Categories
Books

Passage by Connie Willis

Passage was an interesting medical research novel, a little outside of my normal reading. The book was from the point of view of Joanna Lander, a research psychologist, who soon partners with Dr. Wright to research near death experiences (NDEs).

This was the second book focusing on death in a row (right after Kress’s Steal Across the Sky). It was well written and didn’t suffer from the comparison at all– just a strange coincidence.

The investigation was interesting. Moving from observer to the participant made the experience different– just having the author describe the experience instead of transcribing other people’s experiences made it much more direct. I was right beside Joanna as she went deeper and deeper, trying to figure out what was going on– why the symbolism stuck, and figuring out what NDEs were for. A great novel, one I look forward to rereading in a few years.