When it comes to the media — fiction, film, and the slew of merchandise that has followed — it all seems to have a trend: vampires. However, “The Passage” by Justin Cronin greatly transitions from those overly sensitive vampires who glisten like disco balls circa 1974. “The Passage” is a testament that horror still exists through the vivid imagery of the monsters that still manage to infect our dreams.
When people think of the apocalypse, there are some with their own idea about will happen: a great wave, asteroid, wrath, or perhaps those select few who silently hope for a war of the living against the living-dead. Whatever your cup of tea, Cronin, with his well-written and highly imaginative novel about journeys, demonstrates the fight for humanity against a soon-to-be bloodsucking majority.
The story begins with and focuses on Amy Harper Bellafonte, a little Midwestern girl who readers see grow and progress through the constant warfare and changing society — or lack thereof. Amy’s mother, a prostitute who can no longer care for her well-being, leaves Amy at a convent. At the convent, Sister Lacey begins to believe that Amy is a gift from God sent to save the world. Indeed, Amy proves to be one of the most interesting and pivotal characters throughout the book.
Meanwhile, Cronin takes readers to the not-so-distant future when a government experiment goes horrible awry when a selection of convicts are chosen for a task that seems shrouded in mystery. Professor Jonas Lear, under the direction of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, schematically infects the criminals with a bat virus. The vampires, also known as the “virals,” are somewhat of the textbook version: They come out at night and feed on the living. But these monsters are stronger than ever, and their adaptive skills only reinforce their immortality.
However, it is important to note that time moves quickly throughout the book, as readers see time skip forward from a few years to hundreds of years. The plot is not difficult to follow, but instead of focusing on very few characters, Cronin shows a whole society of people and monsters.
While some themes in the book mirror our current society — war, bloodshed and religious conflict — Cronin demonstrates what happens when humans become the minority. Additionally, while the plot structure evokes Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road,” the novel deviates completely in the way characters come and go throughout the plot. For many of the characters, readers see the evolution of time and journeys, whereas “The Road” only shows a glimpse of particular individuals.
At nearly 800 pages, “The Passage” is a rather heavy book, both in terms of weight and thematic elements. It is not until the end that readers take notice of the postscript — a journal entry from Sara Fisher signaling that the story is not yet finished. As part one to a trilogy, readers can expect two more riveting, post-apocalyptic reads in upcoming years.
Rating: W W W W 1/2
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