A review by kaitrosereads
A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell

5.0

Cora Bradley is lost. Ever since her older brother Nate died she hasn't known what to do with herself. Her family is falling apart and she can't seem to relate to her only friend anymore.

Cora and her older brother Nate didn't actually get along very well in his final years of life but now that he is gone it seems like he was the only thing holding their family together. Her father now drowns his problems in alcohol and her mother now spends all her time focusing on how to keep Cora out of trouble. That means strict rules and basically no life.

Cora doesn't really mind at first, but then she starts to get to know Damian. Damian was in the car with her brother the night he died. She and her parents both blamed Damian for what happened to Nate, not knowing that Damian also secretly blamed himself. But what Cora doesn't know and that Damian can show her, might heal some of the rifts in her family.

I fell in love with the book from the very first page. I had never read anything by Lisa Ann Sandell before this and I was just amazed. Sandell brilliantly portrays the grief, love, and hope in Cora's heart. The details used in the book were amazing. Everything was so intricately linked and just seemed to flow off the page.

I kept turning the page wanting to know more but never wanting it to end. I would recommend this book to anybody, really. I can't say that it wasn't sad at parts but it was also such a hopeful read it leaves you feeling kind of happy and grateful for the beauty of life.