1867, Ryazan, a Russian city in winter. Ten-year-old Konstantin, deafened by scarlet fever, dreams of flight - escaping to Moscow, fleeing to the silent stars. And his daring visions, pregnant with humanity's future, will take him further than anyone could believe.
Moving from wolf-infested forests to the brothels of Moscow, from village life to the wondrous Age of Steam, from appalling tragedy to the discovery of a great love, Konstantin tells the beguiling story of a man who imagined the unimaginable: turning the dream of space travel into a reality.
'Wonderful. Historical fiction that wears history lightly.' Observer
'Enchanting, wonderfully eloquent. A very alluring read.' Time Out
'Well-written . . . moving and expressive.' The Times
'Mesmerizing intensity . . . daring . . . Konstantin fascinatingly brings us an imagined portrait of a boy turning into a man that refuses to give us any simple solutions.' The Times Literary Supplement
'A charming novel, sensitively told.' Prospect
