mar's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
really neat mystery/magic realism story concept that gets weighed down by confusing character motivations and plot holes :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gun violence and Stalking
my_weird_bookish_heart's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Death of parent
booksarebutter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Murder
kit_lit's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I would have preferred more magical realism and map neediness. About halfway through it becomes much more of a typical thriller with folks getting murdered left and right.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Fire/Fire injury
renyoi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Really engaging text on cartography, interpersonal relationships, and familial dynamics. Author is good at making complex ideas understandable, but falls short near the end of the book in making her character motivations understandable, . Thoroughly enjoyable ready with fully fleshed out characters you will absolutely grow to care for deeply, even when they make seemingly nonsensical decisions. Recommended!
Spoiler
specifically Wally, whose villainy went rather unexamined in any meaningful way the entire time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Stalking, Abandonment, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Infidelity and Grief
Minor: Gun violence
junowo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was such a fun read. I was a bit intimidated at first with the introduction to the complex academic world of maps, but Shepherd guides the reader through it expertly, making it still feel complex without losing you.
The characters were well written and defined throughout the book, and I found myself impressed by how they all held such individual voices in the story.
I think my only disappointment comes in the ending.
Overall, I highly recommend the book! It puts a fun and interesting spin on a mystery and brought me into the world of maps, which I never would’ve thought I would be interested in, but nonetheless I’m fascinated by now!
The characters were well written and defined throughout the book, and I found myself impressed by how they all held such individual voices in the story.
I think my only disappointment comes in the ending.
Spoiler
I felt that Wally’s motivations for his actions weren’t as clear or strong as I was expecting, and I don’t know that I’ll ever understand Tam’s decision to stay in Agloe. Swann’s death also felt a bit unnecessary.Overall, I highly recommend the book! It puts a fun and interesting spin on a mystery and brought me into the world of maps, which I never would’ve thought I would be interested in, but nonetheless I’m fascinated by now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment
mbmayo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Nell is a woman in her thirties, drawn back into her past life as an academic cartographer after her estranged father dies. A map hidden in his possession sets off a race for answers.
I can certainly agree with many of the criticisms of low rating reviewers. This was a plot heavy book with minimal character development. The characters we meet as adults bear little resemblance to their young adult selves. One of the twists is foreshadowed well enough that it is easily predictable within the first quarter of the book. The magic system can be wishy washy and you can't think about it too hard or it all falls apart.
But, those didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book. I did wish we had gotten chapters from the point of view of Daniel, Swann, Wally, or Tam. I think this would have really rounded out the motivations of the characters. Overall, I found it a fun read, one of those "Medium paced" books that's actually a slow build to a sprint at the end.
I can certainly agree with many of the criticisms of low rating reviewers. This was a plot heavy book with minimal character development. The characters we meet as adults bear little resemblance to their young adult selves. One of the twists is foreshadowed well enough that it is easily predictable within the first quarter of the book. The magic system can be wishy washy and you can't think about it too hard or it all falls apart.
Spoiler
For example, in the fire where Tam disappears, Agloe disappears around everyone else because they think all the copies of the map are destroyed. However, decades later when Nell tears up the gas station map, the city doesn't disappear around them, because there's still one more map, even though they don't know where it is and thus can't use it.But, those didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book. I did wish we had gotten chapters from the point of view of Daniel, Swann, Wally, or Tam. I think this would have really rounded out the motivations of the characters. Overall, I found it a fun read, one of those "Medium paced" books that's actually a slow build to a sprint at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Murder
sarahweyand's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I've been procrastinating writing this because I don't know where to start. This is a wonderful idea for a book and a magic system, so that's where the .5 extra stars comes in, but I can't properly describe how poorly executed this book is. The characters are flat, the romance is boring and undeserved, and the magic system is so vague and full of plot holes that nothing makes sense.
Our protagonist jumps to conclusions so fast that it's near impossible to follow her train of thought. The inciting incident for most of the plot, this 'junk box incident', makes zero sense in its fallout. Nell and Felix are INTERNS, barely out of college, and a single argument with her father "ruins" her entire career? What career? She's an intern! As our reveals happen, Nell forgives everyone pretty easily for all the horrible tings they've done and I just don't buy it.
SPOILER TERRITORY - magic system rant:
The best way I can think to express my absolute disdain for this magic system is to ask a list of questions that just shred any remaining idea that this magic was thought out:
- What if the Cartographers just drew Agloe as a dot on a piece of paper? Seems like infinite quick maps to me.
- How did Nell get 'trapped' in Agloe when the maps were destroyed, but the Cartographers didn't after the fire?
- If Nell is "trapped" in Agloe, can't she just follow the road out and...leave?
- Along these lines, can anyone make anything or alter reality? What about fantasy maps in books? Inaccurate historical maps? Poorly drawn maps by children?
- What determines if people can see the phantom settlement or not? Do they have to be looking at the map? Do they have to be within proximity of someone who is?
- If I was in the middle of a field and looked at a map that had a phantom settlement where I was standing, could the settlement appear suddenly and potentially kill me with an intersecting object?
Our protagonist jumps to conclusions so fast that it's near impossible to follow her train of thought. The inciting incident for most of the plot, this 'junk box incident', makes zero sense in its fallout. Nell and Felix are INTERNS, barely out of college, and a single argument with her father "ruins" her entire career? What career? She's an intern! As our reveals happen, Nell forgives everyone pretty easily for all the horrible tings they've done and I just don't buy it.
SPOILER TERRITORY - magic system rant:
Spoiler
The best way I can think to express my absolute disdain for this magic system is to ask a list of questions that just shred any remaining idea that this magic was thought out:
- What if the Cartographers just drew Agloe as a dot on a piece of paper? Seems like infinite quick maps to me.
- How did Nell get 'trapped' in Agloe when the maps were destroyed, but the Cartographers didn't after the fire?
- If Nell is "trapped" in Agloe, can't she just follow the road out and...leave?
- Along these lines, can anyone make anything or alter reality? What about fantasy maps in books? Inaccurate historical maps? Poorly drawn maps by children?
- What determines if people can see the phantom settlement or not? Do they have to be looking at the map? Do they have to be within proximity of someone who is?
- If I was in the middle of a field and looked at a map that had a phantom settlement where I was standing, could the settlement appear suddenly and potentially kill me with an intersecting object?
I could keep going, but I'll stop.
Overall, this was poorly done. A cool concept and decent writing absolutely ruined by horrible execution.
Overall, this was poorly done. A cool concept and decent writing absolutely ruined by horrible execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
ejanephillips's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder
emsim's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Moderate: Infidelity