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maethereader's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.0
This was an engaging story in the beginning, then I got bored (the characters weren't especially likeable or believable) and this could have easily been a DNF... but at around the 50% mark, it picked up again, weaving together the characters' lives & pasts, and I was quite engaged from that point on. The different voices for different characters in the audiobook was quite enjoyable as well. I also found myself really liking the magical realism, mystery element, and excitement in the second half of the book. And I love that this is based on a true story! That little history section at the end, so fascinating! It makes it feel all the more magical.
Unfortunately, the magical bits did not have rules or logic, something which I had been waiting the whole time to be put together. That was quite disappointing and leaves a lot of large plot holes which make the whole story just not make sense. The second disappointment was just that the characters didn't seem super real -- many of their motivations and actions just didn't make sense (especially the "evil" character). I think if the magic in this book made sense or if the characters were genuinely believable, this would have been a favorite for me.
Unfortunately, the magical bits did not have rules or logic, something which I had been waiting the whole time to be put together. That was quite disappointing and leaves a lot of large plot holes which make the whole story just not make sense. The second disappointment was just that the characters didn't seem super real -- many of their motivations and actions just didn't make sense (especially the "evil" character). I think if the magic in this book made sense or if the characters were genuinely believable, this would have been a favorite for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
th18's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book was just fine. Nothing amazing. The writing felt juvenile and so many events were happening it felt rushed. I was irritated by the author constantly reminding us of how small the FMC was - her 'tiny frame' and how cardigans engulfed her etc.
Also she has a ton of bad personality traits that are just brushed away as her being a Young, like being too stubborn for her own good,not listening to anyone and not giving the map to the police like a sensible person after the break in and when she realised it would put a literal target on her back.
Lastly, her relationship kinda came out of nowhere after ignoring eachother the past 7 yrs. (Idk why Felix couldn't understand that she couldnt control her father firing him?!)
The nicer things:
Great idea but not great execution. It's nice that she still chose to stick with her passion for maps instead of going for a different higher paying job (though unsure how she was going to be the SENIOR researcher at NYPL 2 days after returning to the place even though she hasn't even been working in a library the past 7 yrs). Also somehow kept me reading until the end so props to the author for that.
Also she has a ton of bad personality traits that are just brushed away as her being a Young, like being too stubborn for her own good,not listening to anyone and not giving the map to the police like a sensible person after the break in and when she realised it would put a literal target on her back.
Lastly, her relationship kinda came out of nowhere after ignoring eachother the past 7 yrs. (Idk why Felix couldn't understand that she couldnt control her father firing him?!)
The nicer things:
Great idea but not great execution. It's nice that she still chose to stick with her passion for maps instead of going for a different higher paying job
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
katiecentabar's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Stalking, Murder, and Toxic friendship
flyawaybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
1.5
I wanted to love this book. I really did. The concept is amazing, but the execution really fell flat for me. I couldn't understand the motivations of any of the characters, which made the whole plot entirely unbelievable to me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
brookesinfinitebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Violence, and Murder
coreyarch9's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"She could hardly fathom it. This was academia, for crying out loud. Rivals wrote counterarguments and published rebuttal papers. They didn’t kill."
I don't know why this book was sitting on my shelf for so long - The Cartographers had everything I could have asked for! There was mystery, fantasy, ::nerdy:: maps and museums, an ambiguous ending, and a little bit of second-chance romance (but no smut, unfortunately). As somebody who prefers plot-driven novels, this book fit the bill. It was full of action and difficult to put down from start to finish! The mystery kept you guessing throughout the story. Some things I figured out, while others I got so, so very wrong. The final twist was one I called from a mile away, but that didn't make it any less thrilling upon the reveal!
What The Cartographers had in breadth, however, it lacked in depth. A good portion of the story is told through recounted stories from multiple characters with narration switching from third to first person. There were so many voices representing different pieces of the puzzle that it was a little dizzying and difficult to keep track of who was who. I'm a big fan of a multiple POV storyline, but for me, there were too many narrators, and it felt like a crutch for character development. The choppiness inhibited my ability to relate to the characters and their reasonings/actions that advanced the plot. My reading style would have leaned toward the story unfolding with clearer dual timelines told through the lens of parent and child that slowly converged as secrets were revealed and the mystery solved.
I don't know why this book was sitting on my shelf for so long - The Cartographers had everything I could have asked for! There was mystery, fantasy, ::nerdy:: maps and museums, an ambiguous ending, and a little bit of second-chance romance (but no smut, unfortunately). As somebody who prefers plot-driven novels, this book fit the bill. It was full of action and difficult to put down from start to finish! The mystery kept you guessing throughout the story. Some things I figured out, while others I got so, so very wrong. The final twist was one I called from a mile away, but that didn't make it any less thrilling upon the reveal!
What The Cartographers had in breadth, however, it lacked in depth. A good portion of the story is told through recounted stories from multiple characters with narration switching from third to first person. There were so many voices representing different pieces of the puzzle that it was a little dizzying and difficult to keep track of who was who. I'm a big fan of a multiple POV storyline, but for me, there were too many narrators, and it felt like a crutch for character development. The choppiness inhibited my ability to relate to the characters and their reasonings/actions that advanced the plot. My reading style would have leaned toward the story unfolding with clearer dual timelines told through the lens of parent and child that slowly converged as secrets were revealed and the mystery solved.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
meredith_williams_'s review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
3.0
The Cartographers was a book that had great potential, but fell flat for me. The academia setting and mystery elements were interesting. However, the pacing and execution were not very well done. The beginning was a slow build up to an admittedly intriguing mystery about the main character’s past. Once more of the backstory was revealed, I felt like I couldn’t read fast enough only for the ending to be very rushed and unsatisfying! There were too many characters to keep track of and the main character felt underdeveloped. If you’re looking for a fantastical mystery set in the world of academia, you might enjoy this. Overall, I think there are better fantasy options out there!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gun violence and Injury/Injury detail
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Cartographers is a book with lots of disparate elements which I enjoy, all combined to make a satisfying read. We’ve got elements of a campus novel, a once close friendship group that slowly becomes toxic, a murder mystery involving the New York Public Library, found family, a romance, plenty of matter-of-fact low key diversity representation, a family secret, a character with a singular obsession, magical maps with the power to transport people to hidden places, plus plenty of fascinating factual information about cartography folded in. I also enjoyed the structure which follows Nell in the present and has her learn about the past through conversations with her parents’ friends. On the downside I found a couple of the big reveals and twists easy to predict and the motivations for some characters’ actions didn’t always make sense. But overall an enjoyable read - and such a fabulous cover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
markandcover's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Gun violence and Murder
le3713's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death and Murder