carrieannweb's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zoelou_books's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thistlereads's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
msvenner's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book. It was lovely to read as an audiobook since it came with the Australian accent built in! It was a bit slow to start and a bit meandering at times but the story was original and interesting. I could have done without the hints at the more paranormal stuff.
the_sassy_bookworm's review against another edition
3.0
⭐⭐⭐ -- Great cover on this one!
This one fell somewhere between 3 and 3,5 stars. I was quite enjoying it until Evie's POV ended (I want to say halfway through?) then the story dragged and we were left with a bunch of loose ends that honestly could have been wrapped up with answers by the addition of a chapter or two from Evie's POV at the end.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is an engrossing, multi-layered historical novel which takes place in Australia.
In 1880, Evie Ludgrove is a gifted artist who prefers spending time with her father and exploring the surrounding area. Her older sister Miriam yearns for city life and she is soon off to Sydney to marry. Evie and her Aunt Olivia stay at home and Olivia runs the family business. Meanwhile, Evie is attempting to solve a mystery that has long been unanswered. German explorer Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt’s mysterious disappearance has remained unsolved for decades. Believing the clues to his fate might be in her father’s diary, Evie formulates a secret plan she hopes will finally explain what happened to Leichhardt on his last expedition. Evie believes she knows where she might find the evidence she needs and she sets out on a journey from which she never returns.
In 1911, twenty-five-year-old Letitia “Lettie” Rawlings is mourning the death of beloved brother Thorne. She is an independent woman who envisions a different future for herself than her mother, Miriam. She is shocked when her mother decides to confront her estranged aunt, Olivia, over a family inheritance. Needing distance from her grief, Lettie convinces her mother to allow her to go instead. She is a little leery of the reception awaiting her yet she eagerly sets on her trip in Thorne’s Model T.
After an awkward first meeting, Olivia soon warms up to Lettie and she reveals intriguing information about their family. Lettie is still uncertain of the details she has learned but she agrees to Olivia’s request that she try to find out what happened to Evie who has now been missing for thirty years. A lot has changed over the intervening years, but Lettie is soon immersed in the same papers that her aunt was looking over before her disappearance. Is it possible Lettie can unravel the mystery of what happened to Evie after all these years? And will she find out what happened to Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt ill-fated expedition?
The Cartographer’s Secret is a captivating historical novel that seamlessly weaves fact and fiction into an interesting family drama. The characters are richly developed with all too human foibles. The storyline is fascinating and the setting springs vibrantly to life. The mystery surrounding Evie’s disappearance is compelling and Tea Cooper brings this fast-placed novel to a gratifying conclusion.
The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is an engrossing, multi-layered historical novel which takes place in Australia.
In 1880, Evie Ludgrove is a gifted artist who prefers spending time with her father and exploring the surrounding area. Her older sister Miriam yearns for city life and she is soon off to Sydney to marry. Evie and her Aunt Olivia stay at home and Olivia runs the family business. Meanwhile, Evie is attempting to solve a mystery that has long been unanswered. German explorer Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt’s mysterious disappearance has remained unsolved for decades. Believing the clues to his fate might be in her father’s diary, Evie formulates a secret plan she hopes will finally explain what happened to Leichhardt on his last expedition. Evie believes she knows where she might find the evidence she needs and she sets out on a journey from which she never returns.
In 1911, twenty-five-year-old Letitia “Lettie” Rawlings is mourning the death of beloved brother Thorne. She is an independent woman who envisions a different future for herself than her mother, Miriam. She is shocked when her mother decides to confront her estranged aunt, Olivia, over a family inheritance. Needing distance from her grief, Lettie convinces her mother to allow her to go instead. She is a little leery of the reception awaiting her yet she eagerly sets on her trip in Thorne’s Model T.
After an awkward first meeting, Olivia soon warms up to Lettie and she reveals intriguing information about their family. Lettie is still uncertain of the details she has learned but she agrees to Olivia’s request that she try to find out what happened to Evie who has now been missing for thirty years. A lot has changed over the intervening years, but Lettie is soon immersed in the same papers that her aunt was looking over before her disappearance. Is it possible Lettie can unravel the mystery of what happened to Evie after all these years? And will she find out what happened to Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt ill-fated expedition?
The Cartographer’s Secret is a captivating historical novel that seamlessly weaves fact and fiction into an interesting family drama. The characters are richly developed with all too human foibles. The storyline is fascinating and the setting springs vibrantly to life. The mystery surrounding Evie’s disappearance is compelling and Tea Cooper brings this fast-placed novel to a gratifying conclusion.
laurenleigh's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I guess I have strong feelings about POV lately! This was an interesting premise about a missing girl and her niece looking for her 30 years later, set in the 1880’s and 1910’s in Australia. It starts with both women’s POV’s, but then the missing girl’s narrative drops off completely, to be replaced by the niece’s love interest. It was jarring and confusing as a reader to switch around whose perspective we’re following. It pulled me out of the story, and I didn’t get much chance to connect to any of the characters.
aislina's review against another edition
3.0
It was good! I love a book set in Australia, and one that has taken pains to be anti racist. I found it a little confusing and hard to follow at times, and the great mystery ended with more a whimper than a bang. That said, a good intro to Tea Cooper and I’ll be reading more of her writing