The Elsewhere Express - Large Print by Samantha Sotto Yambao (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A delicately layered dream of a book that glimmers with the promise of hope after grief, The Elsewhere Express will carry you to the stars."--Molly O'Neill, author of Greenteeth

You can't buy a ticket for the Elsewhere Express. Appearing only to those whose lives are adrift, it's a magical train carrying very rare and special cargo: a sense of purpose, peace, and belonging.

Raya is one of those lost souls. She had dreamed of being a songwriter, but when her brother died, she gave up on her dream and started living his instead.

One day on the subway, as her thoughts wander, she's swept off to the Elsewhere Express. There she meets Q, a charming, handsome artist who, like her, has lost his place in the world.

Together they find a train full of wonders, from a boarding car that's also a meadow to a dining car where passengers can picnic on lily pads to a bar where jellyfish and whales swim through pink clouds.

But they also discover that the train harbors secrets--and danger: A mysterious stranger has stowed away and brought with him a dark, malignant magic that threatens to destroy the train.

But in investigating the stowaway's identity, Raya also finds herself drawing closer to the ultimate question: What is her life's true purpose--and might Q be connected to it?

Review Quotes

"The Elsewhere Express reads like a Ghibli movie. I loved following these deeply hurt, broken, and lost characters on this Alice-in-Wonderland-esque adventure with Miyazaki flair. Its musical prose, vast imagination, and exploratory storytelling will spirit you away."--Charlie N. Holmberg, bestselling author of the Whimbrel House series

"A delicately layered dream of a book that glimmers with the promise of hope after grief, The Elsewhere Express will carry you to the stars."--Molly O'Neill, author of Greenteeth

"With its poetic, descriptive prose, The Elsewhere Express takes the reader on a magical ride exploring loneliness, life's purpose, and ultimately human connection through a playful, surreal tale. Without question, the book will delight fantasy enthusiasts as they nestle into this perfect escape, a story that whisks them from the mundane and into an imaginative wonderland they might not want to leave."--J. Penner, author of A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic

"The Elsewhere Express is nothing short of exquisite. Luminous and soulful, it will enchant you with its dreamy, whimsical charm even while it carries you through an exploration of such profound subjects as loss and the purpose of life. I am dazzled by Samantha Sotto Yambao's extraordinarily beautiful imagination."--India Holton, author of The League of Gentlewomen Witches

About the Author