Skip to main content

A Map for Wrecked Girls by Jessica Taylor

Publication Date: August 15th, 2017
Genre:Young-Adult Contemporary
My Goodreads Rating: 3/5
Source: Own Copy

Emma's life had forever revolved around the actions of her elder sister, Henri. This wasn't some sort of eternal punishment or trap she couldn't escape- Emma simply adored Henri to the extent that she worshiped her every step and molded her life to fit Henri's. While this may seem like an unhealthy relationship to some, Emma and Henri had perfected their routine- sharing a seamless experience together for all their teen years.

Suddenly, after a devastating fight (left a mystery to the audience), the siblings find themselves awash on an island after a boating trip gone wrong, with only a fellow teen to guide them. They must find their way back to each other to find their way home- but with their shattered past, can the sisters shape a new future?


Contrary to the summary, the book isn't just about girls stranded on an island. It explores the very beginnings of sibling relationships by going back and forth between the island and the girls' hometown, progressing in a non-linear pattern. The plot establishes an oxymoron relationship that is both strong and weak, moving between scenes to prove both points.

The big fight is revealed at the end, as the sisters move towards the salvation of their relationship. I won't spoil the plot by telling you where they end up- but I will tell you this, the process was both interrupted unnecessarily and contributed to greatly because of the presence of a young boy on the island. This additional character adds a lot more depth to the novel as the sisters must now embrace their problem with an unfamiliar person, but unfortunately leads down the road to romance, which I felt was not a good theme for this novel.

I enjoyed Taylor's light writing, surprised that she managed to maintain this tone regardless of the emotional scenes she described. However, this book remained with me not as an amazing young adult read, rather as a quick, vacation read that while explores essential themes, does so in a manner befitting a read to pass the time.

I'd recommend this book to fans of light fiction, although this is definitely not to be confused with that. I'd also recommend it to readers interested in family relationships, who may have enjoyed the novel "Far From the Tree" by Robin Benway. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Hey guys! Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions, so be sure to leave a comment!

Popular posts from this blog

The Hero, by Rabindranath Tagore

 The narrative poem" The Hero" was written by Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore. Set in a young boy's imaginations this narrative has all the necessary elements and is rich in imagery. The characters, plot, setting, theme, climax and idea are all very clearly outlined.  The setting of the poem falls within the boy's imagination. It is described to have 'spiky grass' and a 'narrow broken path'. It is also mentioned that the country is 'strange and dangerous'. The rurality of the setting is further accentuated when Tagore talks of the 'cattle' and 'wide fields'.
14 comments
Read more

I cannot remember my mother by Rabindranath Tagore

 The poem has been titled " I cannot remember my mother". It attracted me for some reason, for I thought that surely, a poem couldn't be completely empty. There had to be some form of nostalgia, or memory in a poem about no remembrance.  I realized after reading it, that I was right. In fact, the poem's title can be considered an oxymoron. However, the extent to which this poem is nostalgic, the amount of tiny details in this poem, wow. But I don't suppose Tagore was a Literature Nobel Laureate for nothing. This poem has sensitized its audience to the poet's colossal loss, though the poet ,it seems,has made no effort to do so. There is nothing superfluous about his writing, and the poem seems like a true expression of his love for his mother. It talks about how his mother managed to leave her presence on everything before she passed away, and how those little memories of his,form an incomplete memory of his mother.
Post a Comment
Read more

One by Shawnee Kellie

  The poem "One" by Shawnee Kellie is a very interesting and thought-provoking piece of writing. The poem spreads the message that it is not only a large group of people that can make a change, but one idea, one thought, one human that can help make the world a better place. 
Post a Comment
Read more