I was a smidge mislead by this book. I was expecting magical maps straight out the gate but that was not the case. This is more of a magical realism situation and we don't really get the magic till about 50% in the book when our heroine figures it out.

I did appreciate that we know who done it at about 30% and the rest of the book is just figuring out the why. Why is almost always more interesting than the who. However, I was a bit disappointed with the why. It seemed very surface and didn't quite make logical sense. It was straight emotions. Emotions with no basis. The author tried to throw a curveball at us, but it was pretty easy to figure out.

I was somewhat able to connect to the characters, but I did not care for or about Nell at any given time in the story. She was whiny, childish, and did not take any ownership of her past and her actions. And don't get me started on Felix. Just throw the whole man away. The Cartographers can stay. They were the most interesting but didn't they enough screen time.

There are so many good things in this book; however, I feel like they were not executed to the fullest. The magical map elements could've been introduced earlier and used more throughout the book. It really bordered the line of literary fiction and magical realism. The book became so predictable about 60% in. The rest of the reading was just trying to figure out if I was right. And I was.

All in all, this book is a good beginner book. If you want to dip your big toe in magic but aren't looking for a commitment, this is the book for you. If you are here for vibes and don't really nitpick clues, there are surprises in store for you. Pick it up. It is well written. It kept my attention. And I do believe there is a large population this book is meant for.

I was completely hooked by the premise of The Cartographers, but ultimately the execution fell a bit flat for me. My main trouble was with the pace -- it was much slower than I expected, even with the knowledge that, as a literary thriller, it would likely not move as fast as the typical thriller. I did love the setting, however, and thought the descriptions of the NYPL and the map world in general were fantastic.

Peng Shepherd, once again, perfectly blends reality and the fantastical into an engrossing page-turner that has something for everyone.

The best fiction stories I’ve read are those that are steeped in truth. This is where Peng Shepherd shines. Her previous novel ‘The Book of M’ was loosely based on a real event called ‘Zero Shadow Day‘ which happens when the sun reaches it’s zenith position twice a year for locations between +23.5 and -23.5 degrees of latitude and people ‘lose’ their shadows. Her short story published on tor.com ‘The Future Library’ is based on a real project where writers submit story to a trust that plants trees in Norway which they will use to publish those stories 100 years from now. The Cartographers is also is rooted in truth, but you’ll have to figure out how after you read the book.

Once i had caught wind of The Cartographers, the title alone peaked my interest. From my hobby of geocaching to perusing Google Maps with no particular destination, I’ve been fascinated with maps and the secrets they may hold. To this day I’m always curious to explore and often think of those remote places and who inhabits them. The Cartographers plays a sweet tune to the curiosity that there’s more out there that we just don’t see.

The story opens up with our main character Nell Young imagining her life as a map conservationist at the New York Public Library, touching up the “T” in ANTARTICVS in the lower right legend of the famous Frau Mauro (left image – I immediately hit the web and found this beautiful interactive version to tease your taste buds) but rather she just prints another duplication – opposite of what she was trained to do in a previous life. Nell had a former life working with her renowned cartographer father at the map division in the NYPL until an ‘incident’ which caused them to break contact with each other for the past 7 years.

As the story progresses, Nell learns of her estranged fathers death and stumbles upon some secrets that he has been withholding from her from that fateful ‘incident’. We follow Nell as she collect the pieces and clues only known to her fathers former colleagues (who had known Nell when she was a baby) about a ‘project’ he was consumed in and potentially more about her mother who she also lost when she was young. The deeper she digs the more mysterious, and dangerous, things become.

Within each ‘section’ of the book, as new key characters are introduced, we get a bit of a flashback as told from their perspective, telling Nell about their time in college with her parents. The audio narration here plays upon the multiple narrators, giving each character their own voice, though only during these flashback scenes. We learn more and more about what happened to Nell’s mother, her father’s secret ‘project’ and the power of the maps surrounding the group.

There were a couple excellent character reveals here, edge-of-your-seat moments, and questions of trust and loyalty which all lead to a fantastic read.

BONUS: After reading, do a quick search about some of the things mentioned and you’ll never look at a map the same way.

What is the purpose of a map?

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd is a mystery that is written using magical realism with the setting being our world but a touch of magic happening. The story in The Cartographers is one that is told by changing the point of view between characters and with some time spent in a past timeline.

Nell Young had followed her parents passion in life studying to become a cartographer. Nell loved that she was able to work with her father with some of the rarest maps in the world until one day they had a falling out over a cheap gas station map.

Now years later Nell gets notice that her father had passed away in his office at the New York Public Library. After all this time Nell finds that her father still had that same map that caused their separation and she finds that it’s actually incredibly valuable which leads her to investigate just why her father still had the map hidden away.

The Cartographers is the first book I’ve read by Peng Shepherd picking up after being drawn in by the lovely cover. I really thought I was going to fall completely in love with this one when I first started reading but I found that to me the pacing was on the slow side which isn’t always my favorite. The bones of the story is actually great, hidden areas on maps, but it also left some questions and gave me some open areas in the story that by the time I finished I was left with the ‘it was alright’ feeling but could’ve been a little better.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was so much fun. I don't know what exactly I was expecting when I picked up this book but what ever it was I am pretty sure this book blew my expectations out of the water. Magic, maps, mystery, and murder....this book had it all. I quickly fell in love with the concept as well as the characters and I couldn't wait to figure out how everything would play out. I really enjoyed having the brief "flashbacks" as each member of the Cartographer's told Nell what happened in the past and why she should just forget about figuring out why a particular map was so important to her father. The more Nell learned the deeper she got sucked into the mystery and I must say I felt the same way. Every time we (Nell and the reader) thought we finally got an answer to our questions it just ended up leaving us with even more questions.

Now, I won't lie, I did pick up on the "twist" probably a little earlier than the author wanted people to but that did not take away from my over all enjoyment of the book.

This was my first book by Peng Shepherd but I have a feeling this won't be my last. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works. A big thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me access to the digital arc so I could enjoy this book early.

I'll get this out of the way first: This is one of those books that seems like it was designed for special collections librarians to lose their minds over on social media. The library in the book bears basically no resemblance to any library that exists in real life (and certainly not the real New York Public Library) and there are a lot of references to dusty piles. I had to sort of turn off the part of my brain that knows this world well and remind myself that this is a work of fiction (and, in the last two-thirds or so, a fantasy novel). My guess is some people won't be able to move past how improbable the library setting is, but I think most readers will have a lot of fun with it.

And it truly is a really fun book! I never read fantasy (and didn't realize this would be fantasy until that strand of the narrative kicked in), so I'm not sure how it stacks up with other examples of the genre. There was a lot about the plot that did not make sense even based on the logic set up by the book. But! It was fast-moving and engrossing, the characters were well-drawn and made you root for them (even when their dilemmas maybe did not make a ton of sense) and I wanted to keep reading to find out how things worked out.

This book reminded me a little of Sara Gran's recent The Book of the Most Precious Substance, which I think was actually more realistic in its depiction of the rare books trade and more successful overall. But readers who liked that one should consider picking up The Cartographers.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked The Cartographers. Nell Young is a young cartographer who works on replicated maps. Her life dream was to work at the New York Public Library (NYPL) in their cartography section working with old maps. But her dream was thwarted, by her father, Dr. Daniel Young, when she presents a seemingly worthless map that sets him off, ultimately having her, and another employee, fired and blacklisted from the NYPL. The book starts with Dr. Young’s death in the NYPL, and when Nell comes to remove his personal items, she finds the same worthless map. After putting the map on an online search engine, a series of robberies and deaths, makes Nell believe that the map is not worthless and starts off on a journey that uncovers the secrets of the map, secrets in the Young family, and the discovery of “The Cartographers.”
This book was a lot of fun! It was like finding a hidden treasure and moving point to point to discover all of the secrets that treasure holds. The story reminded me a bit of The Librarian, the TBS show from a decade or so ago, as well as being an adult version of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein, the middle grade book with a cast of friends who work together to solve a mystery.
If you like mystery stories, solving puzzles, family dysfunction story, college friend group stories, then you will love this story. Thank you to #Netgalley and #WilliamMorrow for the advanced copy of #thecartographers.

This is a story about family secrets.  A passion for maps is in Nell Young's blood.  Her mother was a highly respected cartographer before her untimely death in an accident when Nell was a young child.  Her father, Daniel Young, is one of the most preeminent cartographers in the world, leading the New York Public Library's map division.  Nell followed in her parents' footsteps, getting a PhD in cartography and then interning at the New York Public Library with her father.  But when Nell finds an old, cheap gas station highway map in the Library's storage, it, seemingly out of nowhere, prompts a huge fallout with her father.  After berating her in front of the library staff, Daniel fires Nell and effectively banishes her from the field by trashing her reputation.  

Now seven years later, Nell has not spoken with her father since that fateful day.  Then, she learns Daniel was murdered at his desk with the cheap gas station map that led to their rupture hidden in his desk in a portfolio that had belonged to Nell's mother.  Given the odd circumstances of her father's muder, Nell cannot help investigating if it had something to do with the map.  She soon learns that, despite its appearance, the map is quite rare and very valuable because a mysterious collector has been hunting down all copies of the map and destroying them -- and anyone who stands in his way.  As Nell works to uncover the truth behind the map, this collector, and what her father was up to in his final days, she soon learns that her father had been hiding a secret that shaped both of their lives, those in their orbits, and the world's very understanding of the power of maps ... and that Nell herself may be in danger.

This book was a terrific mystery.  I won't give away any more details so readers can fully enjoy experiencing it, but the book was full of exciting twists and turns that kept me enthralled.  Every time I thought I had the central mystery figured out, the author surprised me.  While maps may seem like a dry topic, the author succeeded in making it a terrific context for an exciting and highly original thriller.

Highly recommended!

What make a perfect map? What's the purpose of a map?

I enjoyed Peng Shepherd's previous novel and was excited to see "The Cartographers." I loved the cover so I also got it through Book of the Month as a print copy. I read it on my kindle from NetGally and alternated with the print version to better see some of the maps.

It was a slower paced novel than some that I read... however, I ended up loving it. 4.5 stars! Especially after reading the author's note and the inspiration for the story... maps always fascinated me as a kid. I think anyone who has spent time pouring over maps, tracing roads or towns will enjoy this story. The story was magical and mysterious all in one. Highly recommend.

There will be slight spoilers in this review but not any major ones, so please proceed with caution. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the first line, but towards the middle it started to droop, and there was a while where I couldn’t pick it back up. I really liked the mystery and story, but I feel that some things weren’t fully explained, like how the phantom settlements are magic. I thought that was a great concept that could’ve been explained a little more, but I still enjoyed it. I was thrilled with every twist and turn except for one at the very end that I personally thought was unnecessary. I liked all the characters, and I particularly liked when the POV switched, and it was as if we were Nell. It was a great way to intertwine the book and the reader. Overall, this was a wonderful read.

The Cartographers - Peng Shepherd ⭐️ - 3
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I have mixed feelings about this book, I liked it but also didn’t feel that drawn to it. I’ve read other reviews to help get my thoughts together and I find I’m agreeing with aspects from both the negative and positive reviews.
I feel like there could have easily been a way to avoid a lot of the problems faced but maybe that could have been my lack of knowledge in the genre/ in cartography in general? I don’t really know 😕

However there was aspects I really liked, including the whole concept of the book - it was giving me National Treasure vibes! And maps this book a has couple maps in the first half! 🗺 I really enjoyed the flashbacks to the past from different characters and the intertwining of characters.

Majority of the twists and turns kept me on my toes but others I did see coming, and I found some of the information a lot to take in, but that could be for my lack of knowledge in the area or the fact that I don’t really read fantasy books and this to me had some elements of that, which also could explain why I felt a little lost about 3/4 of the way through.

Thank you to William Murrow and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of "The Book of M" and how much it shocked me when I read it, from its apocalyptic plotline to the character work and the final desperate and tragic act. I was very excited to get my hands on "The Cartographers," and I am pleased to say that it worked for me, though I think it falls a bit short of what I was hoping for.

Nell is a cartographer, like her father and her late mother before her. But she's been disgraced and cast out of that world -- and it takes her father's mysterious death to bring her back into it. Everything hinges on one map that changed everything for everyone Nell holds dear and will wreak havoc she never imagined. What is the purpose of a map? this book asks. And what harm can it do?

"The Cartographers" was successful in taking something absurd and making it feel real. The magical realism of Shepherd's writing remains breathtaking, but I think here the character work suffered. There was a lot about maps and about cartography and about the technical stuff, and less about the way people reacted to what was happening around them -- and a lot happened. Nell felt shallow and jaded in a way that went beyond the expository climax, which in itself felt almost unbelievable. Her father had so much sway that she was ostracized because he said so, even when everyone knew he was over the top in his anger? The cast of supporting characters was great, though, and sometimes I wished we spent more time with them. The main character reveal of the book felt weak, but maybe my spotting of it early on was just luck. At the same time, his villainy felt cartoonish and sinister in a way that I don't know was intended -- I'm going to call his motivations and actions Snape syndrome (IYKYK). Also, the amount of death on-page and off was dramatic and plot-serving, but the reactions to each one by the characters were much more muted than I expected.

Spoilers ahead:
My final thought is I think the last act of the book would have been better served by tragedy. I think if Tam had been dead the whole time, if Wally had done all of this for nothing and then Nell sacrificed herself in the downfall, that would have been a much better conclusion. Part of "The Book of M"'s lasing impact was the tragic final act and the reveal that you had been so hopeful for nothing. But the idea that Tam was alive was a bit much to begin with, and then her saving the day at the expense of her daughter felt cheapened, since it was too good to be true.

All of those criticisms aside, I thought the found-family was great and the idea of maps taking you somewhere is magical. I really wish they had finished the initial Dreamer's Atlas, though, since it sounds so cool!

3.5-4 stars.

Adventurous and imaginative aren’t words on the forefront of my mind when I think about a novel that centers around maps, but that is exactly how I would describe THE CARTOGRAPHERS.

Nell Young is an ambitious cartographer seeking to get back into the good graces of the New York Public Library after a falling out with her father over a simple gas station map. As multiple murders unfold, Nell realizes that this map may not be so simple after all. Nell discovers an unexpected world filled with secrets from the past that someone desperately wants to stay hidden.

The novel is based on the history of mapmakers intentionally creating “phantom settlements” on their maps to catch copyright thieves. With a solid mystery at its center and a rich cast of characters, there is a lot to love about this one.

I am often skeptical of books with aspects of magical realism, but in this case the story felt rooted enough in reality that it really enhanced the plot. I actually appreciated the escape this light layer of fantasy offered! I love how this novel made me consider the history of maps and their importance of connecting people across time and space.

I had the opportunity to participate in a fascinating author discussion with Peng Shepherd which truly deepened my appreciation for the story as well as the art of cartography. This is also a March Book of the Month selection and I hope many readers will discover this uniquely innovative story!

A big thank you to the @thoughtsfromapage podcast and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced electronic copy through the Patreon early readers program in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: March 15, 2022

Maps? Magic? Murder Mystery? Those could be some of my favorite M words out there. So I was automatically sucked in by the synopsis. As a lover of maps and books, I felt a pull to not only the title, but the cover.

I loved the plot of this book. I felt using mistakes in maps, as well as, magical realism was a perfect mix. The magic felt just enough, but did not distract from the story. It did not need a whole ton of world building, as the story unfolded that so naturally. Watching Nell piece together the history of her parents is wonderfully done as we meet people from the most important part of their lives. These characters flow in effortlessly and help move the story along with their own well placed flashbacks. I loved the flashbacks as much as the present day story because both were needed to let this mystery come together. And it sure did come together.

I personally did not find Nell to be the strongest protagonist personality wise and Felix was kind of just a lump to be honest. It was almost like Nell was a side character because this truly was a story of her parents history. But I sure did love the ending.

Overall, I am giving this 5 stars because it made me happy. Is this per say the strongest 5 star read? Not so much. But it really did have my favorite pieces put together into one book and for that I thank Ms. Shepherd.

The Cartographers swept me away into a mysterious world of maps. I am completely taken with Peng’s writing. This is my first book by this author, and my first book about a cartographer.

The Cartographers is more modern day magic than I am accustomed to reading. The book is not in your face fantasy. But rather, there’s small magical elements throughout allowing for a slow burn. Though I suppose, The New York Public Library is akin to a castle in this book.

Peng delivers flashbacks and multiple POVs amazingly well! The multiple POVs and flashbacks were a bit surprising at times, yet rarely did I feel the need to navigate back a few pages.

If you enjoy magic, mysteries, and maps, I highly recommend this book! I truly enjoyed every moment of this book!
Thank you to @turnthepagetours for including me in The Cartographers tour. Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers for the gifted copy.

This is my first book by Peng Shepherd, but now I want to go read her other one! Shepherd's new novel was so fun to get lost in! Full of mystery, family drama, "treasure hunts", decades old secrets, lies, murder and magical maps it truly has something for everyone.

This book was so good, and I really enjoyed it! Did I read this book in only 2 days?! Yes, yes I did. Found Family is one of my favorite tropes, and I absolutely loved the found family aspect of this book.

I loved the dual timelines and the multiple POVs between the old friends. We also get the POVs of Nell and Felix. I loved Nell, but I didn't care much for Felix or reading his POV (but I enjoyed the rest).

I figured out a few of the twists, but just when I though I had this story figured out BAM I was fooled again! I love it when I can't figure out a story completely. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but I didn't really like the ending! It had such a buildup through the whole book, and then the final meeting felt rushed and somewhere unrealistic. The last page though - loved that!!

𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙: Yes ✅
𝙋𝙪𝙗 𝘿𝙖𝙮: March 15, 2022
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 4.5/5
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪: William Morrow & Harper Collins for this gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒔 & 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒂𝒚!

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The Cartographers
by Peng Shepherd

If you're old enough, you remember those now obsolete road maps. The ones your mom could never quite fold as, from the passenger seat, she navigated the summer road trip. While the kids bartered over space in the rear of the station wagon, mom shouted directions to your father behind the wheel.

This beautifully crafted mystery revolves around a magical roadside map and the people who will do anything to get their hands on it. As readers travel from New York City to surrounding small towns to uncover a dangerous secret, they also learn the history behind phantom settlements and why cartographers hide intentional errors.

I'm not typically a fan of fantasy or magic, but I love history and the New York Public Library. So! This novel grabbed me from page one.

Thank you to Turn the Page Book Tours, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It’s been awhile since I sat down with a 400 page novel and read it from cover to cover in one day. A loooong while. Books like The Cartographers, however, make it seem like the easiest thing to do in the world!

This story follows Nell, a struggling ex-scholar/cartographer who is trying to deal with her place in the world after her reputation was ruin. What makes it worse is that is was ruined by none other than her father, a legend in the cartographer world. Nell tries to not be bitter with her lot in life, but she hasn’t spoken with her father in seven years and she plans to keep it that way. That is until her father’s body is discovered in his office at the New York Public Library. Suddenly, Nell finds herself thrust back into the world of cartographer and on the trail of a secret that could turn deadly.

Wow. That’s literally the word that crept out of my mouth as soon as I got to the end of this story. What. A. Ride! This novel somehow managed to capture things I love from different genres and mash them all into this incredible story. It has the plot of a mystery, the pacing of a thriller, and the spark of the magical you can find in fantasy. I absolutely loved the combination and instantly want more! I was enraptured with this story from the end of the first chapter and simply could not put the book down.

Yesterday was a rare day off for me. I had all these grand plans of tasks I needed to get done. I did absolutely none of them. That’s how good this book was!

Now, if you’ve been around the blog for any amount of time, you know my favorite thing about a book is well-written characters. This story has them in spades! Nell is fascinating to watch as she navigates the mystery surrounding her father’s death. Did she frustrate the @#$! out of me at times? Absolutely! But that happens a lot when I’m reading a mystery/thriller. I have the benefit of, ya know, not having my life directly threatened, so I can think much clearer 😂 So while Nell was mildly frustrating, I also understood why she was doing what she was doing. She reacted to the situation in a very real and human way and I loved that about her. I love characters that feel like you could actually meet them in real life. And though Nell was the central character, everyone else in this story shined, as well. I was so wrapped up in their lives and their tale that I may have gotten misty-eyed a couple of times. That’s always a good sign!

As much as I adored the character work, I think my favorite part of this novel, which goes against my norm, is the plot. I was enthralled with everything that was happening! That is the reason I finished this book in one day… I had to know what happened next! And when the more fantastical element crept in? *chef’s kiss* I was not expecting it, but I loved it! Not only was the plot fascinating, but the writing definitely sucked me in. There is something about Peng Shepherd’s writing that is so incredibly readable. I had no issue getting into the story and, by the end, I already knew I was going to read everything she had ever written. Which is, for now, just The Book of M and a short story called The Future Library, but I’m so excited to devour those, as well!

Final thoughts: This was a beautifully written, perfectly paced, and wonderful ride from beginning to end! I was captivated by everything about this novel, from the compelling characters to the unique storyline. The fact that this is a mystery wrapped in a thriller wrapped in a fantasy just made it that much better. If you enjoy a dark mystery with complex characters and a touch of the fantastic, I think you would enjoy The Cartographers!

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

The Cartographers depicts a world where maps have unusual powers over physical reality. The concept is fascinating, though frustratingly slow to develop in a narrative that alternates between the present and recent past.

Nell in a young woman with a life shaped by maps. She was fired from a coveted job at the New York Public Library map collection by her own father after a spat. When she’s notified of his death, she finds the map that caused her firing hidden in his office, and realizes the cheap gas station map leads to a town that isn’t real but is worth killing over.

The ending left me profoundly unsatisfied. I was left with a lot of questions and was annoyed that the big matter of HOW these things came to be was never addressed at all. The identity of the antagonist was also apparent was pretty early on.

What a ride! As someone who has two maps on her walls (I probably would shop at Classic 😉) I knew I had to read this. This book was super interesting, distinctive and just outright enjoyable! I love when books have maps in them and I was immediately sold on a whole book about maps. The characters were enticing and I enjoyed how the multiple POVs throughout the book provided insight into the backstory of the group. I almost forgot that this had a fantasy element to it as it was very subtle until it wasn’t.