Train to Samarkand

Brief Overview

The novel "Train to Samarkand" by Guzel Yakhina tells the story of a train journey with orphaned children across famine-stricken and war-torn Russia in 1923. The main characters, Commissar Deev and Doctor Belaya, accompany the train carrying children from the Volga region to Samarkand, hoping to save them from starvation and death. Along the way, they face numerous challenges, including bandit attacks, diseases, and food shortages. The story highlights the resilience of the human spirit, compassion, and the drive to survive under the harshest conditions.