It’s a fact that you can never discover where your home is, until something makes you open your eyes and see. Usually a tragic event can make you see that where you are is your home, no matter how it feels to you. That’s what Cora Bradley discovers in A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell. Cora is a freshman in high school and has just lost her brother in a fatal car accident, and her family is falling apart. Her best friend is becoming distant, her father has disappeared in their basement, her mother is placing strict rules on Cora, and all the people around her are treating her like a poor girl whose brother just died. The truth is, Cora hates it all and wishes she could go to the places in her drawings. Too bad she is stuck in reality.
Cora is a beautiful artist, and she loves to draw pictures and maps of faraway places. It’s revealed how much she and Nate, her brother, used to get along before he became wild and rebellious. Her best friend, Rachel, is suddenly crushing on Josh Mills and hanging around with his popular friends. The only person she can trust is Damien Archer, Nate’s best friend. She doesn’t know who to trust and who to blame for the accident. But it’s obvious who her mother blames.
Damian Archer is a senior, and was in the car crash that Nate was killed in. He was the passenger, and barely stayed alive. Everyone seems to blame him, saying he killed Nate, so he is alone. The only person he connects with is Cora, who he decides to show his art studio to, being an artist as well. Cora learns that her brother was more than just a rebel, but an artist as well. He built beautiful sculptures and didn’t tell anyone except Damien. So, Cora joins in and creates her own art in their studio, and in the process learns that Damien isn’t what he seems.
The new friend that surfaces in Cora’s life is, Helena, a sophomore. Also an artist, she is the person who makes Cora feel normal again. Cora talks to her about Damien, her mother, brother and ex-best friend, and Helena is there for her. Helena proves to be a great friend to Cora, and they plan an art show together. At the art show, Cora’s parents finally come out and confront Cora about their behavior the past year. Eventually they all agree to compromise.
This book taught me some amazing things. I live in a small town as well, and I know every street and every corner. I thought the same way as Cora, and I finally know that I am home no matter what it feels like. The book is 273 pages long, fairly short, and has a great message. I loved the book and I hope others will, too.
A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell
RED’S ALL-STAR RATING: Four stars out of five, I really loved this book.
MASS APPEAL: Mainly girls, I doubt many boys would enjoy this, but I believe it’s a great book for everybody.
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