I have decided that Latter-day Saints are intrigued by the concept of time travel. This is the third or fourth book I've read in the past few years on this same theme -- going back in time, generally to the era of the early Saints, experiencing the trials and tribulations of the pioneers.

The Passageway, however, adds a new twist. (And in this review, I will be disclosing much of the storyline, so if you intend to read it, I'd suggest skipping the rest.) The book opens by introducing Katherine ("Kallie") Garrett, working as researcher for an academic researching the Utah War. Garrett, a history graduate of BYU, is a lackluster Mormon. She has little interest in her church or in its history. When she discovers that her boss is preparing an anti-Mormon tract, this bothers her a little, but not enough to make a fuss.

During her lunch break one day, she takes a stroll through the graveyard where Brigham Young is buried and falls asleep. When she wakes up, she finds herself in the same graveyard, but more than 100 years ago, on the very day Brigham Young was buried! Her clothing has changed, everything has changed. And here's the twist -- even her last name has changed. She's now Katherine Walker. And there is a Walker family attending the funeral, and they have a daughter named Katherine, who is a dead ringer for Katherine Garrett. No one suspects she isn't the real Katherine Walker, and she finds herself sucked into the life of the family, unable to convince anyone that she really hasn't even been born yet!

For the next few weeks, Katherine must adjust to a completely new lifestyle. The transition from typing notes on a computer to churning butter is not an easy one, as you may guess. The more she protests that she's not their daughter, the more they suspect she's just gone round the bend.

But Katherine's experience in 1870's Salt Lake City (with a few weeks in old Provo thrown in) change her perspective entirely. While she entered this period as a lukewarm Mormon, she emerges as a fully committed proclaimer of the Gospel. Her life transformation is remarkable.

The author succeeds on an important level -- her characters are well-conceived and vividly presented. Reading as much fiction as I do, I'm always interested in how well I can visualize the characters. Can I imagine how they looked, how they talked? Mouritsen does a fine job in developing unique and believable players.

She also succeeds nicely in evoking the times with realistic descriptions of the life and times of the Utah pioneers. Her reconstruction of what is now the Temple Square area is very nicely done, richly detailed and wonderfully presented.

I did, however, find the book to be a bit preachy. While The Passageway might be seen as a morality tale, it didn't need to be so moralistic. An example: while in Provo, Katherine meets and falls in love with a young man named Caleb, a practicing Latter day saint who seems to half-believe Katherine's story. She had told him about her friend Terri, who she wished Caleb could meet:

     Caleb put his arm around me, and pulled me close to his side. We walked in silence for a few moments. Then he asked, "And Terri? Tell me about your friend, Terri."
     "You'd like Terri. Not only is she beautiful, she's vivacious, charming, and fun-loving." I frowned suddenly, thinking of some of the activities in which Terri and I had participated. Activities I knew Caleb would never have taken part in. I flushed with embarrassment. How could I have been so stupid as to disregard the teachings of my parents and the Church? I could see clearly now that I had been rushing headlong down a path which could only lead to disappointment and remorse. (171)

There are many more instances, most sounding a bit like an ongoing testimony of the Gospel. Not a bad thing, of course, but perhaps unnecessary in the context of a novel.

Mouritsen also engaged in an odd literary telegraphing of the plotline, often placing Katherine in the positiion of appearing to be a bit dense. For example, prior to leaving Salt Lake for Provo, one the family members mentions bringing shears. In Salt Lake, the Walkers ran a cattle and livestock ranch. So why would they need shears in Provo? Poor Katherine couldn't figure it out. I must be really smart -- I figured out they had sheep in Provo. But Katherine -- well, she had to be assaulted by the strong odor of sheep before finally working it all out. Having been presented as an intelligent, educated young woman, this lapse seemed a bit odd.

I think older children, particularly young women, will enjoy this book. It is no doubt out of print by now -- my copy came through Deseret Industries. I don't know if Mouritsen has continued her writing. The Passageway left a few loose ends which, taken together, would make a nice second volume.

-- 
Jeffrey Needle
E-mail: jeff.needle@general.com