A PASSAGE NORTH

Neil Shah creates a dreamy style for his narration of this nonlinear novel centered on Krishna, a young man heading home for a funeral. Most of his journey is spent on a train in Sri Lanka, during which he remembers his past, which was intertwined with the nation's bloody civil war. Shah treats these heavy topics with the reverence they need, conveying Krishna's unsettled emotional state. The train ride is a metaphorical trip into explorations of loss, regret, and violence that fans of literary fiction will appreciate. Shah's thoughtful, gentle presentation captures the themes of the story. M.R. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2021]