Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This follows two plotlines in different timelines - Rawiya's in the 1200s, and Nour's in 2011. I think the framing of this is well done; the storytelling aspect (and travel route/life journey parallels) of Rawiya's life made it a good parallel to Nour's story. But if you're going to do parallel plotlines, they should be well-balanced! Unfortunately I was never very interested in the historical plotline, and that seems common looking at reviews. I think it would have made a fine fantasy book on its own, but compared to the emotional depth of Nour's story it suffered.
I like Joukhadar's writing a lot though. It's very engaging and lyrical, but (usually) not overly so. We don't ever get that much information about the broader conflict in Syria or the middle east, which is an interesting but understandable choice. Our narrator is a child, who wouldn't have a full understanding. And though the places in this story are very specific, the lack of information about the conflict serves to broaden this into a story about the general refugee plight, rather than just the Syrian refugee plight. I think it's really well crafted.
Loved the synesthesia representation, too.
Loved the synesthesia representation, too.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Definitely slow at spots but finally sat down and read through the last 100+ pages this morning and I mean it definitely is heartbreaking and hopeful and beautiful. And two groups of characters going on the same journey through the world centuries apart?? I ate that up. Several tears shed
In the end, love and family, THATS ALL THAT MATTERS!!!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar will tug at your heart strings and draw you into its rich, lyrical storytelling.
Before 12-year-old Nour lost her father to cancer, he thrilled her imagination with tales of Rawiya, a mapmaker’s apprentice from the 13th century.
Now, Nour and her mother and sisters are displaced from their home by bombing in Syria. As they travel across the Middle East and North Africa in search of safety, their journey parallels Rawiya’s. Nour draws bravery from the old story as she faces grief, meets new friends, and tries to make sense of the changes in her life.
Obviously, the themes are incredibly heavy—death, violence, and displacement—but the author also does a wonderful job of exploring wonder, hope, and family (both chosen and related). I particularly loved the powerful development of the relationships between the sisters. Nour’s POV as a child is poignant, and we see her grow throughout the journey.
This did feel a bit slow at times, heavy with metaphor and description, but I ended up really enjoying the novel!
Will pick it up later. Can’t get into it right now.
This is a story about the bonds of family, both genetic & chosen. There are numerous characters whom are developed and broadened over the course of the book. This book has two timelines & as an audiobook reader it wasn’t always obvious when the story changed timeframe. There were mapmakers in both storylines. I found myself googling a map of Syria/Spain/Morocco/Ceuta/Algeria/Libya/Egypt…geography not being a strength of mine. This book depicts the strength, purpose, sacrifice, & determination of refugees in ways that many could never imagine (self included).
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes