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From the first chapter, this book was raring to go. I don’t remember the last time I read a book that dropped you in the drama so fast, but The Cartographers had you mixed-up in the action from the start. Rather than being a fast burn that fades quickly, Shepherd does a great job of pacing the story without it ever seeming to slow down.
After having been unceremoniously thrown out of her dream job in the Maps Department at the New York Public Library by her father of all people, Nell is called back seven years later when he’s found dead at his desk. During the initial shock, Nell discovers a seemingly worthless highway map in his precious portfolio that leads her into a darker side of cartography (who knew, right?) and onto the radar of an ominous group named the Cartographers. Can she discover the secret of the map before they get it?
I could not put this book down. I was sucked into Nell’s story, into the secrets of the maps and the mystery of the Cartographers. A personal barometer for a good book is if I’d rather read it than watch Netflix (I know, terrible, don’t judge me), and I ended many a night reading this for the hours before bed instead of doing anything else.
The only reason I haven’t given this five stars on Goodreads (a ranking I give out very rarely), is because I was just the tiniest bit disappointed in the ending, wanting more after being so invested in the story. It wasn’t a bad ending, so don’t be scared off by that, I just wanted to communicate how close this was to a full five stars.
2% Rating: 9/10
Recommend? Definitely
Re-Read? One time was probably enough
Time: 1:33