“Thisthoughtfulautobiographicalworkbyanaward-winningAustraliannovelist“chroniclesayoungauthor’sadventuresomecomingofage(KirkusReviews,starredreview).Inthisepicyetintimateautobiographicalnovel,acclaimedAustralianauthorAlexMillerreturnstohisfictionalalteregoRobertCrofts,thesubjectofhisdebutwork,WatchingtheClimbersontheMountain.TofleehisabusivefatherintheyearsafterWorldWarII,sixteen-year-oldRobertleaveshischildhoodhomeinLondonfortheAustralianOutback.Afterasojournthere,RobertmovestocosmopolitanMelbournewherehemeetsLenaSoren,thewomanwhobecomesthetruecenterofhislife.Astheirintimacydeepens,Lenastrugglestofreeherselffromthefamilialdemandsandsocialnormsthatsuffocateher.Verymuchinlove,RobertfollowsLenatotheendoftheearthandbackagainastheirrelationshipnourishesbothhisartisticaspirationsandhereverstrongersenseofself.ThePassageofLoveisthestoryofayoungmandiscoveringhiscalling,ayoungwomanpursuingherowndestiny,andamoderncountrystrugglingtodefineitselfthroughshiftingmores.
