Home › France - 21st Century › Eastbound

Eastbound

by Maylis De Kerangal

Two journeys east on the Trans-Siberian

Regular price $16.48 USD
Regular price $27.47 USD Sale price $16.48 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

Awards & Recognition

  • Editorial selection

    Selected by The New York Times as one of the 10 best books of the year

    Selected as one of the 10 best books of the year.

AlbakiReads Editorial

Two journeys east on the Trans-Siberian

A Russian conscript and a French woman share the Trans-Siberian railway as each heads east for different reasons. The train’s long route toward Vladivostok brings their separate journeys into contact, framing the novel around flight, freedom, and the pressures of a surrounding world described as brutal. The source presents the book as both an adventure story and an exploration of two inner lives, with the railway providing the setting for their encounter.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in fiction set aboard the Trans-Siberian railway.
  • Readers who enjoy stories about intersecting journeys and quests for freedom.
  • Readers seeking contemporary French world literature in translation.

Themes

Flight and freedomIntersecting journeysLife aboard the Trans-Siberian railwayInner lives and external pressures

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

** SELECTED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES AS 1 OF THE 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR **

** INCLUDED ON THE NEW YORKER'S BEST BOOKS OF 2023 **

"At The New York Times Book Review, I think it's fair to say we were dazzled by the way the author creates . . . a miniature masterpiece of narrative tension and compression" - Emily Eakin, "The Book Review" podcast

In this gripping tale, a Russian conscript and a French woman cross paths on the Trans-Siberian railroad, each fleeing to the east for their own reasons

Perfect for fans of Maggie Shipstead's Great Circle and The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles


Eastbound is both an adventure story and a duet of two vibrant inner worlds.

In mysterious, winding sentences gorgeously translated by Jessica Moore, De Kerangal gives us the story of two unlikely souls entwined in a quest for freedom with a striking sense of tenderness, sharply contrasting the brutality of the surrounding world.

Racing toward Vladivostok, we meet the young Aliocha, packed onto a Trans-Siberian train with other Russian conscripts. Soon after boarding, he decides to desert and over a midnight smoke in a dark corridor of the train, he encounters an older French woman, H
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews