As a young boy Xeno Atlas learned of an ancient book called the ‘Caravan Bestiary’ that contained stories of all the animals who had been denied safe passage on Noah’s ark: the manticore, the unicorn, the sphinx, to name of a few. An isolated youth whose mother died giving birth to him - and whose father resents him for it - Xeno is raised by his grandmother and her tales of animal spirits. When his grandmother dies and Xeno is shipped off to boarding school a teacher tells him of the Caravan Bestiary, and herein begins Xeno’s quest to find the book, which has been lost for hundreds of years. During his school years he begins researching fantastical beasts, taking notes in spiral bound notebooks, and when he is drafted some years later for the Vietnam War it is only Xeno’s desire to find the bestiary that prevents him from succumbing to his traumatic wartime memories. Soon his father dies and leaves him with a fortune - a mysterious occurrence since Xeno’s father was a sailor - and Xeno finds himself able to travel the world looking for the bestiary. His quest takes him to libraries from Hawaii to Europe, even an unlikely friendship with a seance master, each step revealing clues that take Xeno one step closer to his goal. Xeno’s story is a fascinating one at first, punctuated by his melancholic passion for mythology and a frustrated love for his childhood friend, Lena. However, though the conclusion matches the overall tone of the book it was unsatisfying. Many questions are left unanswered, which is in keeping with Xeno’s mysterious search, but I couldn’t help wishing for more from the author.