‘The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands’ by Sarah Brooks takes the reader back to 1899 on board the Great Trans-Siberian Express on its journey from Beijing to Moscow, traversing the menacing yet intriguing Wastelands. We are given the layout of the great luxury train in diagrammatic form, an effective tool helping to immerse the reader in the story.
On embarkment, we meet the main characters – Marya Petrova Markova, dressed in mourning and using a false name, whose father had been blamed for events on the previous fateful journey; Zhang Weiwei, born and brought up on the train and now 16 years old; Dr Henry Gray, an expert on the natural world with a plan to explore the Wastelands to collect specimens. All the female characters are strong and resourceful, including the Captain who had to pretend to be male to work her way up to her elevated position in charge. In the background is the strong arm of the Trans-Siberian train company represented by Li Huangjin and Leonid Petrov, known as ‘The Crows’, ever watchful and controlling.
From the very beginning an air of mystery shrouds the train and its travellers, many of whom harbour deep secrets. Weiwei discovers a surprise stowaway on board – the ghost-like Elena with whom she shares a sisterly friendship. The Wastelands is painted as a terrain of terrible miracles, not safe for mankind and, throughout the trip, one unanswered question hangs in the air – what happened on the last journey?
The reader constantly feels as if they are on the train, like a fly on the wall, listening to the conversations between characters. There are sub-plots and drama, together with tension and intrigue. Themes abound – corporate greed v science, wonder and horror v nature, adventure and freedom v control. It all culminates with the slightly unexpected and satisfying ending of the Great Exhibition and continued travel for those who wish to stay on the ride.
Many of the group members thoroughly enjoyed this exhilarating journey with its pacy writing and imaginative settings. A few of us found the mixture of fantasy, fiction and horror a combination that didn’t quite gel; excitement was sometimes built up, but didn’t always live up to expectations. However, for a first novel, this ‘steampunk mystery’ highlighted Sarah Brooks’ ability to tell a fascinating story and draw the reader into another world.
Louise Elsome
‘Bookworms’ Group Coordinator