Described as a steampunk, dystopian fiction that feels like Piranesi, meets Babel meets Murder on the Orient Express, I knew I needed to read this book as soon as I heard about it and it sat high on my anticipated books list. I love a hybrid genre read and with this you have historical fiction, magical realism/fantasy, and horror touches. And overall I am really glad I read it but it didn't quite hit the heights for me as I hoped.

There is no denying this is a beautifully written debut. The words used, the sentence structures, the growing sense of unease and dread, the slow and languid build up - all gorgeous. But unfortunately, for several sections of the book, it was also a bit dull.

The story focuses on the passengers and crew aboard the great Trans-Siberian Express at the end of the 19th Century, on the first crossing since an unfortunate incident occurred a short while before. The journey is risky and filled with danger as they cross The Wastelands, a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow and one which seems to be changing rapidly which the train seems unable to cope with.

We follow several characters as they hope to survive the journey and uncover the secrets and stories of the train, the crossing and the land beyond.

Overall, such a wonderful premise but a few things just didn't quite land for me. Some of the characters felt underdeveloped, especially the male academic types, and the main thing was that I wanted more about the Wastelands. I didn't feel like I could picture fully what it was. We had the perspective of the character's but not enough widely from a world building perspective outside of the train.

I really liked the first and final quarters of the book, and even though I hadn't fully connected with the characters I felt really satisfied as a reader by how it closed and the potential for what could come in the future.

I feel that understanding now the pacing - the slower character focus instead of faster paced action, will help in the future with a re-read. There's so much potential here based on the writing skill alone. I really do appreciate a beautifully written book and that is what has stood out most to me along with the premise. I love a journey and I love a found family which I feel like there's the making of with the story and I think that this is a book that will grow on me and I'll want to come back to again and I think a second reading will be all the richer knowing what I know now. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group | W&N for a digital review copy of "The Cautious Traveller's Guide to The Wastelands" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.