The Elsewhere Express

About the book

Embark on a magical journey in this wistful, Ghibli-esque fantasy from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Water Moon – perfect for fans of Spirited Away, Dallergut Dream Department Store and The Starless Sea.

'Wondrous and wonderful, lovely and tender, The Elsewhere Express is a lyrical feast for the imagination!' ―Sarah Beth Durst, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spellshop


Raya is a lost soul, going through the motions of life without a dream of her own.

One night, on her subway ride home, Raya’s thoughts wander too far. She wakes on the Elsewhere Express, a magical train that offers its passengers a sense of purpose, peace, and belonging. The train’s endless journey is a chance for Raya to reimagine her life – but only if she finds her compartment before time runs out.

On board, Raya meets an intriguing artist named Q and together they race to find their place on the train, through a boarding car carpeted in meadow grass and along a dining carriage where passengers picnic on lilypads.

But a mysterious stowaway has boarded with them, and with it a dark, malignant magic that threatens to destroy the train and everything in it. The closer Raya comes to uncovering the stowaway's identity, the nearer she draws to the ultimate question: what is her life's true purpose – and might Q be connected to it?

Praise for The Elsewhere Express

'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

'This book had me sobbing on the beach. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The Elsewhere Express is a gorgeous story about finding your place somewhere in between two great inevitabilities: love, and loss.'
--Sydney J. Shields, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Honey Witch

'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 a Miyazaki flair. Its musical prose, vast imagination, and exploratory storytelling will spirit you away.'
--Charlie N. Holmberg, bestselling author of the Whimbrel House series

'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