A review by jaina8851
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This was a solid 4⭐ for me until the ending. It was definitely a "enjoy the vibes and the ride" story that I flew through quickly and couldn't put down. I found almost all of the reveals predictable, but it didn't really bother me, because the story was intriguing. But the ending, as other reviewers have said, was an absolute hot mess. The motivations of how they kept the big secret make absolutely no sense, Nell comparing herself and her motivations as no better than a serial killer made no sense, even the villain's motivations made no sense. I've now used the word motivations too many times, but it remains correct: nothing about the ending was satisfying. And not for nothing,
why tf did Irene have to die??? Just to throw suspicion on Nell? Did they ever explain that?
I don't regret reading it, but definitely wouldn't recommend it.