Hanna Lund reviews East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home

Hanna Lund recently shared her thoughts on East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home:

"One of the many dreams that I have is to ride the rails of the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia. This dream has occupied my mind and plagued my spirit ever since I was a young girl and when I first read the words of Boris Pasternak. There is something so enigmatic about Russia. Of course its size is colossal taking up so much of planet Earth but equally so is Russia's blood stained history and most of all is its glorious literature on which so many stories, imagined and real became a part of life of this great culture.

I don't know when I will be able to fulfill this dream of mine with this ongoing conflict but I hope one day to follow the same path that Christianson made from East to West, from Vladivostok all the way on land to Moscow. When I was reading his story and experiencing his narrative of D I felt that I was on those trains and gazing out at the natural and changing landscapes. I can only imagine what it feels like to stand on the shores of Lake Baikal and look upon something that has lived for millions of years.

The story of D&N is a very mysterious one. I don't know if it was a real love story but even if it is only a fictional love story it is filled with passion, longing and ultimately the death of the love that once promised so much. I am convinced that no story set in or about Russia is a bad one. Russia fills the writer with so much energy that leads to the creation of such beautiful and poignant words. I didn't want the end of this novel to come. Instead, I wanted to go back to the beginning at Vladivostok station and begin this story all over again on this wonderful journey across Russia."

Reading Hanna Lund’s review is both deeply touching and immensely gratifying. One of my hopes for East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home was to transport readers across the vast landscapes, histories, and emotions that make Russia such a fascinating and unforgettable setting. Knowing that Hanna felt as though she were travelling alongside D, looking out from the train windows and experiencing the changing scenery, means a great deal to me.

I am especially moved by her reflections on the enduring allure of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the influence of Russian literature. The journey from Vladivostok to Moscow is not merely a geographical one but also a voyage through memory, longing, and self-discovery. To hear that the novel captured some of that wonder and mystery is incredibly rewarding.

Her thoughts on D and N are particularly meaningful. Their story was intentionally written to remain open to interpretation, existing somewhere between memory, reality, and imagination. Whether readers see their relationship as a true love story, a symbol of loss, or something more elusive, I am delighted that it continues to inspire reflection and emotional engagement. I am sincerely grateful to Hanna for her thoughtful and beautifully expressed review, and honoured that East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home inspired a desire to return once more to Vladivostok and begin the journey all over again.

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