This book starts at the beginning and takes you through every aspect of how maps were originally made, conjured, faked, battled over--well, you get the point. Along the way there are a lot of human behavior nuggets too, and you realize just how complicated this whole map-making biz is. It's a fun and interesting dive into how we figured out how to get around without the stars as our guide.
This novel, inspired by the author's life experiences, brings up a lot of tragedy and pain for her, and I'm sure putting it down on paper was therapeutic. But for me, her telling of this bleak story, some of which was, I'm sure, hers, just didn't work. I didn't connect with the main character, and the story didn't flow. It seemed strained and odd. I've read other downcast books that didn't give me the same impression, so it wasn't the mood. I just don't think her writing resonates with me. But I do like the color of her hair in the pic on the back.
There's no one like David, and he's still got it in this book of observations. Sometimes you'll laugh, but not always. More and more, he's exploring a deeper emotion as life brings new challenges and experiences. I'll read anything he writes. Grocery lists, memos, you name it. He sees things no one else does, and writes it all so well.
