Eastbound

Maylis de Kerangal has been one of my favorites ever since I stumbled upon Painting Time (still my favorite of her work). This novella follows two fugitives on the Trans-Siberian Railway: twenty-year-old Aliocha is desperate to get out of Russian military service but all of his attempts have failed; Hélène is a French woman who also wants to flee Siberia. Together they’ll attempt to escape despite language barriers and the ever-present danger of being caught. Translated from the French by Jessica Moore.