The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel (review)

Will Everett and his father, a laborer on the developing Canadian Pacific Railroad, happen to be in just the right place at the right time to rescue the railroad developer, Mr. Van Horne, when an avalanche wipes out a section of newly laid track. As a result, Mr. Everett is promoted within the company and, a few years later, he and Will climb aboard the debut run of the Boundless, a seven-mile-long train that features accommodation ranging from luxury for the wealthy right down to the equivalent of steerage for the “colonists” venturing into Canada’s wild west. Also onboard are the remains of the now-deceased Van Horne, sealed with priceless belongings into a booby-trapped rail car, and two very different passengers—a brakeman and a circus ringmaster—who are determined to break into that car, even if it means deceiving or even murdering Will, who is in possession of a critical key. The theft tales chug forward with enough life-threatening twists to keep readers involved, but the real star is the Boundless itself, which functions as a rolling city of wonders and a clever encapsulation of classism in the mid-1800s. Several luminaries associated with the actual Canadian Pacific Railroad, as well as a few cryptids from North American lore, make guest appearances, and even The Picture of Dorian Gray gets a minor but significant nod. Will seems destined for a sequel, perhaps following his romantic interest, Maren, into her new life as a circus owner. If Oppel can make a train this wondrous, imagine what he will do with a circus.