The Last Mapmaker. Christiana Soontornvat. 2022. 368 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: I must have looked like all the other Assistants standing in line for breakfast that morning at the Three Onions Cafe. We all wore the same starched white shirts, gray trousers, and stiff black cotton aprons with deep pockets. The Assistant's uniform was meant to put each of us on the same level, making us equals for the one year we would spend in service. What a joke.
Premise/plot: Sai is an assistant to the mapmaker Paiyoon. It's a job she keeps secret from her father--for good reasons. Her family background isn't the "best" and she's from the "wrong side" of town. She hides her work clothes and her earnings from her father--and his associates. The best part of her life is her days spent with the mapmaker. At one point, she's given an opportunity, to accompany her employer on a sea voyage. Their country is seeking the 'legendary' and 'fabled' land. It has not been mapped--officially at least. But her country--Mangkon, I believe--wants more than a map at the end of the day. They want to stake claim to this "new" country, this "new" land.
My thoughts: This was a Newbery Honor for 2023. I wanted to enjoy it, I did. And at first, I did. But I got turned around once the voyage started. I became confused and disoriented. This may be all on me. I wouldn't be surprised. At one point, I skipped to the end and read the last chapter. I then went back and tried to read it through. But I just stayed confused. Again, this could be just me. Reading is so subjective.
© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment