Matcha & Motifs Book Review: 4/5 

Nell Young is a bright and passionate intern at the New York Public Library, but that was before her prestigious father cast her out of the academic cartography world. Seven years later, Nell receives news that her father recently passed, and in his prized portfolio is the same gas station map that got her fired. She discovers that this “piece of junk” might be one of the last copies and is highly sought after by a group called The Cartographers. Is this somehow connected to her father’s death? A mystery novel with a touch of fantasy and adventure takes us on a journey of discovering the truth and its place amongst maps. 

I just finished The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, and this was such a good read! I feel like this would make a great movie adaptation. It’s a very niche topic, but we need more of those. In fact, its niche-ness opens up so many doors that wouldn’t for other generic mystery movies. Speaking of its nicheness, I 1000% appreciate Shepherd’s dedication to her craft. She writes a convincing story by honoring Nell’s cartographic knowledge through her own research and study. It truly feels like Nell’s story, as we are so immersed in her academic world, which makes this piece a work of entertainment. 

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** 

Pacing 

The setup of this book was great. The insertion of background information and plot building is impressive. I liked how fast we jumped to the main plot line; it felt like Shepherd wasn’t wasting any time. Additionally, Shepherd has an informative, selective, and detailed writing style. I felt like I was able to gather all the pieces and get a good understanding of where we were in the first 100 pages. 

I enjoy the structure of this plot; it’s like a scavenger hunt. Our protagonist uses her wits and charm to find the next lead, and by talking to one person, we naturally get enough clues to find the next relevant person with information. I think the attention to detail really makes this flow smoothly. For example, finding the business card of a blacklisted map collector, speaking with her, discovering that she was trying to obtain something for Nell’s father, and giving it to Nell as the next piece of the puzzle. It’s so good because it’s so seamless. 

Plot 

I thought I was going to be in it for a whirlwind adventure of interesting worldwide map collectors, where our main character would be evading and/or fighting some mysterious distant villain with helpful friends along the way. Instead, it’s an intimate dive into the past of a group of friends. A group of friends of Nell’s parents. Once I got over this initial surprise, I started enjoying the storytelling from different friends in the group. Even though the events are told by different people, they follow a neat chronological order that makes them easy to follow. Though it does always seem to end on the juiciest cliffhangers. 

I think what makes this story is its attention to detail. Like any good mystery, you need to be paying attention to every little thing. You need the background details of Felix’s job at Haberson. (Shepherd just might be an entrepreneur with this tech company idea.) You need to know what Nell’s boss, Humphrey, looks like. You need to know that this particular portfolio is special because it used to belong to Nell’s mother, who died saving her from a house fire. All these little details add up to a complex mystery I thoroughly enjoyed. I do want to mention that, while I enjoyed this story as a whole, I didn’t necessarily find it a page-turner, especially in the middle. Sometimes with all the intricacies, the book felt dense to consume.

Characters

I love that Shepherd has a very clear idea of who her characters are. In the example of scanning and placing trackers on all the maps at the NYPL to expand the database and increase security, there are opposing views. It’s so interesting and realistic to see the distinctions among the characters and their thoughts on this. The tech party thinks it’s genius and that the data it can provide will tremendously improve the Haberson map, in turn allowing them to better assist people. Whereas, the party in academia believes that no digitized version can replicate the beauty of these maps and integrating technology might stifle their process and purpose. It’s such an academic debate that really brings our characters to light. 

Genre

Mysteries thrive on ominous vibes, and this one so much that sometimes I wondered if this book had turned into horror. When we learned of Agloe’s existence, there were many indications of something dark and haunting about it. So much so that it made me wonder if there was more to the town than its magical apparition; something dangerous or sinister. There were so many hints of this, but alas, after learning the full story, nothing is more sinister than human nature. It was everyone’s mistrust and vengeful, selfish acts that destroyed the group. 

I very much enjoyed the end of the book. I like how it ends a tad mysterious. I even liked how the final “battle” goes down. I felt like it supported the idea that the purpose of maps is to connect people to their loved ones. I vibe with the grand reveal in the form of a letter to Nell, and I like how, through all this fighting, it’s through Nell’s virtue and wit that she wins. 

I love that this town becomes a public revelation, since it was the secrecy and control that drove Wally crazy; it’s only fitting to take that away to change things. It is a pity that her father and Swann had to die, but hey, what is a mystery without some murder? If no one in Nell’s circle died, it would’ve felt very juvenile and plot-armory. I enjoy themes of self-discovery and self-belief. As well as the importance of friendship and family. This was such a thought-out, carefully crafted novel and a splendid read. I knew that phantom settlements were a way to copyright maps, but to come up with such a clever twist of physically entering these settlements is so innovative… and dare I say, niche! See, it really opens up new doors 😉