The Boundless, a five-mile long train (and also Kenneth Oppel's latest, wonderful book), is about to cross Canada at the end of the 19th century. Will Everett, a teenager who feels like his shyness is a disappointment to his father, the manager of the Boundless, boards the train for her maiden voyage. On it he finds Maren, his old friend, travelling with the circus car; a sasquatch with revenge on his mind; a murderer; a hag; and just about every manner of human being. Will is displaced from his father in first class, and spends the rest of the book trying to find his way back with criminals at his heels. The journey west is delightfully studded with surprises, and Oppel cleverly has the circus performers use their skills to solve problems and make getaways. Important sub-narratives on class, the Metis uprising, and immigration keep the abracadabra moments grounded.