The West Passage

I’ve discovered some incredible books and authors through Netgalley but I had no idea when I requested an ALC of The West Passage, a dark fantasy novel with a somewhat cryptic blurb, from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio that I’d found The One, but I have. I’ve found my favorite book of all time.

In The West Passage, we follow Kew and Pell on their individual journeys as they do what they feel is necessary to save their home from a terrible beast. But the story isn’t just about Kew and Pell, it’s about the massive sprawling palace grounds in which they live and travel through, a world with deep lore and rich history, some of which is too long-forgotten by its inhabitants. While on their journeys through this dangerous world, Kew and Pell meet plenty of interesting and quirky characters, and though the book is pretty dark, it reminded me a lot of both Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth. I got whimsical vibes and felt sort of nostalgic for those stories when listening to this one.

I was constantly impressed by Jared Pechaček’s immersive world building, beautifully descriptive writing, and immense creativity. His writing made me feel like he has actually been there and is simply describing everything for us, like he’s a historian of the palace. As if it didn’t come from his mind and it exists somewhere and he’s just telling us about it. Pechaček has written a textbook, and I listened to the audio but now I want a copy to highlight, make flashcards to study, memorize and learn the entirely too interesting history of this world as if it’s a real place.

I took my time listening to The West Passage on audiobook over the last week because there has never been a book I’ve wanted to savor more fully than this one. When I listen to audiobook, I always do other things, but I just sat and listened this time. I had to and wanted to focus on The West Passage because I felt like I was participating in this book, this event, and I didn’t want to participate in anything else. Though I did start out feeling as if the physical or ebook version might be a better choice, Steve West’s narration made me feel like I was a child being read a bit of a grand fantasy before bed, and I loved it. There are many, many characters in this story and West was able to change his voice wonderfully for each one. I especially liked the voices he did in a scene where there were 8 different frogs. If I can tell 8 frogs apart, that’s a damn good narrator.

If you cannot tell, I am absolutely obsessed with this book. It’s my Holy Grail. It’s my precious. Want to be sucked into a world that feels as though it will continue to live and breathe even after you turn the last page? This is the one.