Showing posts with label The Mapmaker's Children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Mapmaker's Children. Show all posts

Monday, February 15, 2016

Book Review - The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy


Photo Source - Amazon.com
** May Contain Spoilers **

A brilliant tale woven with historical themes gives readers a glimpse into the mysterious life of Sarah Brown. Sarah Brown, the daughter of abolitionist John Brown, hopes to have a purpose in her life. After fighting dysentery, she is left barren. With no hopes of procreating, she decides to to continue in the steps of her father. She takes up the torch of her father to help end slavery. Utilizing her artistic talents she becomes one of the Underground Railroad's lead mapmakers using slave code quilts  along with hiding maps in her paintings and dolls. The civil war threatens to rip the country into two and leaves Sarah scrambling to protect all she loves. Can she find a way to leave a mark in history?

A common thread beautifully links modern woman, Eden with Sarah. Eden is desperate to have children with her husband, Jack. Even with multiple rounds of IVF, she is unable to bare children and it strains her marriage. They decide to move into an old house to start fresh. Eden discovers a strange porcelain doll head hidden in a root cellar with a mysterious past. Can this discovery help bring Eden and Jack together?

The novel alternates between Sarah and Eden narration along with including telegrams, love letters and newspaper clippings. Each chapter is filled with emotion and shows how each of the women struggle with love, finding a place where they belong and leaving their mark on the world. It was an enticing read and very hard to put down. Each of the characters are frail creatures who decide to rise above their "weakness" and thrive. 



** Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion**