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pran's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a beautifully written, reflective book. It is essentially about the Sri Lankan civil war from the perspective of a young Sri-Lankan Tamil man, Krishan. He meditates on the war through his relationships with the women around him, mostly his grandmother, her carer Rani, and his ex-partner Anjum. There was so much rich, insightful content in this book and I would certainly recommend it to anybody. It is a real piece of art.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
knkoch's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
What a beautifully written book. Those graceful, never-ending sentences! This is a very introspective book, and most of it is fully interior, an examination of a young man’s life, cultural history and emotional reckoning as it’s inspired by his observation/participation in events around him. This reminded me a bit of The Unbearable Lightness of Being in its philosophical bent, but this was easier for me to connect to. It felt poetic at times, begging to be read aloud.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
elizabethgreads's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
2.0 Stars.
What I enjoyed. Learning about some historical moments of the Sri Lankan Civil war which is now something I want to learn more about. The look into how war affects people and future generations and the hard journey of healing after a war. The look on aging love ones affects familial relationships and the mental health of the elderly. The relationship and unlikely friendship between the grandmother and her care taker. That being said there wasn't enough of this through out the novel.
What I didn't like was the stream of consciousness writing with run on sentences and long paragraphs. As a reader with learning disabilities this made reading the novel extremely frustrating as I was continually getting lost and having to go back and read sections multiple times. I also think this novel would have been better if told from a different pov. Say maybe dual pov of the grandmother and her care taker. The author also would take pages to summarize movies, epic poems, and other events to the reader which really took me out of the story. It was also very introspective and too much which lead to me being bored. The entire book takes place over about a period of 3 - 4 days with lots of flash backs and this didn't work for me in this story.
What I enjoyed. Learning about some historical moments of the Sri Lankan Civil war which is now something I want to learn more about. The look into how war affects people and future generations and the hard journey of healing after a war. The look on aging love ones affects familial relationships and the mental health of the elderly. The relationship and unlikely friendship between the grandmother and her care taker. That being said there wasn't enough of this through out the novel.
What I didn't like was the stream of consciousness writing with run on sentences and long paragraphs. As a reader with learning disabilities this made reading the novel extremely frustrating as I was continually getting lost and having to go back and read sections multiple times. I also think this novel would have been better if told from a different pov. Say maybe dual pov of the grandmother and her care taker. The author also would take pages to summarize movies, epic poems, and other events to the reader which really took me out of the story. It was also very introspective and too much which lead to me being bored. The entire book takes place over about a period of 3 - 4 days with lots of flash backs and this didn't work for me in this story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Self harm, and War
twhin's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
alexandralengquist's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I enjoyed the story especially when talking about his relationship or stories of family. It was very descriptive and sometimes very slow paced and overly "literary" for my english level and taste. Loved lagning more about the war that I didn't know a lot about before.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and War
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, Grief, and War
Moderate: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, 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: Confinement, Grief, and War
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
schmetzi's review against another edition
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, Violence, and War
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,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: Mental illness, Torture, Grief, and War