A review by cateslittlelibrary
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

5.0

oh my god this book is what i've been wanting and needing. it had mystery without being a cookie cutter mystery, it had fantasy and magic without being all rah rah shadow and bone/ACOTAR vibes. i loved the cartographers!! i loved the concept, i LOVE a well-done backstory, and i thought the second half really delivered after the buildup and intrigue of the first half. i liked nell- she was bold and headstrong and it honestly just made me happy that she was really smart. i'm not entirely sure how i feel about her and felix because like, what, but it wasn't really about them anyway. the Cartographers group was such an interesting unfolding of this story, and i loved getting the perspective from all of the different members/friends. this book had a similar vibe in some ways to The Starless Sea, which i also love. i just loved books that feel like love letters to storytelling and the veils between us and what could be. so good!