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The book “North” by Brad Kessler is a beautifully written novel about two invisible worlds colliding.
Father Christopher is a cloistered monk living in a monastery in Vermont, far from the chaos of the world. Sahro is a Somalian refugee seeking asylum in the United States after a harrowing journey from her country through South America , Central America and Mexico.
When she learns that her asylum will likely be denied, she decides to migrate further north into Canada. A car accident near the monastery results in her showing up on Father Christopher doorstep. Upon hearing her traumatic story, Fr. Christopher must struggle with his religious duty to his cloistered community and the moral obligation to provide sanctuary for her.
There are no easy answers, but Kessler’s ability to weave between the past and the present in each of their lives really humanizes the often faceless stories of refugees and human connections that transcend manmade borders.
