riverdogbookco 's review for:

The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar

5.0

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Scheherazade's "The Thousand and One Nights" meets Alan Gratz's "Refugee" in this important debut novel. A 12th century fable about an apprentice mapmaker is interwoven with a modern-day Syrian refugee searching for home, as the plot follows both girls through the Middle East, encountering tremendous dangers and immense acts of kindness. A must-read for teens and adults, this is an incredibly moving and lushly described story of family and friends, meaningful culture, changing landscapes, and universal hope.

There are parts that will make your heart stop and parts that will make it beat again. It's an incredible force, with the most vivid descriptions that made me long to see, smell, and taste everything described.