The Narrow Road to the Deep NorthThe Narrow Road to the Deep North
Score Modern
What it's about
Dorrigo Evans is an Australian army surgeon held in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during the Second World War, trying to keep his men alive as they are worked to death building the Thai-Burma railway. Before the war, he had an affair with a young woman who was his uncle's wife, and she haunts him. After the war, he is hailed as a hero, and doesn't feel like one.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Booker Prize. Flanagan's father survived the railway, and the novel is both brutal and full of love.
You'll love it if you liked
Question 7
The English Patient
The Gift of RainGood to know
The camp chapters include graphic suffering, beatings and death. It moves between times, and Japanese guards are also given their own stories.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz2 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #93 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #422 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #813 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking, Dark
More by Richard Flanagan
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Quick answers
Is The Narrow Road to the Deep North worth reading?
Yes. It won the Booker Prize. It ranks #813 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Narrow Road to the Deep North about?
Dorrigo Evans is an Australian army surgeon held in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during the Second World War, trying to keep his men alive as they are worked to death building the Thai-Burma railway. Before the war, he had an affair with a young woman who was his uncle's wife, and she haunts him. After the war, he is hailed as a hero, and doesn't feel like one.
How long does it take to read The Narrow Road to the Deep North?
About 12 hours (465 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Narrow Road to the Deep North won?
Booker Prize winner (2014).
What should I read after The Narrow Road to the Deep North?
If you liked it, try Question 7 by Richard Flanagan, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje or The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng.