The Passage trilogy readalong discussion

That's a good question. My only answer is that whatever agency that's organizing everything has eyes and ears everywhere.

It could also be God's work, or whatever supernatural entity is telling both Amy and Lacey what they are.

Okay, I just read through that whole part, and Lacey does call the police right after Amy's mom abandons her. The cops, however, decide she should stay at the convent over the weekend and be transferred to social services on Monday. Lacey just lies to the other nuns about it. So Amy is in the system -- that's why Wolgast runs into so much trouble trying to get her back to the base.

Yep, Lacey put her in the system...

Lacy notified local police so she was in the system that was being monitored by Richards. Things were complicated when it was learned her mother was a murder suspect.

Haha I am just rereading The Passage now (at my own pace cuz I'm a slow reader and needed a head start) and was hesitant to click into this thread because I was scared it would be a "spoiler" even though this is my second time around.

I never got to discuss this book with anyone so I'm excited for more threads like this!

Sister Lacey notifies the police, like others have stated. To mothergunn, I think you bring up something important. Is this a matter of divine intervention or government intervention or is it a simple coincidence? I think that is one of the big questions this book raises. Depending on what kind of religious or spiritual background you come from, you will view the events differently.

I think it's more than a matter of spiritual or cultural background here, Steve. The very first lines of the novel indicate that something divine is happening here. It's not a just a virus destroying humanity, it's also God intervening to save humanity.

OK, so since we're talking about Amy, just what is it about her that makes the animals in the zoo go nuts? And how come she seems to know what's coming all the time - like when she says her mother isn't coming back, and when she says she wants to stay with Lacey... and later times that I won't mention yet. There is definitely something about her that was "special" before she ever got dragged in to the whole mess.

I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of The City of Mirrors. I will not post spoilers but I just wanted to address Jill's question. The scene at the zoo between Amy and the animals is discussed further in the third book.

Thanks Julie!

Julie wrote: "I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of The City of Mirrors. I will not post spoilers but I just wanted to address Jill's question. The scene at the zoo between Amy and the animals is discussed f..."
It's official! I hate Julie! Just kidding! I am rather envious though.

mothergunn wrote: "I think it's more than a matter of spiritual or cultural background here, Steve. The very first lines of the novel indicate that something divine is happening here. It's not a just a virus destroyi..."

Let me clarify my statement. What I am talking about is whether you come from a background in which religion plays a role in shaping your beliefs or you come from a background in which religion does not play a role in shaping your beliefs, you will view this novel differently. I think the issue of the Divine in the novel is ambiguous. We have characters who have religious experiences and we have characters who rely on science and empirical evidence. Cronin stated in more than one interview that he wanted the novel not to be reliant on magic. In fact, Cronin states that he views science as the magic of our time.

Great clarification mothergunn and the Passage is a bit ambiguous on the role of the Divine but certainly as we head towards the 12 and City I have a feeling that Cronin will veer towards a spiritual solution to wrap up the novel. At least it felt headed that way in the 12.

"Science is the magic of our time."

Oooh, I like that. That's definitely the way it's viewed once we move past the turn in the story. Most of the vampires were created by science, but we all know Amy is something different and it's not just because she got the last, most evolved version of the virus. It's very clear from the very first sentence of the story that Amy is something different. So I think it's a mixture of magic and science that has created her, and *that's* what makes her different from all the other vamps.

Julie wrote: "I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of The City of Mirrors. I will not post spoilers but I just wanted to address Jill's question. The scene at the zoo between Amy and the animals is discussed f..."

Mr. Cronin said the same thing in a tweet to me months ago. I asked this very question about Amy and all he would say is "all would be revealed!" :) I love and hate the man at the same time. :P

This has been the most frustrating question I have had since the end of the 12. "Why Amy?"

I could hear Mr. Cronin say, "why not!" His daughter wanted a story where the world is saved by a girl, and he delivered. But, he is too good a wordsmith to make it just that simple. As we read "The Passage" again, I think it would be wise to build a timeline. Mr. Cronin goes back and forth in time a great deal and it is easy to miss cross overs and simultaneous plot lines.

mothergunn wrote: ""Science is the magic of our time."

Oooh, I like that. That's definitely the way it's viewed once we move past the turn in the story. Most of the vampires were created by science, but we all know ..."

The virus brings out the true nature of the victim. Remember that there was one member of the original 12 that was not guilty of a crime and Lish also has a different reaction to the vaccine that makes her a hybrid much like Amy is. I don't think it was magic nearly as much as it was what the virus brings out in the person and how far from the original strain it became. In effect, Amy was viral 13 and Lish was created from a vaccine made from Lacey's infected blood. (Lacey was chosen as a familiar and was not fully transformed into a flyer.)

Great idea!!

Carla wrote: "How did Agent Wolghast know Amy was at the convent?
The police were not notified yet. Did I miss something?"

Carla, I think you must have missed something. Amy had already been dropped off at the convent at the end of Chapter 1. At the end of C3, Wolgast gets the fax to pick her up. In C4, we are back to reading about Lacey, where this event (of Amy being dropped off) picks up where it left off. It was an ongoing event, while Wolgast was in Texas.
Does this help?
There was a suggestion from another reader to keep a timeline while you read - I wholeheartedly agree that this would be helpful!

Jill wrote: "OK, so since we're talking about Amy, just what is it about her that makes the animals in the zoo go nuts? And how come she seems to know what's coming all the time - like when she says her mother ..."
Yes, there is something special, it is like she is a prophet (?), can talk to animals (?), knows what everyone - everything is thinking and feeling? All of these? The unfolding of Amy is the unfolding of the plot and story.
Lacey understands at the moment Amy is taken from her that the end is already begun and "..in her mind's eye she saw it,..."; so does Amy communicate with her telepathically (is that how Amy talks with the animals)? Was the 'voice' in her head telling her this all along and she finally understood her purpose?
All questions we hope are answered, or small bits we as readers can decide to fill in for ourselves.