Cover Image: The Map of Us

The Map of Us

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Member Reviews

I didn't like or dislike this book. I found it a tad disjointed and did not have any particularly strong feelings for the characters.
Not a book that will stay with me.

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A lovely, quirky family story of love and loss throughout the generations. The cycle of live continues from grandmother to granddaughter; nature and nurture go hand in hand as mother earth continues her cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Sparkly bright read.

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Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

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I rather wish there had been more of Violet - the sudden leap to later was something that I felt could have come a little later. Fortunately, we gradually find out what happened to her, which fills in the blank spaces somewhat.
It took a little while to work out exactly what was going on, it takes a time to come together, and the book improved from that point. The characters seemed okay, and the writing was fair. I felt a few points were far-fetched, but hey, it's a story.

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I LOVE short chapters. I don't mind when a story jumps characters or time periods, but short chapters are going to make a book better no matter how terrible it really is. This was quirky, short chapters, slightly confusing but overall a great experience.

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Unique, engaging, and character-focused, Preston has managed that difficult feat of a novel that doesn’t rest on twists or a shocking plot, but instead enthralls with a human story of how we change the course of our own lives and those we meet, the consequences of our decisions, and the line between what we are responsible for and what we are merely present for. A captivating novel and a must read!

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Unfortunately I just could not get into this book. It may be one for other readers, but I was unable to finish it.

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Sweet and gentle, The Map of Us is a quirky, charming read.

The story is told through a series of short snippets from multiple characters' perspectives, each offering unique insights into the other characters and their personalities. It's certainly an unusual narrative style and although it takes some getting used to, the result is a strikingly original method of storytelling.

This is very much a character-driven story, with each character needing to overcome personal obstacles in order to find happiness. As the thread of each character comes together, more and more is revealed as the past and present come to life. Ultimately, this is a heart-warming tale where everyone is simply searching for their happily ever after.

It is delightful, unique, and unexpected. From Tilly's statistical outlook on life to Violet and Owen's dreamy love story, there is so much going on yet it all fits together effortlessly. Of course, there are some surprises along the way, but it is an enjoyable and original story.

The Map of Us is easy-to-read and thanks to its short chapters, it's ideal for dipping in and out of the story - or just devouring it in one sitting! In equal parts humorous, light-hearted, and nostalgic, this is a beautifully-written book about love, family, and finding the way home.

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The premise of the book is great and the author really delivers. Great read. Highly recommended. .

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Unfortunately I had to DNF this one. I really struggled to get into it and struggled with the format.

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Incredibly funny. A real good feel good novel that is so easy to read. I loved it and think it should be added to everyone's bookshelf. Beautifully written and explores the plot well.

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This book took me a LONG time to get into, but it was definitely worth the effort. There are a lot of characters and timelines to keep track of, and each person had a different writing style that was a little hard to get used to. But the chapters are short and the story slowly starts to tie in to make a very charming story. This isn’t really like the romance I usually read, and this time that ended up being a very good thing.

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It took me a few chapters to really get into this book as it’s just so eccentric and there are a lot of characters over a couple of timelines, but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. The chapters are very short with some being just lists, but I have to say I really did enjoy it. It’s quirky and different and the characters are quite unique. There are laughs and some sadness too. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Impulse for allowing me to review this book.

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This book has a beautiful collectiong of lovable characters - simply stunning. It's not overly emotional and that's not needed - it's just enough to be a book that gets you through a dark evening or a cold winter.

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This book was ok. I had to read it in short sections because I found the short chapters and constant back and forth between characters a little confusing. It was a quirky book for sure.

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This book surprised me by its uniqueness. There were several points of view from members of the same family and each of them was written in a completely different style. One of them was set in the past and it was very lyrical and atmospheric but I preferred the one which was set in the present and in which we followed Tilly.

Tilly's marriage has fallen apart and she is trying to understand why using her analytical skills and creating charts and diagrams, which was funny and adorable. She works at a company that does some analysis for a manufacturer of healthy protein bars so there were some discussions about the preferences of the health-conscious sector and the appearance/taste etc. of these bars, and I immensely enjoyed that part because hey, that's me, I'm the health-conscious sector! :- D

It took me a while to get into it and it could be confusing at times but overall, I was impressed by the execution and the structure of this novel. Thinking about this a while after having finished it, I might want to re-read it one day because I just really appreciate unique (but still enjoyable) books!

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I really liked the quirkiness of this book, the way it was written in short snappy chapters, the humour and just the total weirdness of the family as a whole.

The chapters are written in the first person ... even chapters from the dog! They made me smile.

The story starts with Violet North, disabled and abandoned by her horrible family, she can't walk far but she has an old blue typewriter and her imagination. It then jumps backwards and forwards with stories of Violet's life and the life of her daughter and grandaughter Tilly.

I like how the story comes full circle, it was a clever ending that made me smile.

This is one to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for the ARC

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I could not finish this book no matter how many times I tried. I just couldn't get into the characters and there were far too many books I enjoyed more that pulled me away. The characters were designed to be quirky but they just didn't hold my interest.

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I'm afraid I didn't finish this book. I tried to get into it on a number of occasions but it just fell flat. The premise was good and I was hoping that by trying a few times it would be one I'd like at the right time, but I joist found myself uninterested in the charcters. That being seeing there are many good reviews on here so I encourage others to read it for themselves as it might be one they love.

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I have finished this book a while ago but it's taken me until now to write a review. Somehow I couldn't make up my mind about it. I started off by really enjoying it. If I were to pick one word to describe it, this would be quirky. Quirky characters (and a lot of them!), quirky writing (short chapters, some of them mere lists of things or thoughts). By and large, I should have loved this as on paper it sounds like my kind of book for sure. And yet.... I nearly gave up on it a couple of times in frustration. The chapters felt too short, the characters were too eccentric (and too many!), and at times I felt it was all style over substance. In the end, I rate it as an enjoyable read, but with something definitely missing for me.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

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