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The Last of Earth
Not yet published
Expected 13 Jan 26From the award-winning author of Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line comes a stunning historical novel set in nineteenth-century Tibet that follows two outsiders—an Indian schoolteacher spying for the British Empire and an English “lady” explorer—as they venture into a forbidden kingdom.
1869. Tibet is closed to Europeans, an infuriating obstruction for the rap¬idly expanding British Empire. In response, Britain begins training Indians—permitted to cross borders that white men may not—to undertake illicit, dangerous surveying expeditions into Tibet.
Balram is one such surveyor-spy, an Indian schoolteacher who, for several years, has worked for the British, often alongside his dearest friend, Gyan. But Gyan went missing on his last expedition and is rumored to be imprisoned within Tibet. Desperate to rescue his friend, Balram agrees to guide an English captain on a foolhardy mission: After years of paying others to do the exploring, the captain, disguised as a monk, wants to personally chart a river that runs through southern Tibet. Their path will cross fatefully with that of another Westerner in disguise, fifty-year-old Katherine. Denied a fellowship in the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, she intends to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa.
As Balram and Katherine make their way into Tibet, they will face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. What’s more, they will have to battle their own doubts, ambitions, grief, and pasts in order to survive the treacherous landscape.
A polyphonic novel about the various ways humans try to leave a mark on the world—from the enduring nature of family and friendship to the egomania and obsessions of the colonial enterprise—The Last of Earth confirms Deepa Anappara as one of our greatest and most ambitious storytellers.
1869. Tibet is closed to Europeans, an infuriating obstruction for the rap¬idly expanding British Empire. In response, Britain begins training Indians—permitted to cross borders that white men may not—to undertake illicit, dangerous surveying expeditions into Tibet.
Balram is one such surveyor-spy, an Indian schoolteacher who, for several years, has worked for the British, often alongside his dearest friend, Gyan. But Gyan went missing on his last expedition and is rumored to be imprisoned within Tibet. Desperate to rescue his friend, Balram agrees to guide an English captain on a foolhardy mission: After years of paying others to do the exploring, the captain, disguised as a monk, wants to personally chart a river that runs through southern Tibet. Their path will cross fatefully with that of another Westerner in disguise, fifty-year-old Katherine. Denied a fellowship in the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, she intends to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa.
As Balram and Katherine make their way into Tibet, they will face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. What’s more, they will have to battle their own doubts, ambitions, grief, and pasts in order to survive the treacherous landscape.
A polyphonic novel about the various ways humans try to leave a mark on the world—from the enduring nature of family and friendship to the egomania and obsessions of the colonial enterprise—The Last of Earth confirms Deepa Anappara as one of our greatest and most ambitious storytellers.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 13, 2026
9 people are currently reading
11226 people want to read
About the author
Deepa Anappara
4 books290 followers Deepa Anappara was born in Kerala, southern India, and worked as a journalist in India for eleven years. Her reports on the impact of poverty and religious violence on the education of children won the Developing Asia Journalism Awards, the Every Human has Rights Media Awards, and the Sanskriti-Prabha Dutt Fellowship in Journalism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 13, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up for a slow moving, but informative, historical fiction book. It is set in 1869 Tibet, at that time independent from China. Both Britain and Russia are eager to explore Tibet, in what the British call "The Great Game." However, Tibetans know what happened to India and Bhutan, once the British took over. Therefore, Tibet is closed to all Europeans.
To get around this prohibition, the British trained Indians to do their surveying for them, and sent them into Tibet. While the characters in this book are fictional, Britain did actually train Indians to do survey work, and there are records of their Tibetan surveys.
There are five main characters in this book:
An English surveyor, disguised as an Indian, identified as the Captain
Balram, a trained Indian surveyor, accompanying the Captain
Katherine, an Englishwoman, determined to explore Tibet as an adventure. While she considers herself English, she is actually a mixed race person, with an English father and an Indian mother, born out of wedlock. Despite her mixed race heritage, she looks down on native Indians. Katherine was denied a fellowship in the all male Royal Geographical Society and wants to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa, capital of Tibet.
Mani, an Indian servant and guide, that Katherine has hired to accompany her.
A man who calls himself Chetak, and goes back and forth between the two separate parties.
Balram has a hidden goal: to free Guyan, a surveyor friend who has been imprisoned by the Tibetans when they discovered that he was surveying their land.
The author cites sources of books by Indian trained surveyors and of English woman explorers who actually explored Tibet during this period.
One quote: "For Hindus and Buddhists and Jains and those who practiced the Bon religion, Tibet was as holy as Jerusalem; on the peaks of Tibetan mountains resided gods and, in the waters of its lakes and rivers, absolution could be found."
#TheLastofEarth #NetGalley
Thank You Madison Dettlinger at Random House for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Jan 13 2026
To get around this prohibition, the British trained Indians to do their surveying for them, and sent them into Tibet. While the characters in this book are fictional, Britain did actually train Indians to do survey work, and there are records of their Tibetan surveys.
There are five main characters in this book:
An English surveyor, disguised as an Indian, identified as the Captain
Balram, a trained Indian surveyor, accompanying the Captain
Katherine, an Englishwoman, determined to explore Tibet as an adventure. While she considers herself English, she is actually a mixed race person, with an English father and an Indian mother, born out of wedlock. Despite her mixed race heritage, she looks down on native Indians. Katherine was denied a fellowship in the all male Royal Geographical Society and wants to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa, capital of Tibet.
Mani, an Indian servant and guide, that Katherine has hired to accompany her.
A man who calls himself Chetak, and goes back and forth between the two separate parties.
Balram has a hidden goal: to free Guyan, a surveyor friend who has been imprisoned by the Tibetans when they discovered that he was surveying their land.
The author cites sources of books by Indian trained surveyors and of English woman explorers who actually explored Tibet during this period.
One quote: "For Hindus and Buddhists and Jains and those who practiced the Bon religion, Tibet was as holy as Jerusalem; on the peaks of Tibetan mountains resided gods and, in the waters of its lakes and rivers, absolution could be found."
#TheLastofEarth #NetGalley
Thank You Madison Dettlinger at Random House for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Jan 13 2026
July 14, 2025
In 1869 Tibet is closed to Europeans which is not an ideal situation for the expending British Empire. As a result, Britain hires native people to cross borders and spy for them. One such spy is Balram, an Indian schoolteacher who previously worked for Britain alongside his friend Gyan who is missing now. There is a rumor that he might be imprisoned within Tibet. Desperate to rescue his friend, he agrees to guide an English captain. The captain, disguised as a monk, wants to chart a river crossing Tibet. It’s not something that sits well with Balram, to be deceiving Tibetans, but life is about choices and he needs to make the one that feels right for him.
Their path crosses with Katherine who was denied a fellowship in the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, and intends to be the first European to reach Lhasa. She is a very captivating character. She grabbed my attention the most.
Throughout the story brief characterizations are woven which are interesting and poignant. However, as the story is character-driven I wished for more of character-development and less of descriptions of daily progress which are vividly portrayed. However, long descriptions made the pace a bit slow for me.
The novel explores the theme of ambition. What it means for an individual person which is a fascinating premise. It is written with striking prose, and there is some tension and suspense.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Their path crosses with Katherine who was denied a fellowship in the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, and intends to be the first European to reach Lhasa. She is a very captivating character. She grabbed my attention the most.
Throughout the story brief characterizations are woven which are interesting and poignant. However, as the story is character-driven I wished for more of character-development and less of descriptions of daily progress which are vividly portrayed. However, long descriptions made the pace a bit slow for me.
The novel explores the theme of ambition. What it means for an individual person which is a fascinating premise. It is written with striking prose, and there is some tension and suspense.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2025
Although historical fiction is not one of my favorite genres, I found this account to be totally immersive and haunting. Even if the characters seemed a little thinly drawn, the set pieces and discriptions of the Tibetan landscape were breathtaking. Took me a while to get into, but once in, I was invested.
May 12, 2025
One mission. One map. Three lives forever altered in the shadow of empire. Colonialism, friendship, obsession, and survival—this sweeping historical novel had me trekking across forbidden Tibet alongside spies, scholars, and snow leopards. 4 stars for the tension, the heart, and the history.
November 22, 2025
This is the kind of novel that defies categorization and won't appeal to every reader. But since I like literary fiction and historical fiction from the perspective of colonized people, this book was right up my alley. It has a slow, meandering pace that suited the oppressive desolation of the unforgiving landscape, which was hard to get into at first but suited the narrative structure. In the end it managed to fold in some intriguing thriller elements as well.
The novel is told from intertwining perspectives of very different explorers. It was inspired by the author wondering how native guides could have stayed loyal to Englishmen who saw them as subhuman scoundrels. None of the varied cast of characters was particularly likable, but they were all complex and interesting characters and I was compelled by their reasons for adventuring on this dangerous journey, even when they were selfish reasons.
Katharine is a half-caste woman, who was raised as a white Englishwoman, whose father had a dalliance with an unnamed native woman who might have been her ayah. Her racist mother dumped abuse on her at every turn but her sister, Ethel, treated her with sisterly affection. Never feeling like she truly belonged anywhere, restless Katharine travels to the ends of the earth. When she runs out of money she marries an Englishman, but has affairs on her travels. Self-loathing, she denies her Indian half and feels ashamed of her ethnicity, that neither Indians nor the English really accept. She's fifty, which is an age I don't read enough of in female characters and provides for an interesting perspective. This story would have been veey different had she been 26.
Along the way she meets an attractive scoundrel who calls himself Chetak, rumored to be a Robin Hood style bandit who steals from the English. I had to roll my eyes a little at their dalliance, which couldn't be called a romance, but it suited their characters.
Her destination is Lhasa, in Tibet, which she has been thwarted from conquering for the last 10 years. She is doubly cursed, because her gender prevents her from achieving her dream of being recognized by the Royal Geographical Society.
Then there's Balram, who is a surveyor accompanying an English captain who is illegally making his way into Tibet for the Royal Geographical Society. But Balram has other designs. He wants to rescue his friend Gyan, another surveyor who was lost on an expedition and whom he's in love with. Their ragtag group of bearers and servants is beset by troubles, including a mysterious snow leopard or phantom that keeps attacking their group. But despite some elements of magic realism and psychological thriller, this book is too slow and too subtle to fully inhabit either genre. That is, however, what I liked about it.
I also liked the complex camraderie of Balram's group as they grow closer on their mission. Their reasons are more layered than fear of death and imprisonment if they desert; I liked the difficult love story between two of the men that mirrored Balram's own star-crossed love.
Despite the uneven pace, the characters really drew me in and I found it fascinating seeing the perspective of colonized people on the dawn of colonization trying to prevent the inevitable. There was complexity as well to the English villains in this story. And the writing was quite descriptive; while it focused on the relationships of the characters, I could easily picture the stark wasteland on the way to Tibet and the perils faced at every turn from a white man's hubris.
This was an adventure story, but it was an adventure through a harsh land that refused to be mapped and measured.
I can't say I enjoyed this book, but I really liked this author's writing style and I'll be checking out her other works.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The novel is told from intertwining perspectives of very different explorers. It was inspired by the author wondering how native guides could have stayed loyal to Englishmen who saw them as subhuman scoundrels. None of the varied cast of characters was particularly likable, but they were all complex and interesting characters and I was compelled by their reasons for adventuring on this dangerous journey, even when they were selfish reasons.
Katharine is a half-caste woman, who was raised as a white Englishwoman, whose father had a dalliance with an unnamed native woman who might have been her ayah. Her racist mother dumped abuse on her at every turn but her sister, Ethel, treated her with sisterly affection. Never feeling like she truly belonged anywhere, restless Katharine travels to the ends of the earth. When she runs out of money she marries an Englishman, but has affairs on her travels. Self-loathing, she denies her Indian half and feels ashamed of her ethnicity, that neither Indians nor the English really accept. She's fifty, which is an age I don't read enough of in female characters and provides for an interesting perspective. This story would have been veey different had she been 26.
Along the way she meets an attractive scoundrel who calls himself Chetak, rumored to be a Robin Hood style bandit who steals from the English. I had to roll my eyes a little at their dalliance, which couldn't be called a romance, but it suited their characters.
Her destination is Lhasa, in Tibet, which she has been thwarted from conquering for the last 10 years. She is doubly cursed, because her gender prevents her from achieving her dream of being recognized by the Royal Geographical Society.
Then there's Balram, who is a surveyor accompanying an English captain who is illegally making his way into Tibet for the Royal Geographical Society. But Balram has other designs. He wants to rescue his friend Gyan, another surveyor who was lost on an expedition and whom he's in love with. Their ragtag group of bearers and servants is beset by troubles, including a mysterious snow leopard or phantom that keeps attacking their group. But despite some elements of magic realism and psychological thriller, this book is too slow and too subtle to fully inhabit either genre. That is, however, what I liked about it.
I also liked the complex camraderie of Balram's group as they grow closer on their mission. Their reasons are more layered than fear of death and imprisonment if they desert; I liked the difficult love story between two of the men that mirrored Balram's own star-crossed love.
Despite the uneven pace, the characters really drew me in and I found it fascinating seeing the perspective of colonized people on the dawn of colonization trying to prevent the inevitable. There was complexity as well to the English villains in this story. And the writing was quite descriptive; while it focused on the relationships of the characters, I could easily picture the stark wasteland on the way to Tibet and the perils faced at every turn from a white man's hubris.
This was an adventure story, but it was an adventure through a harsh land that refused to be mapped and measured.
I can't say I enjoyed this book, but I really liked this author's writing style and I'll be checking out her other works.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 5, 2025
The Last of Earth transports you to Tibet in the late 1800s. The setting and problems the characters faced were fascinating and I learned a lot, but I wanted more from this novel.
The two major characters are Balmram and Katherine. Balram is an Indian guide for the Captain, an English surveyor who is trying to map a river in Tibet. Balram has ulterior motives and wants to rescue his friend, who he believes has been imprisoned in Tibet as a spy. Katherine is trying to reach Lhasa, a city that is forbidden to people from England. She is trying to impress the Royal Geographical Society into accepting her as a woman. She is also happiest when she is traveling. These two characters face many trials and tribulations and each must find a creative way to solve their issues in order to reach their goals.
I did struggle at the beginning of this book trying to get used to all of the names and places. I did find it a little hard to follow as I was unfamiliar with many of the terms used. I also found it a little distracting that the two stories barely had a connection. I did really love the setting and the descriptions of what it took to try and travel to Tibet in the late 1800s. I definitely learned a lot about this part of the world. Katherine was my favorite character. She was a 50 year old woman who didn't let her age or gender stop her from her goals. She did something that many people today would find impossible. Overall though, there were parts I found slow and I really wanted more from the ending. I do think this book is worth reading if you are interested in this time period and Tibet.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.
The two major characters are Balmram and Katherine. Balram is an Indian guide for the Captain, an English surveyor who is trying to map a river in Tibet. Balram has ulterior motives and wants to rescue his friend, who he believes has been imprisoned in Tibet as a spy. Katherine is trying to reach Lhasa, a city that is forbidden to people from England. She is trying to impress the Royal Geographical Society into accepting her as a woman. She is also happiest when she is traveling. These two characters face many trials and tribulations and each must find a creative way to solve their issues in order to reach their goals.
I did struggle at the beginning of this book trying to get used to all of the names and places. I did find it a little hard to follow as I was unfamiliar with many of the terms used. I also found it a little distracting that the two stories barely had a connection. I did really love the setting and the descriptions of what it took to try and travel to Tibet in the late 1800s. I definitely learned a lot about this part of the world. Katherine was my favorite character. She was a 50 year old woman who didn't let her age or gender stop her from her goals. She did something that many people today would find impossible. Overall though, there were parts I found slow and I really wanted more from the ending. I do think this book is worth reading if you are interested in this time period and Tibet.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.
November 9, 2025
One of my biggest dreams is to fly to Nepal and hike to Everest Base Camp. Reading this gave me so much imagery for that, though the characters in this are journeying to Tibet. It is very image driven - there are so many descriptions of the landscape and weather, you really feel as if you are there.
Back in the late 1800's, Tibet was closed to all outsiders except for Indians looking to trade goods and make pilgrimages. During this time, many foreigners tried sneaking across the border, whether for their own ambitions and glory, or because they were hired by their governments to spy. The book follows two parties that are heading to Tibet, both of which have a foreigner trying to sneak in. One features Balram, who is guiding an English captain who wishes to map the Tsangpo River. Along with them are several other bearers, who help to carry the supplies, shepherd the sheep brought along, cook the food, and whatever else is necessary to complete the trip. The second follows Katherine, a half English, half Indian woman who wishes to be the first woman to see Tibet. She has hired a guide by the name of Mani to help her.
The story can be incredibly slow at times, as it is very character and image driven. Though there is the plot of each team trying to reach Tibet, it's almost second to the characters themselves. You learn a lot about Balram and his bigger reason for joining the captain, Katherine and how she's felt out of place for much of her life, and a mysterious man named Chetak, who appears to help both parties at times. There are so many descriptions of the landscape and the trials of traveling through such harsh land. There were no modern conveniences that people today would have available; it is all tents (if everyone was lucky enough to sleep in one), carrying all the supplies and food for the entire trip, no other modes of transportation besides walking. Even mountain trekkers today generally have the luxury of towns along the way with inns and fresh food. There is tension and a few accidents, but for the most part there is very little action.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the land and hardships of trekking. The characters were all well done and you could really understand their reasonings for what they do. It's a great book for anyone who enjoys descriptive, character driven historical fiction, but those wanting a faster pace may struggle with this.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Back in the late 1800's, Tibet was closed to all outsiders except for Indians looking to trade goods and make pilgrimages. During this time, many foreigners tried sneaking across the border, whether for their own ambitions and glory, or because they were hired by their governments to spy. The book follows two parties that are heading to Tibet, both of which have a foreigner trying to sneak in. One features Balram, who is guiding an English captain who wishes to map the Tsangpo River. Along with them are several other bearers, who help to carry the supplies, shepherd the sheep brought along, cook the food, and whatever else is necessary to complete the trip. The second follows Katherine, a half English, half Indian woman who wishes to be the first woman to see Tibet. She has hired a guide by the name of Mani to help her.
The story can be incredibly slow at times, as it is very character and image driven. Though there is the plot of each team trying to reach Tibet, it's almost second to the characters themselves. You learn a lot about Balram and his bigger reason for joining the captain, Katherine and how she's felt out of place for much of her life, and a mysterious man named Chetak, who appears to help both parties at times. There are so many descriptions of the landscape and the trials of traveling through such harsh land. There were no modern conveniences that people today would have available; it is all tents (if everyone was lucky enough to sleep in one), carrying all the supplies and food for the entire trip, no other modes of transportation besides walking. Even mountain trekkers today generally have the luxury of towns along the way with inns and fresh food. There is tension and a few accidents, but for the most part there is very little action.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the land and hardships of trekking. The characters were all well done and you could really understand their reasonings for what they do. It's a great book for anyone who enjoys descriptive, character driven historical fiction, but those wanting a faster pace may struggle with this.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2025
In 1869, Britain has imposed colonialism on parts of Asia. Tibet has been one area that they want to conquer. Tibetans have other ideas! A British officer uses colonial labor to infiltrate Tibet while employing ridiculous makeup and dye to appear “native.” The leader of the baggage handlers and cook is trying to find his fellow mapmaker imprisoned in Tibet. At the same time, a western woman denied entry into the male world of Royal Geographical Society employs a guide to act as her son so as to be the first woman tot each the forbidden city of Llasa.
I understand the motives behind each character ‘s desire to reach their goal. I found the portrayal of officer buffoonish. There were several questions of morality, treatment of and threats to people deemed to be second-class citizens and human rights. There were issues of feminism and the right to choose how to live. All of these were faced during a journey, that if discovered, the penalty was death. Unfortunately, I found the story and pacing as slow as the journey. I was interested in this slice of history but it left me wanting something more.
Thank you NetGalley and random House for this advance copy.
I understand the motives behind each character ‘s desire to reach their goal. I found the portrayal of officer buffoonish. There were several questions of morality, treatment of and threats to people deemed to be second-class citizens and human rights. There were issues of feminism and the right to choose how to live. All of these were faced during a journey, that if discovered, the penalty was death. Unfortunately, I found the story and pacing as slow as the journey. I was interested in this slice of history but it left me wanting something more.
Thank you NetGalley and random House for this advance copy.
May 25, 2025
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
The Last of Earth proved to be a gripping experience as I followed its cast through the mountains and watched them deal with struggles both external and internal. Deepa Anappara crafted his characters with such a vivid richness that by the end it made me feel as if I had known these fictional women and men closely in real life. It was with equal skill that he made the landscape and inhabitants of 18th century Tibet come so fully to life that his words were practically a time machine that transported my directly there.
An absolutely top-notch historical read overall - and I would not hesitate to call that an understatement.
The Last of Earth proved to be a gripping experience as I followed its cast through the mountains and watched them deal with struggles both external and internal. Deepa Anappara crafted his characters with such a vivid richness that by the end it made me feel as if I had known these fictional women and men closely in real life. It was with equal skill that he made the landscape and inhabitants of 18th century Tibet come so fully to life that his words were practically a time machine that transported my directly there.
An absolutely top-notch historical read overall - and I would not hesitate to call that an understatement.
October 23, 2025
3.5 stars
This historical novel is fully about the journey versus the destination. Readers will do well to have this in mind before they crack this and expect an adventure with a thrilling payoff. No one is going to be screaming for Dr. Jones or swinging from the rafters here, but they are going to be exploring landscapes, experiencing physical ailments, and living in constant contemplation.
One element of this that I loved artistically but found frustrating as a reader is the pacing. Annappara uses one of those wise authorial tricks and slows the pacing way down, which is hard to do with snow leopards on the scene. Of course, this puts readers in an empathetic position to the characters. We are also on a slow journey we can't control that has its moments of shock and also a lot of just...moving along. I came into this expecting a bit more adventure and associated rapidity, and that impacted my overall experience, I'm certain.
The characters possess distinct motivations and identities, and most readers will find themselves peering through windows versus looking in mirrors. These characters' outcomes and opportunities are very much determined by the period and location, so they're more of a learning opportunity for modern audiences. That noted, they experience elements of the human condition that are certainly timeless. What I wanted more of is a connection between these characters. These voyages feel parallel versus intersecting, and I found myself often wanting more depth.
This is my first book by this author. I loved the chance to look into this location at this time, and I appreciate some of the aesthetic choices here. I am definitely interested in reading more from Anappara and recommend this to folks interested in the period and location.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Madison Dettlinger at Random House Marketing for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This historical novel is fully about the journey versus the destination. Readers will do well to have this in mind before they crack this and expect an adventure with a thrilling payoff. No one is going to be screaming for Dr. Jones or swinging from the rafters here, but they are going to be exploring landscapes, experiencing physical ailments, and living in constant contemplation.
One element of this that I loved artistically but found frustrating as a reader is the pacing. Annappara uses one of those wise authorial tricks and slows the pacing way down, which is hard to do with snow leopards on the scene. Of course, this puts readers in an empathetic position to the characters. We are also on a slow journey we can't control that has its moments of shock and also a lot of just...moving along. I came into this expecting a bit more adventure and associated rapidity, and that impacted my overall experience, I'm certain.
The characters possess distinct motivations and identities, and most readers will find themselves peering through windows versus looking in mirrors. These characters' outcomes and opportunities are very much determined by the period and location, so they're more of a learning opportunity for modern audiences. That noted, they experience elements of the human condition that are certainly timeless. What I wanted more of is a connection between these characters. These voyages feel parallel versus intersecting, and I found myself often wanting more depth.
This is my first book by this author. I loved the chance to look into this location at this time, and I appreciate some of the aesthetic choices here. I am definitely interested in reading more from Anappara and recommend this to folks interested in the period and location.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Madison Dettlinger at Random House Marketing for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
June 4, 2025
A beautiful book and very pleasant read! The prose is gorgeous and entertaining - although a large portion of the book is understandably dedicated to descriptions of the landscape it was never boring and thanks to the detail each scene was very easy to imagine. Every character in this book was distinct and fleshed out, even those with minor roles. Anappara clearly has a talent for building a human character in just a few sentences. The pacing of the book was good and I enjoyed how tension was built throughout the entirety of the narrative. I also appreciated the more untraditional aspects of the writing, such as Durga and Gyan speaking through Balram and the strikeouts in Katherine's journal. These admittedly were overplayed at times and came off a little cliché, which is my only real criticism of the book, as these moments interrupted the otherwise impressive sensitivity with which Anappara told a story principally about rebellion and duty.
September 27, 2025
This was well-written and I have no complaints, but it was just not for me. I didn’t enjoy reading it, even though I felt like it had a nice plot.
I received an early copy through Netgalley but all opinions are my own
I received an early copy through Netgalley but all opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. This is the kind of book that I would not normally pick up, but I really enjoyed it. It is told from the perspective of two 19th century explorers in Tibet, a time when Tibet had closed itself from foreigners to prevent the same fate that befell India. One of the explorers is a surveyor leading an Englishman determined to map a Tibetan river and the other is a mixed race woman coming to terms with her Indian parentage and her half sister's death. The book is extremely well-researched and the descriptions of Tibet are gorgeous. The understanding of the relationships between the English and the locals is surgical. There is not a lot of plot in the first half, and the relationship between the two points of view telling the story is tangential. However, it still works because of the descriptions of Tibet and the rich inner monologues of the protagonists, who struggle with their places in a universe where they do not completely fit in. Highly recommend.
August 31, 2025
Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ALC.
This was a beautiful book and an enjoyable listen . A large portion of the book is dedicated to descriptions of the landscapes that really added to the overall enjoyment of the book and really helped to set the scene of the book. Characters were individual and distinct, well fleshed out but not boring at all. Pacing of the book good and the story flowed.
Very enjoyable, highly recommended.
4 stars.
This was a beautiful book and an enjoyable listen . A large portion of the book is dedicated to descriptions of the landscapes that really added to the overall enjoyment of the book and really helped to set the scene of the book. Characters were individual and distinct, well fleshed out but not boring at all. Pacing of the book good and the story flowed.
Very enjoyable, highly recommended.
4 stars.
October 13, 2025
What a fascinating novel! It’s the story of two small groups traveling from India into Tibet in 1868. The first is a British captain trying to map the biggest river in Tibet. He’s arrogant, confident that his dyed skin and native robes will conceal his real identity (since Tibet is closed to all foreigners except for Indian pilgrims and traders). He has a big group of guides, surveyors, sheep, shepherds and porters. He has little concern or respect for all of the Indians helping him to attain his goal.
The second is an Indian-Englishwoman, Katherine, despised by her stepmother for being her husband’s bastard. Her goal is to be the first Western woman to reach Lhasa. She’s 50 years old, accompanied by a young guide she pretends is her son.
As each group struggles onwards through the mountains of Tibet, they face brigands, snow leopards, and always the threat of detection by Tibetan authorities, the punishment for being found being death.
However, this is not an adventure novel. It’s a splendid blend of many genres, the foremost being literary. The author thrills readers with descriptions of trekking in Tibet in the most gorgeous fashion, such that you can almost feel the cold of the air on your skin, or see the different colors of blue in the sky. The author tantalizes us with many deep questions. What does it mean to explore (both without and within)? What is friendship worth? Who is worse, the Indian bandit or the British who steal the riches of an entire country? What is loyalty, to a friend, superior, country or fellow traveler?
At first, trying to remember the people in each of the two parties was a bit of challenge, as chapters alternate between one and the other. But after I saw what the author was doing, I couldn’t put the book down. I felt I was traipsing along narrow mountain passes, worried about slipping into a raging river far below, or fearing wild animals in the night. Such a grueling experience! Way more pleasant to read about it than to contemplate such a trip myself. What the heck was colonial glory about? Why were mountains, lived in since time immemorial, considered nameless until seen by white men?
Here are a few of the gorgeous passages I underlined:
“Was the savage the general who had attacked another country, or the Tibetan who defeated him and carved up his body as if at a butcher’s table? Were the English officials who had their way with native women in their bedrooms and on mountainsides men who surrendered their wits to passion, or men who coerced the weak into submission?”
“Above them the sky curved bald and smooth, an upturned blue bowl that seemed to have trapped them inside.”
“He liked hearing the murmurs of the landscape. Walking alone under clouds silvered by the sun, pas fields yellow with rápese and pewter mountains striated with snow, he felt his heart beat to the rhythms of the world: the lapping of the waves of a river, the wind whistling down hills, even the sun sorts of a yak or the rustle of grass as a startled hare leaped toward its hiding place. Only in those moments did he feel wholly himself and also one with the world.”
“I did not understand then that our best selves need not be shown to, or appreciated by, others. Those who serve silently, at home as in the battlefield, without desire for fame, without plaques engraved with their names, are no less worthy of praise than a general whose chest is decorated with medals or the adventurer after whom maintains, rivers or islands are named.”
This book is highly recommended for readers interested in the colonial experience, outdoor struggles, discussions of race and gender, or India and Tibet.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
The second is an Indian-Englishwoman, Katherine, despised by her stepmother for being her husband’s bastard. Her goal is to be the first Western woman to reach Lhasa. She’s 50 years old, accompanied by a young guide she pretends is her son.
As each group struggles onwards through the mountains of Tibet, they face brigands, snow leopards, and always the threat of detection by Tibetan authorities, the punishment for being found being death.
However, this is not an adventure novel. It’s a splendid blend of many genres, the foremost being literary. The author thrills readers with descriptions of trekking in Tibet in the most gorgeous fashion, such that you can almost feel the cold of the air on your skin, or see the different colors of blue in the sky. The author tantalizes us with many deep questions. What does it mean to explore (both without and within)? What is friendship worth? Who is worse, the Indian bandit or the British who steal the riches of an entire country? What is loyalty, to a friend, superior, country or fellow traveler?
At first, trying to remember the people in each of the two parties was a bit of challenge, as chapters alternate between one and the other. But after I saw what the author was doing, I couldn’t put the book down. I felt I was traipsing along narrow mountain passes, worried about slipping into a raging river far below, or fearing wild animals in the night. Such a grueling experience! Way more pleasant to read about it than to contemplate such a trip myself. What the heck was colonial glory about? Why were mountains, lived in since time immemorial, considered nameless until seen by white men?
Here are a few of the gorgeous passages I underlined:
“Was the savage the general who had attacked another country, or the Tibetan who defeated him and carved up his body as if at a butcher’s table? Were the English officials who had their way with native women in their bedrooms and on mountainsides men who surrendered their wits to passion, or men who coerced the weak into submission?”
“Above them the sky curved bald and smooth, an upturned blue bowl that seemed to have trapped them inside.”
“He liked hearing the murmurs of the landscape. Walking alone under clouds silvered by the sun, pas fields yellow with rápese and pewter mountains striated with snow, he felt his heart beat to the rhythms of the world: the lapping of the waves of a river, the wind whistling down hills, even the sun sorts of a yak or the rustle of grass as a startled hare leaped toward its hiding place. Only in those moments did he feel wholly himself and also one with the world.”
“I did not understand then that our best selves need not be shown to, or appreciated by, others. Those who serve silently, at home as in the battlefield, without desire for fame, without plaques engraved with their names, are no less worthy of praise than a general whose chest is decorated with medals or the adventurer after whom maintains, rivers or islands are named.”
This book is highly recommended for readers interested in the colonial experience, outdoor struggles, discussions of race and gender, or India and Tibet.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
October 20, 2025
This book is not driven by a strong plot. What it offers, however, is immersion into a time and place that few will be familiar with. The time is 1869 and the place Tibet. European (white) explorers are forbidden from entering country for surveying or other expeditions. Two Europeans – an English captain disguised as a monk and a 50-year-old English “lady”, who is part Indian – are determined to make their ways into Tibet, the captain aiming to be the first to map a river through the southern part of the country, and the woman wanting to be the first European woman to reach the city of Lhasa. They are on parallel tracts, crossing at one point, neither recognizing the existence of the other. The two traveling parties are each made up of trained Indian explorers, who are legally permitted to enter Tibet.
The traveling is hard, mostly taking place in the mountainous terrain of the Himalayas, and the two groups face unexpected, and often life-threatening, challenges. The descriptions of the bleak surroundings in this book are beautifully written and immersive, opening up a world known not familiar to most. The plot(s), while relatively simple in nature, drive the story(ies) compulsively toward their end(s). Along with travel, themes of family and friendship are explored. I raced through the pages to see if either the captain or the woman, or both, managed to reach their goals, and at what cost. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the early days of global exploration and surveying.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me access to this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
The traveling is hard, mostly taking place in the mountainous terrain of the Himalayas, and the two groups face unexpected, and often life-threatening, challenges. The descriptions of the bleak surroundings in this book are beautifully written and immersive, opening up a world known not familiar to most. The plot(s), while relatively simple in nature, drive the story(ies) compulsively toward their end(s). Along with travel, themes of family and friendship are explored. I raced through the pages to see if either the captain or the woman, or both, managed to reach their goals, and at what cost. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the early days of global exploration and surveying.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me access to this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
June 6, 2025
If you are looking for an adventurous historical fiction novel set in the nineteenth century then this is the story for you. The setting is setin Tibet who have put an embargo on Europeans from coming into the country. This is mostly because of the British Empire colonizing India. However, the British end up being very crafty because with the colonization in India they have started training the Indians to sneak into Tibet to engage in illegal survey expeditions.
Again it is just so interesting how one country feels the need to interfere in the livelihood of another country just so they can get ahead for themselves not caring who they hurt in the process. Overall it's a very lovely read because it gives you the opportunity to go there without having travel there yourself. The plot and the characters are so wonderfully written.
One of our characters is a man from India who is a spy for the British named Balram is trying to find his friend who went missing. He goes there with a ship captain in hopes that they will both find what they are looking for. Along the way they meet Katherine who is traveling in disguise who wants to be the first accomplished woman to travel across the globe alone. From there all three will embark on the adventure of the lifetime.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
Again it is just so interesting how one country feels the need to interfere in the livelihood of another country just so they can get ahead for themselves not caring who they hurt in the process. Overall it's a very lovely read because it gives you the opportunity to go there without having travel there yourself. The plot and the characters are so wonderfully written.
One of our characters is a man from India who is a spy for the British named Balram is trying to find his friend who went missing. He goes there with a ship captain in hopes that they will both find what they are looking for. Along the way they meet Katherine who is traveling in disguise who wants to be the first accomplished woman to travel across the globe alone. From there all three will embark on the adventure of the lifetime.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
October 29, 2025
I tried, I really tried but I was so uninterested in the story after reading 36%. I rarely DNF but I almost dreaded reading this. There were two main stories that started completely separate and they just didnt capture my interest at all.
December 8, 2025
The history behind this story is fascinating in its own right, and the novel uses it in a way that feels both accessible and deeply human. You’re not lectured. Rather, you’re invited into the inner worlds of people making risky choices for reasons that are complicated and often painful.
What hooked me were the characters set against a landscape that is as dangerous as it is mesmerizing. They cross high passes, endure storms, witness death, and move through terrain that tests every part of them. As the story unfolds, it feels like peeling back onion skins, one thin layer at a time. Contradictions, vulnerabilities, and the subtle ways colonial power sneaks into someone’s sense of self. Katherine, in particular, is written with a complicated, painful relationship to her own identity, shaped by the hierarchies and prejudices of the colonial world she grew up in. The gulf between how she sees herself and how others see her is startling, painful, and often beautifully written. She thinks of herself as ageing, unremarkable, unworthy; others describe her as stately, composed, and formidable.
Anappara’s prose is gorgeous. Cinematic, really. A few lines I loved:
“The morning light was a familiar blue… a soothing color that was sweet if a little tart, like berry on her tongue.”
“They understood that to be in the presence of such beauty was sufficient. It was a gift, this private conversation they could have with the landscape.”
The book also has a sharp critique of exploration as conquest, especially the way imperial powers insisted on naming mountains and rivers as if nothing existed until they pointed at it.
“Balram chose to indulge the whims of white men who kept up a fiction that entire parts of the world would remain unnamed if their own tongues didn’t christen them.”
It is such a concise and biting summary of an entire mindset.
This is definitely more on the literary side of historical fiction. The plot is there, but the heart of the book is in the characters, their interior worlds, and the slow reveal of who they are. If you like novels that wander thoughtfully rather than sprint to a tidy resolution, this is for you. Personally, I loved that it didn’t wrap everything up. The ambiguity feels true to the emotional terrain of the story: identity, loyalty, longing, and the complicated ways people choose their paths.
An atmospheric slow-burn about ambition, friendship, grief, and the bewildering truth of watching people risk everything, even their lives, for reasons that are never as simple as they claim.
What hooked me were the characters set against a landscape that is as dangerous as it is mesmerizing. They cross high passes, endure storms, witness death, and move through terrain that tests every part of them. As the story unfolds, it feels like peeling back onion skins, one thin layer at a time. Contradictions, vulnerabilities, and the subtle ways colonial power sneaks into someone’s sense of self. Katherine, in particular, is written with a complicated, painful relationship to her own identity, shaped by the hierarchies and prejudices of the colonial world she grew up in. The gulf between how she sees herself and how others see her is startling, painful, and often beautifully written. She thinks of herself as ageing, unremarkable, unworthy; others describe her as stately, composed, and formidable.
Anappara’s prose is gorgeous. Cinematic, really. A few lines I loved:
“The morning light was a familiar blue… a soothing color that was sweet if a little tart, like berry on her tongue.”
“They understood that to be in the presence of such beauty was sufficient. It was a gift, this private conversation they could have with the landscape.”
The book also has a sharp critique of exploration as conquest, especially the way imperial powers insisted on naming mountains and rivers as if nothing existed until they pointed at it.
“Balram chose to indulge the whims of white men who kept up a fiction that entire parts of the world would remain unnamed if their own tongues didn’t christen them.”
It is such a concise and biting summary of an entire mindset.
This is definitely more on the literary side of historical fiction. The plot is there, but the heart of the book is in the characters, their interior worlds, and the slow reveal of who they are. If you like novels that wander thoughtfully rather than sprint to a tidy resolution, this is for you. Personally, I loved that it didn’t wrap everything up. The ambiguity feels true to the emotional terrain of the story: identity, loyalty, longing, and the complicated ways people choose their paths.
An atmospheric slow-burn about ambition, friendship, grief, and the bewildering truth of watching people risk everything, even their lives, for reasons that are never as simple as they claim.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It’s hard to imagine in 1869 being an explorer in Tibet where there were numerous challenges: strenuous terrain, frigid weather conditions, fierce wild life at times, questionable food sources and severe punishment to uninvited outsiders. This book was extensively researched to give readers a realistic image of the conditions for two separate historical adventurers with the goal of making it to Lhasa at 11,975 feet above sea level.
The first story was with an arrogant captain who dyed his face brown so he could fit in as a monk while secretly surveying the area for the British government. His guide, Balram, was a trained Indian surveyor who claimed to be a trader which was allowed in Tibet. When the expedition started, there were ten others along with a small herd of sheep. Balram’s motive was to find his good friend, Gyan, who was missing -- suspected of being a dangerous spy.
Next there was a story of a 50-year-old woman, Katherine, who traveled to foreign places for the love of seeking adventures. She paid Mani who called her mother to lead the way to Lhasa. She was from London and had brown skin which made it easier to pass with a legitimate mission: an investigation of tribal settlements at the border. It disappointed her that as a female, she was denied a fellowship in the Royal Geographical Society. Maybe this exploration could give her bonus points and possibly acceptance.
The conditions were brutal which made you think about how motivated the guides were to make the dangerous journey for minimal compensation. It caused a lot of health problems with pain in the feet, ankles and back from walking throughout unbearable conditions. Also, there was harm from violence. There didn’t seem to be very much time for enjoyment.
It was slow reading with a plot that described the political climate between Britain and Russia both wanting to sink their teeth into this land. They both had the goal of making it to Lhasa and yet, the back-and-forth stories weren’t joined until the end. It wasn’t an easy book to get through at times with unfamiliar places. Yet, the documentation was highly descriptive illustrating the actual conditions. It revealed the courageousness of those who were willing to take risks without fear of the unknown.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of January 13, 2026. The views I share are my own.
The first story was with an arrogant captain who dyed his face brown so he could fit in as a monk while secretly surveying the area for the British government. His guide, Balram, was a trained Indian surveyor who claimed to be a trader which was allowed in Tibet. When the expedition started, there were ten others along with a small herd of sheep. Balram’s motive was to find his good friend, Gyan, who was missing -- suspected of being a dangerous spy.
Next there was a story of a 50-year-old woman, Katherine, who traveled to foreign places for the love of seeking adventures. She paid Mani who called her mother to lead the way to Lhasa. She was from London and had brown skin which made it easier to pass with a legitimate mission: an investigation of tribal settlements at the border. It disappointed her that as a female, she was denied a fellowship in the Royal Geographical Society. Maybe this exploration could give her bonus points and possibly acceptance.
The conditions were brutal which made you think about how motivated the guides were to make the dangerous journey for minimal compensation. It caused a lot of health problems with pain in the feet, ankles and back from walking throughout unbearable conditions. Also, there was harm from violence. There didn’t seem to be very much time for enjoyment.
It was slow reading with a plot that described the political climate between Britain and Russia both wanting to sink their teeth into this land. They both had the goal of making it to Lhasa and yet, the back-and-forth stories weren’t joined until the end. It wasn’t an easy book to get through at times with unfamiliar places. Yet, the documentation was highly descriptive illustrating the actual conditions. It revealed the courageousness of those who were willing to take risks without fear of the unknown.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of January 13, 2026. The views I share are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
They knew the native’s role well; had played it all their lives. from The Last of Earth by Deepa Anappara
Gorgeous writing, intriguing characters, an exploration of Victorian prejudice, an adventure story, an inspirational heroine, a story of love–The Last of Earth is an ambitious novel inspired by history.
Two expositions seek to illegally enter Tibet. One for science, the other seeks expiation. They suffer hardship and danger from snow leopards and men and the cold and floods.They depend on native men to guide them and to haul their necessities, while denigrating them as inferior.
…she who wanted to leave a legacy and refused to vanish without a trace. Most unbecoming, for a woman to harbor such ambitions… from the Last of Earth
There is Katherine, whose mother was Indian, restless and driven, determined to accomplish what no woman has yet achieved: entering the holy city of Lhasa. She poses as a pilgrim, her companion Mani poses as her son. She can’t forgive herself for surviving while her all white sister died while Katherine was wandering the world.
And there is the Captain, badly disguised with dyed skin, intent on fame for surveying the unknown, and his guide Balram who has a secret purpose: he intends to find and free his dearest friend, captured on a previous expedition and imprisoned as a spy.
How many native men had died triangulating Hindustan for the Great trigonometrical Survey? from the Last of Earth
“Was the ambition, or life, of one man more valuable than the lives of a dozen others?” The captain believed the men on the expedition suffered and died for a greater cause. Scientific knowledge. A map to guide white men into a country where they were not wanted, where they were considered spies.
It is folly to risk everything on the hope of fame. What is the value of a man’s life? We are driven and become lost, unable to let go of our desire to leave our mark upon the world.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
Gorgeous writing, intriguing characters, an exploration of Victorian prejudice, an adventure story, an inspirational heroine, a story of love–The Last of Earth is an ambitious novel inspired by history.
Two expositions seek to illegally enter Tibet. One for science, the other seeks expiation. They suffer hardship and danger from snow leopards and men and the cold and floods.They depend on native men to guide them and to haul their necessities, while denigrating them as inferior.
…she who wanted to leave a legacy and refused to vanish without a trace. Most unbecoming, for a woman to harbor such ambitions… from the Last of Earth
There is Katherine, whose mother was Indian, restless and driven, determined to accomplish what no woman has yet achieved: entering the holy city of Lhasa. She poses as a pilgrim, her companion Mani poses as her son. She can’t forgive herself for surviving while her all white sister died while Katherine was wandering the world.
And there is the Captain, badly disguised with dyed skin, intent on fame for surveying the unknown, and his guide Balram who has a secret purpose: he intends to find and free his dearest friend, captured on a previous expedition and imprisoned as a spy.
How many native men had died triangulating Hindustan for the Great trigonometrical Survey? from the Last of Earth
“Was the ambition, or life, of one man more valuable than the lives of a dozen others?” The captain believed the men on the expedition suffered and died for a greater cause. Scientific knowledge. A map to guide white men into a country where they were not wanted, where they were considered spies.
It is folly to risk everything on the hope of fame. What is the value of a man’s life? We are driven and become lost, unable to let go of our desire to leave our mark upon the world.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
September 11, 2025
It is 1869 and Tibet is closed to Europeans. The British are looking to expand their empire and send people to both spy and survey and map the terrain. British explorers hire natives to help them cross borders. Balram is an Indian school teacher. His friend Gyan is rumored to have been taken prisoner in Tibet while on a previous trek. Balram agrees to help guide a British captain with the ulterior motive of rescuing his friend Gyan.
Katherine is a 50-year-old female explorer. She was denied fellowship into the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London. She sets out to be the first European to reach Lhasa assuming this will guarantee her entrance into the Royal Geographical Society.
The two groups cross paths on their journey through Tibet.
Review:
This historical fiction novel is a fictionalized story based on real explorers and events at this time. The star of the story is the setting. The author uses striking prose to allow the reader to feel the landscape of Tibet, the cold, the treacherous conditions, the limited supplies and resources and even the snow leopards. The story focuses on the theme of ambition and leaving our mark on this world. What is the legacy we will leave behind? These two explorers are determined to leave behind a legacy of being the first to survey, map and reach forbidden areas of the world. Katherine was an impressive woman, not letting her age or gender disrupt her goals. She was strong, determined and happiest when exploring. What these explorers had to endure is astonishing. This historical novel transports the reader across Tibet, and it is worth the journey.
(4.5/5)
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. This book will be published in January 2026. Pick up a copy at your local independent bookseller or library.
Katherine is a 50-year-old female explorer. She was denied fellowship into the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London. She sets out to be the first European to reach Lhasa assuming this will guarantee her entrance into the Royal Geographical Society.
The two groups cross paths on their journey through Tibet.
Review:
This historical fiction novel is a fictionalized story based on real explorers and events at this time. The star of the story is the setting. The author uses striking prose to allow the reader to feel the landscape of Tibet, the cold, the treacherous conditions, the limited supplies and resources and even the snow leopards. The story focuses on the theme of ambition and leaving our mark on this world. What is the legacy we will leave behind? These two explorers are determined to leave behind a legacy of being the first to survey, map and reach forbidden areas of the world. Katherine was an impressive woman, not letting her age or gender disrupt her goals. She was strong, determined and happiest when exploring. What these explorers had to endure is astonishing. This historical novel transports the reader across Tibet, and it is worth the journey.
(4.5/5)
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. This book will be published in January 2026. Pick up a copy at your local independent bookseller or library.
October 3, 2025
Because it was closed to Europeans, Tibet in the 1860s emitted a almost irresistible pull for said Europeans who wanted to increase influence in the area. The canny British skirted the ban by sending regional scouts to spy and survey for them Such a one is Balram, an Indian teacher who uses the extra money to supplement his meager salary. He usually goes on these expeditions with his friend Gyan, who vanished on his last trip. Balram has received word that Gyam may be imprisoned in Tibet and he wants to free him. But as opposed to having a fellow Indian on this trip, Balram's guiding an English captain who dyes his hair and skin to look more like a native. This does not bode well for their enterprise, but Balram is determined to find his friend that he signs on.
Another group wants to enter the forbidden country, this one including a 50-year-old woman who is certain that entering Tibet will guarantee her admittance to the Royal Geographical Society, which has ignored her earlier explorations and achievements because she is a woman. Katherine is an experienced trekker, but like the British captain, she will find her mental and physical strength challenged by this journey.
Deepa Anappara's descriptions of the treacherous trip are so gripping that for most of the story you can't imagine that anyone is going to get to the Tibetan border, let alone sneak into Lhasa. There's so much description, in fact, that "The Last of Earth" starts to struggle, too. It wants to be a character-driven story but the brutality of the climb takes precedence. It feels like the author is still finding her stride.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Another group wants to enter the forbidden country, this one including a 50-year-old woman who is certain that entering Tibet will guarantee her admittance to the Royal Geographical Society, which has ignored her earlier explorations and achievements because she is a woman. Katherine is an experienced trekker, but like the British captain, she will find her mental and physical strength challenged by this journey.
Deepa Anappara's descriptions of the treacherous trip are so gripping that for most of the story you can't imagine that anyone is going to get to the Tibetan border, let alone sneak into Lhasa. There's so much description, in fact, that "The Last of Earth" starts to struggle, too. It wants to be a character-driven story but the brutality of the climb takes precedence. It feels like the author is still finding her stride.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2025
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
1869. Tibet is closed to Europeans BUT... Two [somewhat] parallel stories of explorers seeking to make their mark[s]. Katherine, a 50-year old half-caste, denied entry to the all-male Royal Geographical Society is traveling with Mani--who she presents as her son [not] . She wants to become the first European woman to reach Lhasa. Balram, a former schoolteacher, now working as a surveyor/assistant to an English "captain" [who is disguising his origins] and traveling as a monk. The captain seeks to map a river and is constantly note-taking his finds. Although Balram is working for the captain, he is actively searching for his friend Gyan, who has disappeared and is rumored to be imprisoned. [There is much on Balram and Gyan and their backstories.]
The book alternates between the two explorers but seemed [to me] predominantly about Balram, the captain, and their bearers. Both Katherine and the captain are arrogant! And Katherine is quite the character!
One VIVID character crosses both their paths--Chetak. Whenever he entered the narrative, it became more lively.
Ambition, deception, secrets, trials and tribulations--caused by nature and humans and snow leopards and other indigenous animals..
What I REALLY liked: the beautiful descriptions--of nature/the landscape, and people. So many wonderful depictions:
"river that corkscrewed"
"elderly woman with wrinkled skin crisped almost black by the sun"
"purple-sheened sky"
"lake's surface rippled as if it was an enourmous skirt sewn out of silvery fish scales"
"men looked thin, mere outlines of their former selves"
What was lacking--the story should have been more gripping!
An unusual, original tome.
3.5, but rounding up.
1869. Tibet is closed to Europeans BUT... Two [somewhat] parallel stories of explorers seeking to make their mark[s]. Katherine, a 50-year old half-caste, denied entry to the all-male Royal Geographical Society is traveling with Mani--who she presents as her son [not] . She wants to become the first European woman to reach Lhasa. Balram, a former schoolteacher, now working as a surveyor/assistant to an English "captain" [who is disguising his origins] and traveling as a monk. The captain seeks to map a river and is constantly note-taking his finds. Although Balram is working for the captain, he is actively searching for his friend Gyan, who has disappeared and is rumored to be imprisoned. [There is much on Balram and Gyan and their backstories.]
The book alternates between the two explorers but seemed [to me] predominantly about Balram, the captain, and their bearers. Both Katherine and the captain are arrogant! And Katherine is quite the character!
One VIVID character crosses both their paths--Chetak. Whenever he entered the narrative, it became more lively.
Ambition, deception, secrets, trials and tribulations--caused by nature and humans and snow leopards and other indigenous animals..
What I REALLY liked: the beautiful descriptions--of nature/the landscape, and people. So many wonderful depictions:
"river that corkscrewed"
"elderly woman with wrinkled skin crisped almost black by the sun"
"purple-sheened sky"
"lake's surface rippled as if it was an enourmous skirt sewn out of silvery fish scales"
"men looked thin, mere outlines of their former selves"
What was lacking--the story should have been more gripping!
An unusual, original tome.
3.5, but rounding up.
November 23, 2025
I was intrigued by the premise of The Last of Earth because of its unique location in Tibet. In 1869, Europeans were forbidden from entering Tibet as it was feared they would attempt to take over the territory much as the English conquered India. The desolate and inaccessible landscape made it easy to maintain such a rule. However, two individuals look to covertly enter Tibet for different reasons. An English Captain, accompanied by an Indian surveyor and a team of bearers wants to survey a river along the southern part of Tibet. Meanwhile, a mixed race English-Indian woman, denied entry into the Royal Geographical Society, has entered to find her way to Lhasa and become the first European woman to do so.
The story alternates between Balram, the Indian surveyor and Katherine. Balram has an ulterior motive in helping the Captain - he’s looking for his friend Gyan, who went missing on a prior mission and was believed captured.
The writing totally captures the place and time. It’s lush, with vivid details of the landscape. Anappara makes it easy to envision each scene. But I can’t say the book totally worked for me. It moves at a snail’s pace and while there are multiple trials - snow leopards, bandits, injuries and illnesses, storms, the loss of animals - it all felt at a remove. And both main characters felt less than fully developed. The most captivating character is Chetak, who travels alone and whose motives are unknown. He interacts with both groups. I give Anappara credit for a very different ending than I would have ever envisioned.
The book explores the themes of freedom or independence, ambition and duty. But no theme is really examined in depth.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
The story alternates between Balram, the Indian surveyor and Katherine. Balram has an ulterior motive in helping the Captain - he’s looking for his friend Gyan, who went missing on a prior mission and was believed captured.
The writing totally captures the place and time. It’s lush, with vivid details of the landscape. Anappara makes it easy to envision each scene. But I can’t say the book totally worked for me. It moves at a snail’s pace and while there are multiple trials - snow leopards, bandits, injuries and illnesses, storms, the loss of animals - it all felt at a remove. And both main characters felt less than fully developed. The most captivating character is Chetak, who travels alone and whose motives are unknown. He interacts with both groups. I give Anappara credit for a very different ending than I would have ever envisioned.
The book explores the themes of freedom or independence, ambition and duty. But no theme is really examined in depth.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Envision 1869. Tibet—the forbidden Kingdom—remains closed to white men, who may be executed if discovered within its borders.
A British man and a British woman set out separately from India to Tibet. An English surveyor—the Captain—sets out with an experienced Indian surveyor and a team of bearers, planning to discover the source of the Tsangpo River. The Captain attempts to disguise himself by dying his skin and wearing the robes of a Hindu priest. Katherine Westcott, who’s Anglo-Indian, sets out with a single servant, hoping to visit Lhasa.
Deepa Anappara’s The Last of Earth follows the Captain and Westcott and their crews through their journeys across the Himalayas, then into Tibet, and eventually back to the Indian border under guard, diminished, ill, and defeated in others’ eyes but less so in their own. The Last of Earth is replete with atmospheric portraits of mountains, winds, cold, snow leopards, brigands, and soldiers eager to capture western intruders. The reader feels the bodily insults, the hardships, and the near constant dangers of the two trips. But nonetheless, the journeys sometimes feel strangely languid.
The Last of Earth reads like an outside-of-time adventure, with two misguided, often naive adventurers from different backgrounds with different aims, desires, and beliefs. It’s good fun, but wrap yourself in your warmest gear before you start reading.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House for access to this advanced reader’s copy.
Four stars
A British man and a British woman set out separately from India to Tibet. An English surveyor—the Captain—sets out with an experienced Indian surveyor and a team of bearers, planning to discover the source of the Tsangpo River. The Captain attempts to disguise himself by dying his skin and wearing the robes of a Hindu priest. Katherine Westcott, who’s Anglo-Indian, sets out with a single servant, hoping to visit Lhasa.
Deepa Anappara’s The Last of Earth follows the Captain and Westcott and their crews through their journeys across the Himalayas, then into Tibet, and eventually back to the Indian border under guard, diminished, ill, and defeated in others’ eyes but less so in their own. The Last of Earth is replete with atmospheric portraits of mountains, winds, cold, snow leopards, brigands, and soldiers eager to capture western intruders. The reader feels the bodily insults, the hardships, and the near constant dangers of the two trips. But nonetheless, the journeys sometimes feel strangely languid.
The Last of Earth reads like an outside-of-time adventure, with two misguided, often naive adventurers from different backgrounds with different aims, desires, and beliefs. It’s good fun, but wrap yourself in your warmest gear before you start reading.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House for access to this advanced reader’s copy.
Four stars
June 9, 2025
I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Set in 1869 Tibet, the book follows a schoolteacher spy for the British and an English lady explorer. Tibit is closed to Europeans, which angers the British Empire as it looks to expand. As a response, Britain trains Indians who can cross their own borders to spy. Balram, a schoolteacher, and his friend, Gyan, both spy for the British. But Gyan is now missing and feared captured. Balram wants to find his friend, and in an effort to do so, agrees to escort an English captain who wants to personally chart a river in Tibet. The captain disguises himself as a monk to do so. It is then that they encounter another Westerner - Katherine, who is 50 years old and wanting to prove women can explore, too. Going through Tibet brings all sorts of trials to Balram and Katherine's journey, from natural to man; it becomes an arduous journey.
The author did an excellent job of writing very compelling and greatly detailed characters. They not only have to work against nature and outside forces, but also learn to work through their internal issues. I really enjoyed being transported to a different time and place that I knew little about; the author brought these details to the pages wonderfully.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author did an excellent job of writing very compelling and greatly detailed characters. They not only have to work against nature and outside forces, but also learn to work through their internal issues. I really enjoyed being transported to a different time and place that I knew little about; the author brought these details to the pages wonderfully.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2025
1869 Unlikely travelers on a quest to Lhasa Tibet have much to fear but for two groups of outsiders it can mean their death if caught. A British Captain has dyed his skin and his spy/ guide who is familiar with their path is tasked with getting into Tibet so the fame seeking Captain can be the first westerner mapping the route. Another westerner, along with her young guide who hopes to become a monk, wants to gain entrance into the famed Royal Geographical Society as the first western woman to enter Tibet. They are all there for various reasons and all are hiding secrets and hidden agendas. Perhaps the most secretive of all is Chetak a sort of Robin Hood bandit who glides in and out of their lives offering help. With the constant threat of capture, snow leopards, disease, bandits and storms this is a sweeping novel of adventure, the audacity of the British and colonization as well as friendship, loyalty and a chance to make things right. For fans of LOST HORIZONS and SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET this will delight both historians and historical fiction readers. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
December 4, 2025
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“The Last of Earth” is a historical fiction book by Deepa Anappara. This is the second book that I’ve recently read about Tibet, which I’m rather pleased to see hitting the shelves. This book was interesting (though a bit slow) in that Britain hires native people to spy for them (as foreigners aren’t appreciated in Tibet in the 1800s). Along the way, the two hired people (Balram and Captain) end up meeting Katherine and Mani. Katherine was denied access to join the Royal Geographic Society and wants to be the first European woman to read the capital city of Tibet and Mani is her hired guide/servant. There is also Chetak, who goes between the two groups. This is a very character driven book, with not as much character development as I would’ve liked. However, the descriptions of Tibet were lovely and the trials and events that occur were engaging. This book did take me a while to get into (see slow moving) but I think that this was an interesting book to read.
“The Last of Earth” is a historical fiction book by Deepa Anappara. This is the second book that I’ve recently read about Tibet, which I’m rather pleased to see hitting the shelves. This book was interesting (though a bit slow) in that Britain hires native people to spy for them (as foreigners aren’t appreciated in Tibet in the 1800s). Along the way, the two hired people (Balram and Captain) end up meeting Katherine and Mani. Katherine was denied access to join the Royal Geographic Society and wants to be the first European woman to read the capital city of Tibet and Mani is her hired guide/servant. There is also Chetak, who goes between the two groups. This is a very character driven book, with not as much character development as I would’ve liked. However, the descriptions of Tibet were lovely and the trials and events that occur were engaging. This book did take me a while to get into (see slow moving) but I think that this was an interesting book to read.
June 23, 2025
4.5/5 Stars
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this amazing historical novel. I have not read a historical novel in a while. This book will change that. I had a great time reading the beautiful prose and almost lyrical sentences. Thank you, Deepa Anappara, for writing this.
There are almost no books that are set in Tibet. Since this was set in the 18th century, it had a soft richness that helped you flow through the pages. The details are vivid. The world is almost tangible. This changed how I will view creative works.
This book had tension, suspense at times, and a vulnerability that was capitalized by the British. This book was very entertaining and amazing character work. Almost every character was full of life on the page. I have already recommended this book and will continue to recommend this book.
Thank you again NetGalley and Random House.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this amazing historical novel. I have not read a historical novel in a while. This book will change that. I had a great time reading the beautiful prose and almost lyrical sentences. Thank you, Deepa Anappara, for writing this.
There are almost no books that are set in Tibet. Since this was set in the 18th century, it had a soft richness that helped you flow through the pages. The details are vivid. The world is almost tangible. This changed how I will view creative works.
This book had tension, suspense at times, and a vulnerability that was capitalized by the British. This book was very entertaining and amazing character work. Almost every character was full of life on the page. I have already recommended this book and will continue to recommend this book.
Thank you again NetGalley and Random House.
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