Reviews
This book was not at all what I expected. It begins as a typical first-person drama, but soon morphs into a combination of end-of-life philosophy, creeping horror, and paranormal sci-fi without ever bowing to the urge to use romance as a crutch. By the climax, I was staying up later than I should to read on and find out what happened, and the ending was even better than I expected. Bravo, Ms. Willis.
What an amazing book! As a huge Connie Willis fan, I had been wanting to read Passage for a long time and it didn’t disappoint. Willis manages to surprise the reader with every book she writes as she explores diverse styles and subject matters. She also has a talent for finding the comedic potential of the least likely situations. I don’t want to go into a detailed review of Passage so has not to give spoilers about what happens in the book. Suffice it to say that Willis’ exploration of Near Death Experiences (NDEs) is complex, profound, amusing, full of surprises, shocking and riveting, all at the same time. It’s true that this book stays and resonates with you long after you finish reading it. Well it did with me anyway! The only reason why I didn’t give Passage five stars is that the pace of the book slows down quite a bit near the middle, mostly because of the repeated comic incidents involving the hospital’s maze of stairways and corridors. I’m glad this didn’t stop me from reading for the best was yet to come. This is definitely the best book I've read so far this year and I highly recommend it!
