Member Review

There aren't very many 'new' ways to write a book. But somehow Alex Landragin has discovered a fresh and inventive way to tell a story. "Crossings" can be read traditionally from front to back, but it can also be read in what is called the "Baroness Sequence," where the reader skips around to different chapters as instructed in the preface. I decided to stick with the traditional format but went back after I was done reading to see how the alternate version would have worked. I have to say I was super impressed by this idea!

It's difficult to sum up "Crossings" because it holds so many different storylines and characters. But the theme throughout is a character's ability to cross over into a new body whenever they wish (taking over the new identity in the process). This concept reminded me a lot of Sarah Pinborough's "Behind Her Eyes." However, this story is told from a more historical perspective, spanning hundreds of years so it had a much different vibe to it. The beginning of the novel felt a little hard for me to connect with, but the third section, "Tales of the Albatross," is where I really felt excited to keep reading. This part of the story had a clear protagonist and villain and lots of loose ends were tied up so that the previous chapters made more sense. The writing can feel a tad dense at times in the beginning, but I encourage readers to stick with it in order to see the whole plot pay off in the end. I will be looking forward to seeing what Landragin comes up with next!