The Mapmaker's Daughter
By Clare Marchant
Blurb
Could a rediscovered map…
Present day: When thirty-six-year-old Robyn Willoughby discovers an exquisite yet blood-stained Tudor map in her father’s antique map shop, desperate for a distraction from her problems, she decides to investigate. But as Robyn delves into the mystery, she finds herself caught up in a centuries-old secret – one that will change her life forever.
…show her the way?
1569: Forced to flee Holland to escape persecution, twenty-year-old Freida Ortelius uses her mapmaking skills to start anew in London. Soon her rare talent catches the eye of Queen Elizabeth, who demands Freida’s help in fighting the Spanish threat. Freida must now embark on a deadly mission, the consequences of which will echo down the ages…
Our Review
Too often any female character in historical fiction is portrayed as weak and ineffectual but this wasn't the case in The Mapmaker's Daughter.
Robyn Willoughby discovers a bloodstained map in her father's shop in Hay-On-Wye, in need of a project she decides to investigate its origins.
The Mapmaker's Daughter is set across dual timelines, in the second timeline Freida has fled the religious persecution of her childhood only to end up in another sticky situation. At court among dangerous enemies who wish her and her family ill.
"Freida, curled herself into a tiny ball, forehead pressed against her knees, eyes squeezed tightly shut. The coarse hessian of her loose gown grazed her face. It was musty in the cupboard, but mama had told her it was imperative, she didn't make a sound, so she held her breath and hoped she didn't sneeze."
The Mapmaker's Daughter is graphic for this type of novel, but not in a gratuitous way.
"The metallic stench of blood filled her nostrils. Slowly she opened them again. In front of her lay her parents, their guts spilled across the floor, wide pools of dark red blood sinking into the boards."
The Mapmaker's Daughter is an excellent example of historical fiction and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different.
Our Final Rating...
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