Sarah Brown, the fiercely independent daughter of abolitionist John Brown, is a talented artist in 1860s West Virginia. When Sarah discovers that she cannot bear children, she turns her skills toward helping others and becomes one of the foremost mapmakers for the Underground Railroad. Taking cues from Slave Quilt codes, she hides maps within her paintings as the United States moves toward a bloody civil war.
Over one hundred and fifty years later, Eden Anderson, a modern-day woman struggling to conceive a child, moves into an old house in West Virginia as a last-ditch effort to save her marriage and start a family. When she stumbles across part of an old porcelain doll in the root cellar, Eden slowly uncovers a dramatic connection to the Underground Railroad.
McCoy, whose novel The Baker's Daughter was a nominee for the 2012 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction, spent three years researching the Brown family history. This research became the basis for her inventive narrative, one in which McCoy honorably portrays the spirit of the real Sarah Brown and imagines her ties to the fictional Eden. Skillfully plotted and magnificently transporting, THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN highlights the power of community and legacy, illustrating the ways in which history and destiny are interconnected on one enormous, intricate map.
Fresh
off my review of Christmas Bells, my
mind easily slipped into the time periods of The Mapmaker’s Children. Once again we have two main narratives:
One set in the 19th century during the American Civil War, and
another transpiring within modern times. In the
older plot line we find Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown, a
historical figure that many of us might have studied in school as we learned of
the Underground Railroad. Sarah’s father
meets a tragic end, but his cause does not halt with his death. It carries on
with those who strove for the cause of liberty of all mankind, slave or
free. Sarah preferred to make her nonviolent
contribution to the abolitionist cause through her artwork, creating paintings
and dolls to help lead slaves to the north, to freedom. She faces conflict both without and within,
dealing with the political issues of her society as well as battling issues of
the heart. She was a strong, brave woman and I came to admire her greatly. I cannot say I agreed with one particular
decision she made in the light of possible romance, but her intentions were
honorable, and I respect her for her choice. Author Sarah McCoy has done a masterful job of
taking the facts as they are known in history and weaving them into a
semi-fictional tale that is very believable. We may never know what went on in
the hearts of many of the characters in The
Mapmaker’s Children, but I enjoyed the choices that McCoy made in her craft,
as she painted a picture of love, loss and social liability.
As the
chapters alternate, we are introduced to Eden and Jack, a couple which has
struggled with infertility for years and is beginning a new life away from the city
in somewhat rural New Charlestown, West Virginia. Like Sarah Brown, Eden
wrestles with the notion that bearing children may never be in her future.
While I have personally experienced a miscarriage, I have never known the pain
of long-term infertility. There were
times when Eden’s pain was so visceral, I wondered if it would be difficult for
an infertile couple to read this novel.
I imagine they would either relate to Eden and Jack’s story in a way
that would be profoundly comforting, or McCoy’s words might be too painful to
take in. She isn’t inappropriate in her descriptions
– I could just easily imagine these portions to be difficult for some.
Regardless
of this, I highly enjoyed Eden’s story line. Between her strained relationship
with her husband, to the nascent friendships she has with the residents of
New Charlestown, to the unexpected affection for an adopted dog, I loved the interactions
she had and the journey she took from August to December 2014. She’s a wounded woman, but yet strong and
working to make something of herself. I
found her and the residents of New Charlestown to be colorful, well-drawn and
captivating. The added mystery of certain contents of her antique home tied her
life to that of Sarah Brown quite nicely, making the transition from 19th
to 21st century effortless.
Sarah
McCoy has a wonderful novel with The
Mapmaker’s Children. She has blended
the truth of the past with realistic fiction, and merged this into a modern story that
is captivating and heartfelt. I highly enjoyed the choices she made in her
narrative, and it has brought me greater appreciation for topics such as the
Underground Railroad, infertility, forgiveness, and risking all for what you hold dear. Both Sarah Brown and Eden
Anderson are characters to be admired, and I heartily recommend this title to
my readers.
Giveaway!
TLC Book Tours has graciously offered a paperback copy of The Mapmaker's Children to one U.S. entrant. Please see the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win. The contest period ends at 12am EST on February 29, 2016. Good luck to all of the entrants! For a bonus opportunity to win, stop by the book's Goodreads listing and enter that giveaway as well!
About Sarah McCoy
SARAH McCOY is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the 2012 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction nominee The Baker's Daughter as well as The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico and the novella "The Branch of Hazel" in Grand Central. She has taught English writing at Old Dominion University and at the University of Texas at El Paso. She calls Virginia home but presently lives with her husband and their dog, Gilly, in El Paso, Texas. Sarah enjoys connecting with her readers on Twitter at @SarahMMcCoy, on her Facebook Fan Page or via her website, www.sarahmccoy.com.
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I would like an old home as long as there were no problems and the kitchen and bathrooms had been remolded. They have so much more character and I feel they were better made than the ones going up today.
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy living in an old home with charm as long as the house is habitable with all the amenities I like.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of dual narratives and historical fiction so this book is right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of the tour!
One of my favorite quotes in a book is about infertility and letting go...so I love the themes of infertility and forgiveness!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading dual narratives. I also enjoy stories that bring hope.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being part of the tour.
I have had this sitting in my TBR for far too long. I really need to get to it. Great review.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you're really busy, try the Audiobook version. I utilized that for about half of the book, and that really sped up my pages "read". I listened during chores and such.
DeleteThanks for your thoughts!