity for coping.
As for the story, it reads itself like one continuous inner monologue as Krishan, the main character, makes his way up to the north of Sri Lanka, grappling with the ways the war has shaped him and the people around him, in manners that are both more and less obvious. I found the story sometimes to be too meandering, and I don't think it's for everybody, but overall it draws a haunting portrayal of grief, of (collective) trauma, and of human capacity for coping.
benreadsgood's review against another edition
3.0
Beautifully written but an absolute slog to get through.
caro_sparrow's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
While this book had some interesting topics and concepts, it was terribly painful to read, I found it exhausting and the core message was difficult to identify
rlshnhn's review against another edition
3.0
There was parts of this book that I loved and parts that I found a bit meh. The parts of the book where he talks about his Grandma and Rani were just lovely.
roboscar8's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.75
dhwanix's review against another edition
5.0
Sombre but not brooding, I was immersed in Arudpragasam's writing but didn't want to be, finding myself seeking distractions every time I felt like I had to come to terms with what I felt about the characters and how I related to them.
jennylimmy's review against another edition
3.0
Knowing absolutely nothing about the Sri Lankan civil war, I both appreciated and was somewhat thrown by the narrator’s commitment to explaining context. It doesn’t make a ton of sense dramatically, because why would he provide background information for himself? And he is certainly talking to himself throughout; a little too much so. The parts about his family and his grandmother’s caretaker are great; his musings about his ex-girlfriend are dull. The book spends too much time navel-gazing to make up for its kernels of youthful wisdom.