Book review: The Map of Us by Jules Preston
Title: The Map of Us
Author: Jules Preston
Genre: Romance
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Publication date: 4th May 2018
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Synopsis:
Violet North is wonderfully inconvenient. Abandoned by her family and lost in an imagined world of moors and adventure, her life changes in the space of just 37 words exchanged with a stranger at her front door.
Decades later, Daniel Bearing has inherited his father’s multi-million pound business, and is utterly lost. He has no idea who he is or where his life is headed.
When Violet’s granddaughter’s marriage falls apart, Tilly, always adept with numbers, compiles a detailed statistical report to pinpoint why. But the Compatibility Index Tilly creates has unforeseen consequences for everyone in her world.
Tilly and Daniel share a secret too. 10.37am, April 22nd.
Soon, a complex web of secrets and lies is exposed and an adventure begins with a blue typewriter…
My review:
It’s not often that I come across a book with such a distinct style of writing so I was pleasantly surprised with the choppy and quirky narrative. However, it wasn’t quite for me; the story line was monotonous and the characters too flat for my liking.
Around halfway into the book the reader starts to understand the direction the story is following and the characters’ plot lines begin to intertwine. I enjoyed Tilly’s story and the Compatibility Index that she ultimately designs to explain why her marriage is failing. Looking back, I also think that the author revealed the link between Tilly and Violet in a very clever way and it was a joy following Tilly in her adventure to pursue her grandmother’s tales.
This was an uplifting and inspiring book and I wish that I was more patient at the start rather than rushing to understand from the beginning how the characters are connected. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for something different and is able to look past the short chapters and unconventional writing style.
3 Comments
Kosta
What an interesting review: marriage repair science capable of building romance, according to the genre. I had no idea that was even possible.
pageturning
You’re so right about this one requiring patience. For the first half of the book I was sure I was going to end up giving it one star, but I ended up loving it.
facingthestory
I’m glad you liked it in the end! I do agree with you that it requires a lot of patience and thought. Thank you for stopping by!