"Three lifetimes one soul, explore what happens across the parallel. "
Focusing on the themes of reincarnation through the Taoism belief in the cycle of death and rebirth, ‘Across The Parallel’ by H. O. Ward follows three connected lives across history. We meet George, the skipper of a Lancaster bomber in the second world war, young Jiang, a nine year old boy chosen to study and live with the Toaist monks in 515 BC, and William, a nobleman who become ensnared in the scaremongering of witchcraft accusations in 1645.
I liked that the author used certain actions or behaviors to link the characters and demonstrate that the same soul is journeying through each of these lives and I found the transitions between each of the sections, with the sections in a different font acting as a brief pause in the storylines, smooth and easy to read. I would have liked to see more of a connection between each time frame in terms of plot. For me, reading fiction for entertainment purposes, I expected some sort of progress in each one, an ascension to a more spiritual place each time or maybe an improvement in moral standing with each life cycle. However, the book has inspired me to learn more about Taoism.
In all, ‘Across the Parallel’ is an interesting and thought-provoking read. Each section is well-written and all of the characters are engaging.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
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