Feb 5, 2022

Sunday Salon: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated BookreviewerAlso,  It's Monday: What Are You ReadingMailbox Mondayand Sunday Salon  


The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, March 15, 2022, William Morrow
Genre: suspense, cartography, speculative fiction
Source: NetGalley advance reading copy

I learned something new about cartographers and the making of maps, about collections of ancient, old, and extremely valuable graphic representations. I was intrigued by the novel's plot of six post graduate students who followed their vision of how they could create a new way of seeing and mapping the world through new methods and their fantastical, astounding new discovery. How their attempts and discovery affect a grown-up Nell, the only child in the group, the toddler belonging to the only married couple in the student unit, is the focus of this story. 


Intense and suspenseful in parts, I was doubtful in the middle of the book but then was totally pulled in by the plot and later events. 

40 comments:

  1. That is a wonderful cover design! Even when I read kindle books I like to look at the covers. I don't know if I would like the book.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  2. Sounds like a fascinating read. That cover is amazing. Enjoy your weekend!

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  3. Interesting idea. I am retired from a career which included cataloging old and rare maps.

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    1. You might like this book, then. What an interesting career!

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  4. Ooh...sounds like a good one! :)

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  5. Love the cover and, yes, this is one I would have passed on until reading your thoughts.

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    1. It's quite interesting and a good plot for speculative fiction.

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  6. I love the cover. At first I thought it was nonfiction until I saw speculative fiction. I love when we can learn new things from our fiction reading. Have a good weekend.

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    1. It's often an easier and more pleasant way to learn new things, lol.

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  7. Like Diane, I would have passed on this book until reading your thoughts. After reading the summary on Goodreads and they compared the author to V.E. Schwab, how can I resist? Thank you for sharing!

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    1. V.E.Schwab is an author I'll have to look up.

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  8. This sounds so interesting and I've seen this around lately- super curious.

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    1. It'as an unusual book and especially for me, who normally doesn't read speculative fiction.

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  9. Love this cover, and find the idea of reading about a cartographer fascinating.

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    1. Makes you want to look at maps, old and new, in a totally new way.

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  10. That's a fantastic cover, and a speculative fiction book centering on cartographers sounds intriguing. Thank you for sharing it with us. I probably would have passed this one by if I hadn't seen your review.

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    1. Glad the review helped to explain the book more clearly. I enjoyed it and am reading her first one, the award winning Book of M, another speculative fiction novel.

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  11. Added to my TBR and my "covers that I love" lists. lol

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  12. Pretty cover! I don't usually read speculative fiction, but am glad this one turned out to be a winner.

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    1. One of the few speculative fiction that I've enjoyed.

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  13. I recently made a list of books I was looking forward to in the early part of this year. It was mostly the next books in a series or books by authors I already love, but this premise intrigued me so much that I included it too. I'm glad to hear a positive review.

    Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thanks for your comment. I hope you will let us know what you think.

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  14. I love learning new information even when I am reading fiction. Sounds like this one fits that bill. My Sunday Salon post

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    1. I'll see old and new maps in a new light now.

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  15. Sounds interesting! I like learning new things when I read. Enjoy your week, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Yes, learning new things makes you appreciate a book more.

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  16. I'll have to look for this one. I like science fiction and was a Geography major in college. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  17. Good to know, I was hesitating on this one, even though the cover is so tempting!
    Here is my post: https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/02/06/sunday-post-52-2-6-2022/

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    1. Some people think the book cover makes it seem like nonfiction, though it's really a mystery and sci-fi/fantasy.

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  18. This sounds good. The cover is quite intriguing.

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    1. The cover is so detailed and I like the colors.

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  19. Cartography seems a fascinating topic .... I remember this author wrote The Book of M which was also said to be different ... I didn't actually get to it but heard about it.

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    1. I'm stalled in the middle of The Book of M right now, so many different scenarios and characters...Might get back to it later. I like The Cartographer more.

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  20. Loving the look and sound of this one.

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    1. It's quite good, for sci-fi/fantasy, which is not a genre I normally read. But I did like this one.

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I appreciate your comments and thoughts...

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