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A review by rorikae
The Cautious Traveller's Guide To the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks
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
5.0
'The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands' by Sarah Brooks is an enchanting fantasy novel set aboard a train traveling through a mysterious wasteland.
The story follows a number of different passengers and crew aboard the Trans-Siberian Express, a train that travels across the wastelands between Beijing and Moscow. During the last crossing, something happened but the crew and passengers lost their memories. After a devastating loss, a young woman travels on the train to seek answers about her father. A crew member who was born on the train meets a mysterious stranger. A professor seeks one last journey across the wastelands. A scientist seeks to learn more about what the wastelands really is. All of these stories come together across one crossing that will change both the passenger's lives and the train for good.
This story was a delight. Brooks sets up an interesting mystery throughout the story about what happened on the previous journey but the real heart of this story is the characters. I came to care for them quickly and I was invested in their growth. The train itself is its own character as is the wastelands itself. Brooks writing paints a picture of both the interior of the train and the exterior life of the wastelands. I found the ending enchanting. I will definitely be picking up future books by this author as I found she did a wonderful job of mixing worldbuilding, character growth, and a dash of fantasy.
The story follows a number of different passengers and crew aboard the Trans-Siberian Express, a train that travels across the wastelands between Beijing and Moscow. During the last crossing, something happened but the crew and passengers lost their memories. After a devastating loss, a young woman travels on the train to seek answers about her father. A crew member who was born on the train meets a mysterious stranger. A professor seeks one last journey across the wastelands. A scientist seeks to learn more about what the wastelands really is. All of these stories come together across one crossing that will change both the passenger's lives and the train for good.
This story was a delight. Brooks sets up an interesting mystery throughout the story about what happened on the previous journey but the real heart of this story is the characters. I came to care for them quickly and I was invested in their growth. The train itself is its own character as is the wastelands itself. Brooks writing paints a picture of both the interior of the train and the exterior life of the wastelands. I found the ending enchanting. I will definitely be picking up future books by this author as I found she did a wonderful job of mixing worldbuilding, character growth, and a dash of fantasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, Death of parent