Which is essential for the well-being of the human soul, passion or The Passion? And what if the soul in question is gay, or has taken holy orders? This ambitious novel has no hesitation in embracing - sometimes literally - philosophical and moral matters as its central character, a failed priest, embarks on a quest for redemption which takes him into the depths of depravity. If you can believe him, that is; for he makes the phrase "unreliable narrator" seem like an inept understatement. The narrative itself is as foggy as the Victorian streets it uses as a backdrop, with horrific images looming up every now and again - prostitution, plague, child abuse, Christ dying of AIDS - while the quest ended too cosily for my liking.
A.W.