Book Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

Deep in the jungles of eastern Colombia, Professor Jonas Lear has finally found what he's been searching for- and wishes to God he hadn't.
In Memphis Tennessee, a six year old girl called Amy is left at the convent of the Sisters of Mercy and wonders why her mother has abandoned her.
In a maximum security jail in Nevada, a convicted murderer called Giles Babcock has the same strange nightmare, over and over again while he waits for a lethal injection.
In a remote community in the Californian mountains, a young man called Peter waits for his beloved brother to return home so he can kill him.
Bound together in ways they cannot comprehend, for each of them a door is about to open on a future they could not have imagined. And a journey is about to begin. An epic journey that will take them through a world transformed by man's darkest dreams, to the very heart of what it means to be human.
And beyond. 

You cannot escape the fact that The Passage is huge, at 766 pages, it's only in hardback at the moment too which makes it feel even bigger. I loved the cover of this book but I have to say that it wasn't a book that you could just pop into your bag and it was far too heavy for bath reading.
I did enjoy it though and I can see what most of the hype is about. I had already ordered the book when I learned about the vampire element of it; it wouldn't have put me off as I am quite partial to the odd vampire but it may have stopped others from reading it. Justin Cronin's vampires are not the traditional sort, there's no swirling capes or changing into bats. However, the vampires in The Passage are terrifying creations able to tear a human up in seconds without any control over their desire to do so.
The Passage is a page turner but I will admit that I found the first part of the book far more gripping than the second. Cronin introduces the characters and sets up the events in the first part, the subsequent parts of the book have a very different feel to them and there were some parts that felt like a bit of a chore to get through.
If you like a good paced thriller then you will very much enjoy The Passage. Justin Cronin has written a very clever and powerful book which looks at the many aspects of human nature. Juts prepare yourself for the long haul and no reading in the bath, it's worth it though!