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kvensk's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cec_loves_to_read_books's review
5.0
I was really surprised where it ended up. Prepare your tissues. Utterly heartbreaking. Beautiful story about family and a slice of Australian history that many do not know about.
It wasn't the cute little story I expected it to be. But it was full of guts and heart and had me engrossed.
“...maps lie. Or at least they don't
tell the truth. They're like humans
that way.”
“My mum used to say you had two hands: one to help yourself, and one to help others ...
though I sometimes wonder the hand used to help others moves a bit slower and with less purpose than the one we use to help ourselves.”
Highly recommended.
Trigger warning: miscarriage/loss of child
It wasn't the cute little story I expected it to be. But it was full of guts and heart and had me engrossed.
“...maps lie. Or at least they don't
tell the truth. They're like humans
that way.”
“My mum used to say you had two hands: one to help yourself, and one to help others ...
though I sometimes wonder the hand used to help others moves a bit slower and with less purpose than the one we use to help ourselves.”
Highly recommended.
Trigger warning: miscarriage/loss of child
shannonsnextchapter's review
5.0
Read my full review on the Shannon A. Jade Books blog!
My The Year the Maps Changed Top 3:
- Diverse stories & perspectives
- Excellent characters
- Geographic symbolism & poetic writing
My The Year the Maps Changed Top 3:
- Diverse stories & perspectives
- Excellent characters
- Geographic symbolism & poetic writing
cassie_tee's review
4.0
What a lovely, sweet book. Great message and enjoyed reading about places I recognise.
lawbooks600's review
4.0
Representation: Kosovar-Albanian character, Asian character
Trigger warnings: Death from stillbirth, hospitalisation, racism, grief and loss depiction, displacement, deportation, blood depiction, death of a mother in the past
Read these reviews for context: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5484085865, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5176582002 and https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5436952810
7/10, after reading a not-so-great book published around a decade ago I decided to read this more recent one and wow was it worth it since I actually enjoyed this but I can surely say this is one of the heavy ones I've read and I can definitely see the parallels between this and The Thing About Jellyfish, but not so much with Wolf Hollow which I did not enjoy so where do I begin? It starts with the main character Winifred otherwise known as Fred and her family is different from other children her age and it was interesting to see a book set in Australia in the late 90s which I haven't seen since last year. Her family has changed ever since her mother died so now she has adoptive parents, she doesn't even have a grandmother and her grandfather was hospitalised early in the book.
The first half was interesting since it foreshadowed the events that would happen later on when there was news of the Balkan Wars and some refugees were reluctantly accepted into Australia. The latter half revolves around the second major plot point after Fred's family changed and that was the arrival of two characters whom I got to see for a while named Merjeme and Arta. If you thought the book was heavy enough as it is, boy is it going to get a lot more than that and even though the text size was quick to read through I still found it quite profound and full of raw emotions and several scenes packed a punch. Fred's parents whom she names by their first names Anika and Luca are expecting a baby and I anticipated it and read on to see what would happen but I was shocked when it was a stillbirth and only a few pages later there was some manipulation going on at the "safe haven" where there was an announcement telling the Kosovar-Albanians that their home was safe now when it was all an attempt to just deport them and some of them went back including Merjeme and Arta which was sad, at least one refugee managed to obtain a permanent asylum. Not to mention the interesting imaginative analogies involving maps, who knew? Also liked the representation of Asians in this, nice touch but why is Trung named Jed, his original name is perfectly fine.
Trigger warnings: Death from stillbirth, hospitalisation, racism, grief and loss depiction, displacement, deportation, blood depiction, death of a mother in the past
Read these reviews for context: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5484085865, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5176582002 and https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5436952810
7/10, after reading a not-so-great book published around a decade ago I decided to read this more recent one and wow was it worth it since I actually enjoyed this but I can surely say this is one of the heavy ones I've read and I can definitely see the parallels between this and The Thing About Jellyfish, but not so much with Wolf Hollow which I did not enjoy so where do I begin? It starts with the main character Winifred otherwise known as Fred and her family is different from other children her age and it was interesting to see a book set in Australia in the late 90s which I haven't seen since last year. Her family has changed ever since her mother died so now she has adoptive parents, she doesn't even have a grandmother and her grandfather was hospitalised early in the book.
The first half was interesting since it foreshadowed the events that would happen later on when there was news of the Balkan Wars and some refugees were reluctantly accepted into Australia. The latter half revolves around the second major plot point after Fred's family changed and that was the arrival of two characters whom I got to see for a while named Merjeme and Arta. If you thought the book was heavy enough as it is, boy is it going to get a lot more than that and even though the text size was quick to read through I still found it quite profound and full of raw emotions and several scenes packed a punch. Fred's parents whom she names by their first names Anika and Luca are expecting a baby and I anticipated it and read on to see what would happen but I was shocked when it was a stillbirth and only a few pages later there was some manipulation going on at the "safe haven" where there was an announcement telling the Kosovar-Albanians that their home was safe now when it was all an attempt to just deport them and some of them went back including Merjeme and Arta which was sad, at least one refugee managed to obtain a permanent asylum. Not to mention the interesting imaginative analogies involving maps, who knew? Also liked the representation of Asians in this, nice touch but why is Trung named Jed, his original name is perfectly fine.
backpackingbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-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? N/A
4.25
The Year the Maps Changed is a wholesome coming-of-age story that tugs at the heartstrings and explores themes of displacement, family, identity, and trusting your inner compass. Having lost her mum at a young age and never knowing her biological dad, Fred is struggling to find her place in a family with her adopted dad, his new girlfriend, her son, and a new baby on the way. During this time, Fred learns that hundreds of Kosovo refugees fleeing the Yogoslavia war will be staying in her town and befriends some of them, only to make a decision later that could have severe consequences for all involved.
This was a really lovely middle-grade read that also tackled some difficult themes really well. The story was thoroughly researched and I thought the Kosovo angle added a layer of authenticity and impact to the novel. It is a great story for teaching readers to be kind and welcoming, and the importance of providing a safe haven for those that need it.
I loved the use of map metaphors to explain stages in Fred's life and also the geographical concepts of how maps change and don't always represent the truth. There are lots of takeaways that children and adults alike can get out of this book. I, for one, didn't know anything about the Kosovo refugees and appreciated learning about that part of history. The audio was highly engaging and I would definitely recommend listening for those that enjoy short and easily digestible audiobooks.
Rating breakdown
This was a really lovely middle-grade read that also tackled some difficult themes really well. The story was thoroughly researched and I thought the Kosovo angle added a layer of authenticity and impact to the novel. It is a great story for teaching readers to be kind and welcoming, and the importance of providing a safe haven for those that need it.
I loved the use of map metaphors to explain stages in Fred's life and also the geographical concepts of how maps change and don't always represent the truth. There are lots of takeaways that children and adults alike can get out of this book. I, for one, didn't know anything about the Kosovo refugees and appreciated learning about that part of history. The audio was highly engaging and I would definitely recommend listening for those that enjoy short and easily digestible audiobooks.
Rating breakdown
- Plot/narrative - 4.1
- Writing style/readability - 4.1
- Characters - 4.3
- Diverse themes - 4.4
- Ending - 4.1
Overall - 4.2
thewanderinggrouch's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Great little book. Nice nippets of Australian 90s nostalgia. Beautiful story. The only qualm I have is that the pov is so young, but unbelievably wise. I do wish it was based more around a young teenager
_erb_'s review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
numbat's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
fast-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
3.0