Play Book Tag discussion

PBT Cultural Horizons - July - Syria

The Map of Salt and Stars - Zeyn Joukhadar - 4.5 Stars

In 2011, Nour's father has died of cancer. Her mother, a cartographer who creates beautiful hand-painted maps, decides to move Nour and her sisters from New York City back to Syria to be closer to their family. War has torn the country apart, so when bombing destroys Nour's house, she and the family are forced to flee as refugees across seven countries of the Middle East and North Africa in search of safety.

Interspersed with the modern story and set almost a thousand years earlier, another girl’s story unfolds. Rawiya, seeking a better life for her mother, disguises herself as a boy and joins al-Idrisi, a legendary cartographer, on a quest to map the known world for King Roger II of Sicily.

The two stories are told in parallel, split by time but joined by a common geography because Nour and Rawiya are traveling the same route. The threat is even similar; bombs follow Nour's journey and a giant bird of prey threatens Rawiya's journey. Both want to destroy the girls and their fellow travelers.

The Map of Salt and Stars combines the history, current events and culture of the Middle East and North Africa in a very poetic way. While I don't actually know anything more about Syria than before reading the book, I did get a Middle Eastern flavor along with a story line that is very timely. I've had this book for quite awhile and I'm glad I had an opportunity to finally read it, for whatever reason. I will definitely check out any future books by this author.

I am listening to this one now and am really enjoying it!

For anyone considering this on audio, the narrator is very good, but I will say that the switches between the two timelines is not very distinct and can be a bit confusing if I don't pick up on it immediately.

Glad you enjoyed it too OliverM!