Eastbound

The writing is elegant, and the plot is very compelling. The author has created a desperate and tense atmosphere in a single train ride, with an evocative and strange ambience that makes the book feel like historical fiction. I like how the author has drawn a parallel between Hélène and Aliocha's situations, showing how their language and social barriers didn't become too much of a hindrance to escaping their fate, and how their power dynamic becomes shaky and unstable, even though it initially felt like Hélène had the upper hand.
4/5

Lyrical and sweeping description of Russian landscape and powerful characterization of two dissimilar individuals in exile with little dialogue.