Xeno Atlas's mother dies during childbirth, leaving him with his increasingly distant and absent father. Left under the care of his grandmother, Xeno becomes fascinated with her magical stories of animal spirits. After her death, his father ships him off to boarding school. Here Xeno is introduced to medieval bestiaries, books which include both real and mythical animals. He becomes obsessed with the idea of an ancient missing bestiary, the Caravan Bestiary. The Caravan Bestiary is said to be one of the first bestiaries and includes all of the animals that were left off of Noah's ark. It becomes Xeno's dream to find this bestiary, if it still exists. As Xeno grows into a young man, his goal is put aside while he fights in the Vietnam war, but the bestiary is never far from his mind. When he resumes his search, he travels across Europe, digging through ancient manuscripts and archives, and at the same time, uncovering family secrets.
I initially picked up this book, because I like mysteries where there is a search for missing artifacts, artwork, etc. But this book is so much more than that. Christopher presents a rich story with beautiful prose and complex characters. The story is not just about the search for the bestiary, but also Xeno's search for answers and acceptance of his family and himself. This was a very satisfying read, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
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