Like most readers, I tend to read in the same genre or close cousins of the same genre and rarely venture into different categories.
I like to read mystery, it's cousins suspense, and romantic suspense. But when an agent said, "You need to read this book. Yes, it is in a different genre, but the author writes in the same style/voice as yours," I ordered a copy and opened the pages of The Passage by Justin Cronin.
Rocky Mountain Photo by Mary Vee
This book is set in the United States, although the global community is included.
When a terrible virus attacks the population, children are put on a train and sent to a secluded camp built for them in the Rocky Mountains. Since we are following the children, we assume all the adults are infected with the virus. Intrigued? So was I.
A Well Written Book will draw on what reader's know: I liked Cronin's historical reference to England's sending their children to the country by train during the war to protect them from the bombings. A country's greatest asset is its children.
A Well Written Book will have takeaway for all readers: For me, reading The Passage at a time when we are facing Covid issues made the book fascinating. The inconveniences. The choices for survival. The frustrations. The unexpected blessings/joys. Character in The Passage face all of them.
Greater than seeing other's facing what we are going through is the jiggling of our thoughts away from ourselves, forcing us to notice/remember other horrible plagues in earth's history that attacked the global community, and while devastating, people survived.
A Well Written Book will have memorable lines: These are unique words clustered in such a unique way they remain in our minds long after we close the book. They cause us to stop, perhaps highlight, tell a person nearby. There were many in this book. Here is one:
"It took forever and was over in an instant."
A Well Written Book will have description so clear you could touch it: Here is one little example from The Passage:
"Beneath his feet, the carousel's wooden decking shuddered as its gears engaged; with a burp of music from speakers overhead, the carousel began to move."
So, what link did I find between Cronin's writing and mine? I love to read the classics and tend to write with this style except: I use modern forms of old words without weeding out rich words of yesteryear.
For me, description is crucial, as is a good dialogue. Read the masters:
Dickens- a master a dialogue.
Hugo- a master at description.
Austin- a master at deep emotions
Shelly- a master at beyond...our thinking, our corner of the world, our preconceived ideas
and many, many more.
...And all of these rich forms of writing are found in The Passage. A book, that had it been written back when, would have been placed on the shelves next to famous classic authors.
Had I known the genre, I wouldn't have picked up this book
....and I would have missed so much.
warning: there is some swearing in this book.
On Sale for the holidays:
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