Glass Sentence (Mapmakers Trilogy, #1)

by S. E. Grove

For fans of The Golden Compass, this New York Times bestseller will take you on a fantastic journey across worlds and time.
 
Boston, 1891. Sophia Tims comes from a family of explorers and cartologers who, for generations, have been traveling and mapping the New World—a world changed by the Great Disruption of 1799, when all the continents were flung into different time periods. Eight years ago, Sophia's parents left her with her uncle Shadrack, the foremost cartologer in Boston, and went on an urgent mission. They never returned.

Then Shadrack is kidnapped. Sophia must search for him with the help of Theo, a refugee from the West. Together they travel over rough terrain and uncharted ocean, encounter pirates and traders, and rely on a combination of Shadrack’s maps, common sense, and Sophia's unusual powers of observation. Little do they know that their lives are in as much danger as Shadrack's.


A New York Times Bestseller!

“I am in no doubt about the energy of S.E. Grove as a full-fledged, pathfinding fantasist. I look forward to the next installment to place upon the pile. Intensely.”—Gregory Maguire, The New York Times Book Review

* “Wholly original and marvelous beyond compare.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review 

• ISBN10: 0606367470
• ISBN13: 9780606367479
• Publish Date: 31 July 2015 (first published 5 May 2015)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 13 September 2023
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Bound for Schools & Libraries ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 528
• Language: English

Reviews

"That is almost always the way with stories. True to their very core, even when the events and the people in them are different."

 
An impressive world, a love letter to maps and a wonderful main character.

The world-building is the most fascinating part of The Glass Sentence. An event known as the Great Disruption has placed the continents of the world into different eras and time periods - past, present and future. The world is interesting and unique and contains elements of fantasy, history, mythology and science fiction. 

Because the world in The Glass Sentence has become unknown, exploration, research and cartography are extremely important. The main character, Sophia, lives with her Uncle Shadrack, an extremely skilled and well-known cartography. The map-making process, the different types of maps and the maps themselves are so magical. The Glass Sentence is a love letter to cartography and maps. 

Sophia is a lovely main character. She's an extremely mature and logical 13-year-old who acts wise beyond her years. An interesting thing about Sophia is her lack of an internal clock which leads to mishaps and miracles. The other characters are likable, but they are underdeveloped and stereotypical. However, I enjoyed the interactions between Sophia and Theo as they become friends (and maybe something more much later). 

The Glass Sentence is a magical and unique read with a classic adventure story feel. It's also one of those books where you have to go with the flow and suspend disbelief in order to enjoy it.

I couldn't put this book down! 

"Make of the time what you want."

 

[Joséphine]

Initial thoughts: Such a smart book and such a brilliant audiobook narrator! This is how you do books right. You make your readers think and pull them into the exquisite world you've spun. The level of intellectual thought appeals to older readers, though I'd say The Glass Sentence also is a very appropriate read for younger readers (even at Middle Grade though they might not appreciate the depth of philosophical thought that has been embedded). The ideas of feeling time, losing track of time and eras colliding into one time dimension were very original. I just wish I had been able to connect more to the characters.