Reviews with content warning for Death - The Cartographers

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave me Secret History-but they grew up vibes. Now I really want to start a map collection..

Two things that bothered me were how stereotypically not-like-other-girls Nel is, (petite, unruly hair, big glasses, big cardigans, not chic, bookish, quiet but feisty) i struggled to imagine her that way and the wording always prompted an eye roll from me. The second thing was just how easily everyone spilled their past to Nel even though it was the first time they had seen her in 2+ decades, and the fact that they included all their petty drama. It completely broke immersion for me whenever someone who was prev ously reserved started talking about what was going on in their relationship and even their sex lives. I liked the story but the way it was conveyed to the reader felt weird.

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mgdsmile's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious sad fast-paced

4.0

The Cartographers is a mysterious story about how people connect. The novel is told from Nell Young’s perspective, with stories from other characters included as they are recounted to Nell and she pieces together her revelations. I wanted to keep reading all the time - the premise and questions kept me interested. I didn’t find the ending incredibly satisfying but it was pretty good.

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cyndi1966's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jramoly's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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vhlm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It took a while for the story to properly take off, but I really enjoyed the intrigues and mysteries in the book. It would have been nice to include more information on mapmaking,

but the spin on maps and the "truth" they show was interesting.

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hmwoodward's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I enjoyed the setting of this book, the focus on maps, and that it was a mystery.

Though I predicted the villain and the twist, I didn't predict the ending. In fact, it still doesn't entirely make sense to me. Maybe it will after I sit with it more? On track to be a 4 star read but changed to 3 due to this unsatisfying ending.

I listened on audiobook and can't say this was my favorite narrator. There were several narrators, yet the main female narrator still did the stereotypical gruff male voice throughout. I'd understand if it was a one woman production but that was not the case here.

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alexlily's review against another edition

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4.0

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lantheaume's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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