From the very beginning, I was hooked. With a fascinating plot, a compelling set of characters, and a just-on-the-tip-of-your-tongue kind of painful mystery to solve (and then solve again), Passage was gripping, cerebral, and the tenderest of melancholy. Willis, once again, lends such wit and farcical tongue-in-cheek jabs that make up the reality of the mundane, every-day situations. In Passage it is directly related to the utter labyrinth hospitals can be. Impossible to navigate, with floors and elevators often not connected in a direct way to each other—in a way that makes any sense—and a cafeteria that never seems to be open, Willis takes this humor that is obviously connected to the main theme (and title) and weaves it so organically into the plot, while still maintaining her typical level of humor.

Honestly, from the moment the characters mentioned [b:The Search for Bridey Murphy|1090174|The Search for Bridey Murphy|Morey Bernstein|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347228110l/1090174._SY75_.jpg|1076969], I was elated. I grew up with the knowledge of the story of Bridey Murphy—my grandmother telling me about it—and I purchased the book a few years back (though I don't know I will ever read it). However, that book is about reincarnation and past lives....and Passage is absolutely not about that. However, that simple moment, with Bridey drawn into the plot, further underscored Willis's excellent writing and wonderful research.

Once again, Willis brings to life complex and fully-fleshed out characters, and to go on this lengthy journey with them was nothing but a privilege. The plot is complex, and through the research of Near Death Experiences (NDEs), Doctors Joanna Lander and Richard Wright, attempt to discover a scientific explanation for NDEs. A reason the body and mind react that way to almost dying. Thus perhaps providing a key into treatment for doctors attempting to revive their Code Blue patients in the future.

Part of what makes a Willis novel a Willis novel is the repetition of familiar, mundane circumstances. Here, with the overly complicated layout of a hospital, these themes feed right into the main motif of the book. Blocked passages, hallways, pathways, constant interruptions that detain or delay—everything that loops right back around to the NDEs experienced by both Joanna and her subjects. As they attempt to decode these experiences, obstacles—physical and mental—are thrown up suddenly, blocking or diverting. And it all remains natural and realistic—frustrating, in such a relatable way.

Audiobook, as narrated by [a:Dina Pearlman|4397079|Dina Pearlman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1286306363p2/4397079.jpg]: Pearlman has just absolutely the perfect voice for this. I don't know that she does anything in particular to achieve this—her voice just flat-out suits this book, the theme, the tone, and the characters so well. That's not to say she doesn't do a brilliant job voicing the different characters—because she does. The differences in their voices can be both subtle or exaggerated, and she handles both with an obvious talent. I cannot imagine anyone else narrating this audiobook.