A review by pzdrnk
Kala by Colin Walsh

3.5

Kala blends literary fiction with elements of a thriller, and I found it most captivating when it embraced its literary side. The novel shifts between two timelines, which can sometimes feel disorienting, and with a large cast of characters, it takes some effort to keep track of everyone.

The childhood timeline, in particular, stood out for me—there was something deeply engaging about discovering the characters during their formative years. I found myself far more invested in that period of their lives than the later, thriller-driven sections.

While there’s a lot to appreciate about the book, I did find the pacing uneven, particularly as the story hurtled toward its conclusion. For someone who isn’t particularly drawn to thrillers, the last third felt less compelling, but it doesn’t detract from the overall complexity and depth of the narrative. There’s much to enjoy here, even if it doesn’t fully hit the mark for every reader.