THE LAST MAPMAKER

THE LAST MAPMAKER by Christina Soontornvat

Christina Soontornvat is really making a mark in the literary world! With 3 Newberry Honors under her belt her work is widely read! Rabbit trail for 1 moment - if you have not read her book All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team, it is well worth it. I read it aloud to the whole family a couple summers ago, and we all enjoyed it! I will post a picture of it in the comments. Back on track now! The books that I have read by Soontornvat all have had a Thai setting, whether a real place or mythical. This adds an enjoyable air of mystique to the books.

The Last Mapmaker is the fictional story of Sodsai Mudawan "Sai." Soontornvat begins Sai's story dealing with Thai cultural issues. To be someone of importance in Thailand knowing one's ancestors is key. At age 13 any girl that is anything receives her lineal, a piece of jewelry, such as a bracelet or brooch, that is composed of links or rings. Each link or ring stands for a generation of ancestors that were known and that were honorable enough to be claimed. Sai has been able to play the part of coming from a wealthy family with her peers and her work-life, but her thirteenth birthday is quickly approaching and with the fact that she is actually the daughter of a thief there is no lineal in sight. Disgrace is quickly approaching. However, a unique opportunity arises. Sai is an assistant to a famous mapmaker. The queen of Thailand is anxious for Thailand's borders to expand and desires for the mythical land of Sunderland, a land of dragons and dangerous adventures to be found and mapped. The reward? Money, honor, a lineal. Get ready for a story with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Overall this is a fun and engaging read, but there are a couple things to be made aware of.

HEADS UP- Sai's relationship with her father (mother passed away years before) is complicated. He is an alcoholic and thief, and she lies to him and her employer to be able to go on this voyage. There is some redemption at the end of the story. A young boy who is a pickpocket ends up becoming a stowaway on their ship. He constantly calls Sai names usually including the word turd, etc. There is some mention of Thai gods. The item that pushed this book to the upper age of the middle grade range for me is the issue of a member of the royal family who is a part of the voyage who had a romantic relationship in the past that was beneath her and would have caused her to be disowned, so she never married the man. A child was born from that relationship (no intimate details are given). The woman does refer to the man as her husband, but the book is very clear that they never married. There is a thread of the adventure that comes from this relationship.