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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Rating: Enjoyed It, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4
This was a very well-written debut. The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands is a historical fantasy, mystery novel. It is set on a train that runs between Bejing & Moscow, running through the Wastelands. The Wastelands are a mysterious stretch of land that has some magical and horrific elements. The train is a wonder that protects the passengers, but what happens if they aren't as protected as they initially thought?
We follow multiple different passengers on the train as well as some of the employees of the train. There is a mysterious stowaway, a girl trying to avenge the death of her father, and a disgraced naturalist trying to make a name for himself again, to name a few. I felt like each POV had a distinct voice, which was really lovely to see in a debut. There are some gothic horror elements as well as some mystery-esque elements as we figure out what is truly going on with the train and the company that owns it.
I thought that the wastelands was really interesting and I enjoyed learning more about it. Overall, I feel like the characters were well crafted and the plot moved along at a good clip, keeping me engaged throughout. I don't know that I really latched onto any one element, but I was excited to see how it ended. It's not my typical read, but I did enjoy it. It doesn't hit the same way epic fantasy does, so it's not going to be a favorite, but I am glad I read it., and the audiobook narration was very well done.
Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an audio review copy. The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands releases on June 18, 2024.
This was a very well-written debut. The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands is a historical fantasy, mystery novel. It is set on a train that runs between Bejing & Moscow, running through the Wastelands. The Wastelands are a mysterious stretch of land that has some magical and horrific elements. The train is a wonder that protects the passengers, but what happens if they aren't as protected as they initially thought?
We follow multiple different passengers on the train as well as some of the employees of the train. There is a mysterious stowaway, a girl trying to avenge the death of her father, and a disgraced naturalist trying to make a name for himself again, to name a few. I felt like each POV had a distinct voice, which was really lovely to see in a debut. There are some gothic horror elements as well as some mystery-esque elements as we figure out what is truly going on with the train and the company that owns it.
I thought that the wastelands was really interesting and I enjoyed learning more about it. Overall, I feel like the characters were well crafted and the plot moved along at a good clip, keeping me engaged throughout. I don't know that I really latched onto any one element, but I was excited to see how it ended. It's not my typical read, but I did enjoy it. It doesn't hit the same way epic fantasy does, so it's not going to be a favorite, but I am glad I read it., and the audiobook narration was very well done.
Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an audio review copy. The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands releases on June 18, 2024.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This reads like Annihilation meets Titanic, but somewhat less engaging. Good plot, great atmosphere, characters were just okay.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Started out really promising with an incredibly cool concept but started to lose me about halfway through.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Atmospheric, delightful. Full of connection and change. The Trans-Siberian Railway has long inspired literary homages, and this is the latest in that long tradition, but it's so much more than that. Similar world building style to Piranesi, they're not the same in many respects, but the numinous quality of the Wastelands strongly reminds me of the House.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes