The Mapmaker's Children – A Novel

Historical stories are the type of books I always turn to. I saw that Sarah McCoy came out with another book called The Mapmaker’s Children. I loved her book, The Baker’s Daughter so I couldn’t wait to read it.

The Mapmaker’s Children is about two strong women who dealt with not being able to bear children and dealing with relationships. Sarah Brown is an abolitionist and feminist who helped the underground railroad during the Civil War by drawing maps on wooden, porcelain dolls’ faces. Her story is intertwined with Eden’s story struggling with marriage problems due to having miscarriages. Eden’s story is taken place in the year of 2014.

At the end of the book, Sarah McCoy explained that Sarah Brown is a real person in history. She was a gifted artist, an early feminist, abolitionist, and was familiar with all of the leading men of the Underground Railroad.

If I knew the book didn’t focus on Sarah Brown’s story I most likely wouldn’t have gotten the book. I was really disappointed because the focus was more on Eden’s story. I’m not saying Eden’s story was boring because it wasn’t. It just I thought it was more about the Underground Railroad. I understand why McCoy put these stories together, but I wasn’t a fan of that decision.

I see why McCoy put both of these stories together. Both women suffered a great deal of sadness. They both couldn’t bear children. Again, I was disappointed that Sarah Brown’s story was shorter. I wanted more detail and information. In some aspect, I wish they were separate books.

I also had a hard time with the characters because all the characters in the book seemed the same. The way they talked and their actions were the same even with the differences in the time period.

This book would make a great book for your book club because there are a list of questions at the end of the book for discussion.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. It was not a bad book. It just wasn’t what I expected.

ABOUT THE MAPMAKER’S CHILDREN

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE BAKER’S DAUGHTER, A STORY OF FAMILY, LOVE, AND COURAGE
WHEN SARAH BROWN, DAUGHTER OF ABOLITIONIST JOHN BROWN, REALIZES THAT HER ARTISTIC TALENTS MAY BE ABLE TO HELP SAVE THE LIVES OF SLAVES FLEEING NORTH, SHE BECOMES ONE OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD’S LEADING MAPMAKERS, TAKING HER CUES FROM THE SLAVE CODE QUILTS AND HIDING HER MAPS WITHIN HER PAINTINGS. SHE BOLDLY EMBRACES THIS CALLING AFTER BEING TOLD THE SHOCKING NEWS THAT SHE CAN’T BEAR CHILDREN, BUT AS THE COUNTRY STEERS TOWARD BLOODY CIVIL WAR, SARAH FACES DIFFICULT SACRIFICES THAT COULD PUT ALL SHE LOVES IN PERIL.
   EDEN, A MODERN WOMAN DESPERATE TO CONCEIVE A CHILD WITH HER HUSBAND, MOVES TO AN OLD HOUSE IN THE SUBURBS AND DISCOVERS A PORCELAIN HEAD HIDDEN IN THE ROOT CELLAR—THE REMAINS OF AN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD DOLL WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY PAST OF SECRET MESSAGES, DANGER AND DELIVERANCE. 
   INGENIOUSLY PLOTTED TO A RIVETING END, SARAH AND EDEN’S WOVEN LIVES CONNECT THE PAST TO THE PRESENT, FORCING EACH OF THEM TO DEFINE COURAGE, FAMILY, LOVE, AND LEGACY IN A NEW WAY.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SARAH MCCOY IS THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE 2012 GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD BEST HISTORICAL FICTION NOMINEE THE BAKER’S DAUGHTER AND THE TIME IT SNOWED IN PUERTO RICO. SHE HAS TAUGHT ENGLISH WRITING AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO. SHE CALLS VIRGINIA HOME BUT PRESENTLY LIVES WITH HER HUSBAND AND THEIR DOG, GILBERT, IN EL PASO, TEXAS.

 

PRODUCT DETAILS

Paperback
Published by Broadway Books
Feb 09, 2016 | 336 Pages | 5-3/16 x 8 | ISBN 9780385348928

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“I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.”