The Map of Salt and Stars

by Jennifer Zeynab Maccani

'Full of tension and love and danger. This is a beautifully told, magical novel about journeys and finding your way home.' STYLIST

Nour has lost her father. She has also lost the place she was born in and now lives in the Syrian town of Homs, along with her sisters and mother. And so, by the fig tree in the garden, Nour whispers the stories her Baba once told her, so that the roots of the tree will carry those stories back to where her father is buried and he won't feel so alone. Her favourite is the story of Rawiya, a young girl from the twelfth century who left her home in search of adventure, dressed as a boy.

But Syria is changing and it isn't long before protests and shelling destroy the peace of the quiet city. As Nour begins her own journey as a refugee, she draws strength and inspiration from the voyage of Rawiya, who became apprenticed to the famous mapmaker, Al Idrisi, and who battled mythical creatures and endured epic battles in the attempt to compile the most accurate map of the world ever made.

THE MAP OF SALT AND STARS is a breathtakingly beautiful novel that illuminates the story of a country in turmoil, a tale of human resilience and the power of stories to transform.

JUST some of the praise from readers of THE MAP OF SALT AND STARS:

'You know that wonderful feeling when you read the last page of a truly great story and then you clutch the book to your chest as if to hug the world within those pages? That's how I'm feeling right now.' Goodreads 4 star review

'A complex and multi-layered novel told in a rich atmospheric voice destined to be one of the most important works of 2018.' Goodreads 5 star review

'This stunningly written, heartbreakingly beautiful (but ultimately, hopeful) story is a rich, multilayered + sweeping saga... A beautiful melding of myth, grief, hope and persistence- I just loved this one.' Goodreads 4 star review

'A beautifully written debut novel about stories and storytelling that you won't soon forget. "Stories map the soul, in the guise of words." Goodreads 4 star review

'I seriously cannot recommend this book enough. I see fireworks: red, blue, purple, green, with a shower of golden stars. The Map of Salt and Stars is amazing. Please read this book.' Goodreads 5 star review

'The Map Of Salt And Stars is really such a fantastic read and once you have started it is impossible to stop.' Goodreads 4 star review

'There are parts that will make your heart stop and parts that will make it beat again.' Goodreads 5 star review

'I believe this book is to Syrian heritage what the Kite Runner is to Afghanistan. All in all, a great read.' Goodreads 5 star review

'Beautifully written with lush detail....stories will give you have a deeper understanding and appreciation that we are all maps and stories. It will also show you what home is and what home means.' Goodreads 5 star review

• ISBN10: 147460675X
• ISBN13: 9781474606752
• Publish Date: 1 May 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
• Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[readingwithbecs]

Normally when a book is divided in a back-in-time perspective and a now-a-days perspective, I tend to like the back-in-time perspective the most. But in this book I did not care much for the story of Rawiya. I did get more interested in it right at the end, but for most of the book, it was just pages to get trough to get to Nour's story - which I did enjoy, and is the reason why I give the book three stars.