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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I found this a bit disappointing because I expected a different story. This book for the most part is disaster and emergency management, whereas I had expected and wanted more of a discussion about society (gentrification, distribution of resources, etc.), which were only touched upon briefly.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Interesting concept. Weak execution.
I wish the book did more. It's both about the unmapping but also not about the unmapping. We could have removed the unmapping in favour of any other disaster and the book wouldn't be any different. If you have a concept as interesting as the unmapping why isn't it a bigger part of the story? Yeah, everyone talks about it constantly and it is within the story as a looming presence and yet it isn't quite as integrated as I would have liked. Mostly because a lot of the story is told to us and the narrative is very fast so we don't have a lot of time to marinate.
There are a lot of characters in here. They don't get enough time. If we had more of a third person omniscient narrative it maybe could have worked better.
And there are threads that are often left hanging for long stretches of time. Like Antony, or Esme's fiancee. It was easy to forget them and whenever we're reminded we didn't get much in the way of progression.
The writing is mostly great. Julia Wheland’s narration makes the book better.
I wish the book did more. It's both about the unmapping but also not about the unmapping. We could have removed the unmapping in favour of any other disaster and the book wouldn't be any different. If you have a concept as interesting as the unmapping why isn't it a bigger part of the story? Yeah, everyone talks about it constantly and it is within the story as a looming presence and yet it isn't quite as integrated as I would have liked. Mostly because a lot of the story is told to us and the narrative is very fast so we don't have a lot of time to marinate.
There are a lot of characters in here. They don't get enough time. If we had more of a third person omniscient narrative it maybe could have worked better.
And there are threads that are often left hanging for long stretches of time. Like Antony, or Esme's fiancee. It was easy to forget them and whenever we're reminded we didn't get much in the way of progression.
The writing is mostly great. Julia Wheland’s narration makes the book better.
Just wish the story was a little more focused.
Ugh this breaks my heart but I’m not invested and don’t think I’m reading this at the right time. Will come back!
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A wonderful read that was especially poignant and a salve right now, as I’ve been living through a very-real but nevertheless very-strange ongoing emergency. This novel traipses through various points of view, moving from person to person and narrating their experiences of a city in crisis: New York City has suddenly become “unmapped,” meaning that its buildings have all changed places, switched streets and neighborhoods, scrambling the familiar landscape like a messy jigsaw puzzle. No one knows why and how it happens, but everyday at 4AM, the city scrambles again.
Two main characters, Esme and Arjun, work in the city’s emergency department, trying very hard to keep people safe in this changed and constantly changing world, all while dealing with their own personal issues. I really loved these characters, their intricate lives and specific fears, and how they can be both total losers and really competent at their jobs. We then get a bunch of other characters—mostly unnamed—who all live and work and wait in the city while uncertainty reigns.
And really, so much of dealing with emergencies and with a changing world is about waiting. You predict possible scenarios. You wait for alerts or for information or for help. You anticipate how things can go wrong, or go right. You scramble to survive. It was remarkable to read about the extreme events of the novel and then looking around at my own world thinking, yep, this is exactly how emergency protocols work in the real world. And as much as there is organization in the chaos, it’s still just that insane.
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
I really enjoyed the central theme of this book and it was read brilliantly - I ended up listening to the audio. I though the set up and main characters were written well and I got to know them and like them.
I loved the Unmapping itself as a concept and a response to climate change that made the plot unpredictable in the best way. I guess this is one of those books that gets so many props for concept just up front because it felt so beautifully put together. And the beginning! All the descriptions of the unmapping itself were gorgeous and I don't really know New York at all.
I also liked the main storyline. There were a lot of character vignette's which I mostly enjoyed, though some people could have gotten names earlier in the book. I also think two of the storylines were not central enough to the plot to keep me interested and I actually found one of the plotlines a bit annoying / dull. I really enjoyed our MC Esme when she was at work and talking through everything that was happening (it felt very Murderbot in that it was complex and intense and many many words but I still wanted to keep reading all of them), but things that felt too separate from the 'disaster' somewhat frustrated me.
That said, moments in this book really made me feel (literally, shouting into nothing at some of the character's actions) and that was a result of good tension building and intensity. And that cover! And the audiobook narrator was amazing.
(I got the ARC but then I actually bought it... what does that count as?!? Chaos brain?)
I loved the Unmapping itself as a concept and a response to climate change that made the plot unpredictable in the best way. I guess this is one of those books that gets so many props for concept just up front because it felt so beautifully put together. And the beginning! All the descriptions of the unmapping itself were gorgeous and I don't really know New York at all.
I also liked the main storyline. There were a lot of character vignette's which I mostly enjoyed, though some people could have gotten names earlier in the book. I also think two of the storylines were not central enough to the plot to keep me interested and I actually found one of the plotlines a bit annoying / dull. I really enjoyed our MC Esme when she was at work and talking through everything that was happening (it felt very Murderbot in that it was complex and intense and many many words but I still wanted to keep reading all of them), but things that felt too separate from the 'disaster' somewhat frustrated me.
That said, moments in this book really made me feel (literally, shouting into nothing at some of the character's actions) and that was a result of good tension building and intensity. And that cover! And the audiobook narrator was amazing.
(I got the ARC but then I actually bought it... what does that count as?!? Chaos brain?)
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
tense
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
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
In the same vein as The Measure, The Unmapping follows an unlikely cast of slightly interconnected characters who are presented with a life-changing problem. They They wake one day to find that everything they thought they knew about the world has changed. Instead of using action-packed sequences to keep us entertained, the author presents a variety of real world problems and situations that the average person would never expect to happen if the unmapping were really to occur.
This was one of the most thought-provoking books that I have ever read and I understand now why it was so deeply recommended. The author took so many artistic liberties and I loved every second of them.
This was one of the most thought-provoking books that I have ever read and I understand now why it was so deeply recommended. The author took so many artistic liberties and I loved every second of them.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wish this book had more to say. When reading the description and getting into the book, I was extremely interesting by the core concept of the unmapping. Imagine your hometown constantly reorganizing. One night you live next to your best friend, the next you live next to a dump. It’s unpredictable, unstudied, and unfamiliar. Now imagine this happening in New York City, a city that is lively and full of the most interesting people you know. This concept was extremely promising, and yet I feel as though the book missed the mark. I ended up feeling like this book tried its best to make a statement, but wasn’t strong enough to stand ten toes down on it. If it hadn’t sort of tiptoed around and just never mentioned the message at all, I wouldn’t have felt this way, but mentioning this “controversial” topic at all raised my expectations to a place that the book just didn’t meet.
At its best, The Unmapping told interesting stories about people struggling with this new phenomenon and what it means for their already messy lives. At its worst, this book either didn’t have a whole lot to say or didn’t take it far enough for it to stick.
Thank you to NetGalley, Denise S. Robbins, and Mareas for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
A really interesting idea, buildings and landmarks constantly relocating in cities all over the place. It leaned more into characters than sci-fi, which took some of the excitement of the premise away. I did find the characters fun to follow, though the Christmas tree thing still has me confused.