Eastbound

Eastbound is a gripping and suspenseful novel that follows two fugitives on the Trans-Siberian railway. A desperate Russian conscript hopes to find an escape with a chance encounter with a French woman, but the circumstances of his journey are marked by violence and desperation. Maylis de Kerangal's prose evokes the jazz music of the era, bringing the story to life with a sense of surreal softness.

The narrative of Eastbound expands and compresses time, upending the reader's expectations as the train pursues its inevitable course. The author combines a vibrant account of one of the world's most magical train journeys with a narrative of a double escape, depicting an unlikely alliance between a French woman trying to leave her lover and a heartbreakingly young Russian draft dodger.

With its unique rhythm and a sense of breathless speed, Eastbound is a thrilling pacey read that combines the poetic and the trivial with precision and sensuality. Maylis de Kerangal's writing has a driving force that propels the reader through the story, making it a compelling read for fans of psychological fiction and world literature.