Crossings is a debut novel of epic proportions, combining three manuscripts--"The Education of a Monster," "City of Ghosts" and "Tales of the Albatross"--into a single narrative. The inventive book may be read traditionally from cover to cover and also as a mock choose-your-own-adventure where pages and chapters and scenes flip back and forth.
Two souls travel throughout seven lifetimes over the course of 150 years, from the early 1800s to World War II. These souls are able to bring past memories and knowledge into their present iteration and, by crossing into new hosts, could potentially live forever. Only one of the souls, however, is operating at full capacity, while the other is troubled and often needs guidance to complete the transfer. These two lovers cross genders, ages and abilities from host to host, their fates entwining at some point during each of their life stories.
When read from cover to cover, one narrative arc appears; when read by following the suggested page numbers, jumping from section to section, a different narrative arc appears. It is wholly up to readers to decide which journey they will undertake first.
Combining elements of Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife with David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, Alex Landragin has created something entirely original. Each new host body crossed into by the original soul provides its own compelling narrative, requiring an investment of time and attention to the tale, as the mysterious journey of these two souls unravels across time and space. --BrocheAroe Fabian, owner, River Dog Book Co.,