You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
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
raquelcanread's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
Pretty entertaining! Gave me da vinci code/ national treasure vibes. If it gets picked up for a film it could be a cool adventure movie!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
amandabcook's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
kaitlinlovesbooks's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
ecn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.0
If this sounds like the book for you (and you’re also into books that are way too long and don’t care about specific incorrect details) then you’ll probably like it. Though, I can’t say the same for me.
The book was fine enough, especially if you have a lot of time on your hands and choose to read the audiobook instead. However, there were so many details (about geography and institutions specifically!!!) that I could not get past that I found laughable. While these come down to editing errors… you’d think an author would do a bit more research prior? Specifically, the geography that they describe the Catskills being as well as the house that all the friends stayed at (especially on regard to where NYC is is not at all correct). Additionally, unless I misread/misheard, the author describes the one friend as working (initially) as *University of Pennsylvania* and then later continuously refer to it later as Penn State which is…. Absolutely NOT the same institution. Maybe it’s standing out to me more bc I live in PA but it’s laughable to mix up UPenn and Penn State (the first being an Ivy League school and the other being an overreaching party school with too-committed football fans).
In terms of the story, it was fine. Way too long and could have been easily shortened. I also found the love story of the MC and her ex to be boring and did not care about their plot point at all. So he lost his dream job bc of the MC’s father… who also destroyed the MC’s career….? Seems like something you can work through if you’re as obsessed and in love as you were ten years ago. Also, I found the antagonist’s purpose to be absolutely ridiculous and not at all believable.
I also wish we would have found out more about the maps themselves !! Where did they come from? Was this the case for all maps with a hidden throw off and if not, why? I need there to be a sequel just for the sake of the author answering questions and fixing plot holes. This book is fine but good if you have a lot of time to waste and don’t care about specifics.
The book was fine enough, especially if you have a lot of time on your hands and choose to read the audiobook instead. However, there were so many details (about geography and institutions specifically!!!) that I could not get past that I found laughable. While these come down to editing errors… you’d think an author would do a bit more research prior? Specifically, the geography that they describe the Catskills being as well as the house that all the friends stayed at (especially on regard to where NYC is is not at all correct). Additionally, unless I misread/misheard, the author describes the one friend as working (initially) as *University of Pennsylvania* and then later continuously refer to it later as Penn State which is…. Absolutely NOT the same institution. Maybe it’s standing out to me more bc I live in PA but it’s laughable to mix up UPenn and Penn State (the first being an Ivy League school and the other being an overreaching party school with too-committed football fans).
In terms of the story, it was fine. Way too long and could have been easily shortened. I also found the love story of the MC and her ex to be boring and did not care about their plot point at all. So he lost his dream job bc of the MC’s father… who also destroyed the MC’s career….? Seems like something you can work through if you’re as obsessed and in love as you were ten years ago. Also, I found the antagonist’s purpose to be absolutely ridiculous and not at all believable.
I also wish we would have found out more about the maps themselves !! Where did they come from? Was this the case for all maps with a hidden throw off and if not, why? I need there to be a sequel just for the sake of the author answering questions and fixing plot holes. This book is fine but good if you have a lot of time to waste and don’t care about specifics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
shlbee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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? No
3.75
…. i LOVED the first part of this book, but about 60% of the way through it fell off. the second half felt rushed, and the twist at the end wasn’t satisfying and poorly rationalized. but i loved the premise, the world-building, and the sense of mystery. it’s a clear work of love, i just wish i loved it more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
leaflit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism
katrinarose's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
2.0
If I had read this is middle school I probably would have loved it, given it 4 stars. It has a fun original premise with an intriguing murder mystery and it’s very fast-paced and engaging. Now though, I can’t look past the gaping plot holes, cringey dialogue, questionable “magic” system, and bad character development. Most, if not all of the major conflict in the book would have been resolved if people just talked to each other. Even after it was “explained” later why (can’t say why - spoiler) Nell’s father fired her, ruined her professional and romantic life and cut her out of his life altogether for 10 years, the explanation makes no sense. This is the foundation for a large portion of the book and it is just stupid. All the character’s motivations were so underdeveloped. Another reason why this felt like a middle grade book is because every character acts and talks like a high schooler at the oldest. But Nell is supposed to be 35?! And everyone else is that age or older? I don’t understand why the author chose to make them that old when the story would’ve worked if Nell was 21 years old and at least we can imagine that her prefrontal cortex was not yet done developing to explain the stupid stuff she does. If I got more into the plot I could rant more but I don’t want to hate on it too much, at the end of the day it’s a cute little middle grade mystery that I’d recommend for those ages and that’s it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury