This book really delves into the good, the bad and the ugly of the trip so many people took in the 1970s, as told by Joyce decades later looking back on the life defining trip. There’s a sense of foreboding all the way through, as we are told things didn’t go according to plan, and we’re left on the edge of our seats waiting for it all to go wrong.

Joyce is an interesting narrator that really forces the reader to read between the lines and think about what she says vs. what she means. She’s frustrating and even unlikeable at times, but her perspective added a lot of complexity to the story that I really enjoyed.

This is a unique story with fascinating takes on class, friendship, travel and privilege. Once I got a feel for the writing style, Overland was so hard to put down. The last half of this book in particular had me so hooked! The way Khan writes place is so descriptive and beautiful, it was one of my favourite things about the book.

'This is my side of the story. My recollection of these events matters, you understand? I played my own modest part in history. So, do me one thing: promise me that our overland journey won't be forgotten.'

Thank you NetGalley, and Head of Zeus for providing me with an ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

This recounted story is narrated by Joyce, a 24 year old divorcee, who is hopelessly, unreliably obsessed with 'her boys,' as they traverse the hippie trail. From the very beginning of the book, you are aware of the pedestal she places the boys—more specifically, Fred—on.
Joyce spents their trip carrying many prejudices, that seem to be a product of her parents. She believes herself to be unlike the hippies, or the freaks, despite the fact she is travelling the hippie trail, with the hippies & freaks. Many times I found myself disagreeing with Joyce; her thoughts were truly, and honestly, maddening to read. Her character succeeds in making you think about many topics, in that way.
Early on, she decides that she is 'above' Fred's charms. She decides she must make herself 'indespensable' to him. Quite honestly, Joyce fails. Fred revolved in her mind, and that was evidently clear by how the story fucused on him, despite some events of their trip.

The writing style for the narrative took a while to get used to, and even by the end I still experienced some confusion on what was said due to lack of quotation marks. Though I almost enjoyed that fact when considering that this is, after all, a recount of 50 year old events; who truly remembers the exact quotes from such a time ago?
I became bored by some areas in this book, it felt as though it dragged around the middle, and I really craved something more.
Overall, Overland scratched the historical fiction itch that I didn't even know I had.

A beautifully weaved story of three friends making the journey from England to India in the 1970s. The author writes setting and place so brilliantly, and I thought the story was expertly crafted. Issues such as class and British imperialism are handled incredibly well, and the dynamic between the three characters was fantastic. Definitely one I'll be recommending to friends!

3.5
This was a lovely little book. It told the tale of Joyce who embarks on a journey with two strangers. Joyce is an unlikeable narrator, very judgemental and slightly obsessed with 'her boys' but I think that made me enjoy the story all the more.
It was obvious something big and bad was going to happen but I honestly did not expect that, my little heart broke.
I think it touched on some really important topics such as class, drug abuse and mental health problems.
I do feel it could of moved a little faster and sometimes it was hard to tell who was talking as their was a lack of quotation marks/separation in the grammar but maybe this will be fixed prior to release.

Join Joyce, Freddie, and Anton on their wild ride from London to Kathmandu in a vintage Land Rover. Khan paints a vivid picture of the 1970s, blending adventure with intrigue as secrets unravel and destinies collide. With each mile, the tension mounts until the shocking truth is finally unearthed. Full of nostalgia and suspense, "Overland" is a gripping tale of friendship, betrayal, and the power of redemption. Buckle up for an unforgettable journey that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Overland is a novel about three young people in 1970 who go on a road trip to India, and it doesn't go as expected. Joyce sees an ad in the paper in London for going to Kathmandu by van and before she knows it, she's off with aristocratic Freddie and academic Anton, best friends from boarding school, leaving her suburban life behind. As they travel, Joyce gets closer to the boys, but Freddie is trying to escape his family by any means necessary and he and Anton have very different ideas about their trip, as well as the secrets hiding in Freddie's father's past.

Told by Joyce looking back decades later, the narrative unfolds with an unreliable edge, with Joyce positioning herself—and even Freddie and Anton—as very different to the hippies, the "freaks", also making the overland journey. This idea of seeing yourself as different, as privileged, runs throughout the book, with class and wealth differences vital between the three main characters, but also in their interactions with everyone else. This provides a commentary on the very journey, and the idea of who is able to drop everything in their life to suddenly travel so far. The story itself meanders like their journey, with a lot of hints early on of things going wrong, and then a faster paced ending, though still quite clouded through Joyce's determination to minimise her part in anything. A lot of the hints towards the later narrative don't quite go anywhere, but with an unreliable narrator it can be hard to tell how intentional this is.

Joyce's position as narrator and character is fascinating: a narrator who wants to paint her companions as extraordinary, whilst lessening her impact on the narrative (which you later discover is very much intentional). Her narration is clouded by her own judgements, and she is purposefully a figure of conformity despite having gone on such a hippy trip, believing in imperialist narratives and not wanting to question how narratives of history have been told even as she tells her own. There's a lot of reading between the lines to do—I imagine some readers will either like Joyce or be frustrated by her opinions, rather than see the point of her character traits as something to read into—and generally the book feels less about what happens, than ideas of travel, escape, privilege, and the harsh realities of combining crossing borders with a lot of drugs.

A book that is often just as much about what the narrator isn't saying than what she is, Overland is an interesting look at a specific phenomenon that plays with perspective and storytelling.

What a rich and beautiful book. While the writing style took a little to get used to, the gorgeous narration was an instant hit for me. The way Khan described the different countries, people, and places was simply divine. There was a real sense of immersion coming off the page, it was easy to picture the dust and sand of the deserts and the atmosphere of the small towns and cities. The characters were also incredibly complex, in particular I loved Joyce. Although she tends to erase herself a little from the narrative, her quiet demeanour and motherlike way of looking after her boys was heartwarming. She was also infuriating at points, allowing her privilege and naivety to get in the way and distort her view.

The ending had me in tears, and I so desperately wanted to crawl into this book and seek out answers for myself. The commentary on racism, class and Imperialism was weaved so finely throughout, adding to the story and reminding the reader of the importance of these conversations. A masterpiece of a book that transports the reader to a different world altogether.

i am rounding it up to 3.5

a woman writes her experiences of travelling through india with two strangers.


this book feels incredibly nostalgic like you are living through the characters past with them.

it’s truly fascinating to see how the relationships develop, between each person, as they are trapped in a car together. i do wish the pacing was written a bit faster, as a times it felt a bit slice of life-y.

anyone with a keen interest in learning about other cultures, religions and country would love this. it’s really interesting to read about such a diverse topic.

however the main character was too judgmental for my liking, i really disliked her at times and preferred the side characters stories.

the story touches on topics such as drug use, addiction, mental illnesses whilst traveling and it’s a powerful read.