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midnightcitizen's review against another edition
3.0
There is a lot of heart and pain in this one, but it was so demanding to finish it. I appreciated the topics, the language, the careful examinations of local history and civil war, the terror, the loss, old age, freedom, and culture very much, albeit the structure, style and form were too tiring.
I am not sure I’ve ever re-read pages and sentences so frequently, my attention fleeting so often, especially in the chapters about Krishan and Anjum. I feel the book would be better off without those specific themes, and more effortlessly to the point.
I am not sure I’ve ever re-read pages and sentences so frequently, my attention fleeting so often, especially in the chapters about Krishan and Anjum. I feel the book would be better off without those specific themes, and more effortlessly to the point.
little_cats_library's review against another edition
5.0
As someone who lived in Sri Lanka for many years, this book made me yearn for it. The descriptions of Colombo, the train to Jaffna, the feelings of love and loss were so relatable. I loved it
adam613's review against another edition
5.0
"He couldn't help thinking, as the train hurtled closer toward his destination, that he'd traversed not any physical distance that day but rather some vast psychic distance inside him, that he'd been advancing not form the island's south to north but from the south of his mind to its own distant north reaches."
In this Booker-shortlisted novel, Anuk Arudpragasam writes about Krishan's journey to the Northern Province of war-torn Sri Lanka to attend his grandmother's caretaker's. On this trip, Krishan's mind explores his past as well as that of his native land while exploring the abundant range of the human psyche navigating themes of longing, love, loss, grief and acceptance.
A Passage North is written in a stream-of-consciousness style of writing that is completely immersive and intoxicating as Arudpragasam has created an eloquent exploration of the internal and external aspects of Krishan's life. A Passage North explores and reminds us all that the real value in traveling, is the inner journey that is more long-lasting in its effects than the destination itself. Though oftentimes, the destination is a necessary part of that meaningful passage more into our truer selves. I am glad I took this dive into Anuk Arudpgrasam's A Passage North which is eloquent, unique and universal. Taking this ride, was more than worth it in all the ways.
"It had been in those months waiting probably that he'd first become aware of the absence inside him, the longing for a life that existed beyond the boundaries of the Colombo and Sri Lanka he knew, an absence that he hadn't felt as an absence so much as a kind of willingness to be drawn elsewhere, an absence that made him paradoxically more present to the world around him, more deliberately aware of its surfaces and textures and moods."
In this Booker-shortlisted novel, Anuk Arudpragasam writes about Krishan's journey to the Northern Province of war-torn Sri Lanka to attend his grandmother's caretaker's. On this trip, Krishan's mind explores his past as well as that of his native land while exploring the abundant range of the human psyche navigating themes of longing, love, loss, grief and acceptance.
A Passage North is written in a stream-of-consciousness style of writing that is completely immersive and intoxicating as Arudpragasam has created an eloquent exploration of the internal and external aspects of Krishan's life. A Passage North explores and reminds us all that the real value in traveling, is the inner journey that is more long-lasting in its effects than the destination itself. Though oftentimes, the destination is a necessary part of that meaningful passage more into our truer selves. I am glad I took this dive into Anuk Arudpgrasam's A Passage North which is eloquent, unique and universal. Taking this ride, was more than worth it in all the ways.
"It had been in those months waiting probably that he'd first become aware of the absence inside him, the longing for a life that existed beyond the boundaries of the Colombo and Sri Lanka he knew, an absence that he hadn't felt as an absence so much as a kind of willingness to be drawn elsewhere, an absence that made him paradoxically more present to the world around him, more deliberately aware of its surfaces and textures and moods."
kate66's review against another edition
2.0
I am clearly not the target audience. To me this was a typical Booker list novel. It is an introspective discourse on loss. The protagonist is a young man who considers everything to a minute detail. He contemplates the country, his part in it, others actions, whether he or his family is to blame for the death of another. If you like a book where 500 words are used instead of 10 then you will love this book. I slogged through it. It is clear the author is an erudite man but there was so much description I was bored before the end of a third of it. Sorry.
simoneclark's review against another edition
4.0
I really wish Goodreads had half stars. This one is 3.5 stars. I'm not sure if I want to round up or down. I just want to give 3.5.
sarahmbarnett's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book and thought it had some very piercing reflections on grief but its meandering storytelling felt distracting more than rounding out the character
jack_wilson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0