The West Passage

In this overwrought debut, visual artist Pechaček crafts a medieval fantasy with shades of Alice in Wonderland and The Tombs of Atuan. Pell is an apprentice from the Black Tower, whose wimple-wearing women attend all births and deaths in a strange, four-cornered land ruled by ancient houses. When the guardian of the West Passage dies in her sleep, Pell steals a book from her room, triggering a sudden, endless Winter. As crops fail and serfs starve, she embarks on a quest to repair her misdeed. Meanwhile, young Kew, who was the guardian’s next-in-line but was never officially appointed, sets out on a parallel quest to warn the great houses that the mythical Beast is planning a return through the unguarded passage. The narrative alternates between Kew’s and Pell’s adventures, including encounters with bizarre creatures (such as an owl schoolmaster who keeps awkwardly laying eggs) and the giant, ancient ladies of the houses whose old vendettas form fault lines in the land’s jagged history. Pechacek uses broad brushstrokes to paint a world in decay. Though he provides plenty of asides explaining the complex lore, the worldbuilding gets in the way of plot and character development, leaving the protagonists feeling thin despite some quirky Canterbury naturalism. Through all the clutter, it’s hard to connect to the story. (July)