What do readers think of The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry? Write your own review.

From the first sentence in the Prologue, you knew Zee would be an interesting character. The story unfolds in such a way it keeps
the reader totally enthralled. Enjoyed the historical background
on Salem, and found the medical information on mental illness,
as well as Parkinson's both informative and compelling. A must
read for those who enjoy character-driven stories.

If “The Map of True Places” were slid into a book MRI (bMRI), we would likely see faint yellow patches in the plot and idea regions but the character region would be lit bright red. Barry found the sweet spot for her characters, neither vessels for carrying a plot nor too squirrely to believe. In fact, her characters seem observed, rather than created. Places (maritime New England) and afflictions (Parkinson’s disease) are characters too, changing with time and circumstance. Every good novel should make you want to do something. I want to learn the names of the signpost stars in the wheeling night sky, not to navigate the open sea but to be more at home wherever I find myself.

I enjoyed this book from the first page. I thought the characters were a little "stereotypical" but it was a quick read. It was well written, flowed very well. And I loved the ending. So many books are very good, and then just end; this ending actually enhanced the entire book.

I really enjoyed The Map of True Places. In true form to her Salem roots the book takes place in close proximity to her first book. It kept my interest because you never knew where it was taking you. The kind of book that book clubs would enjoy and that I will browse back through and find connecting thoughts over the next couple of days. Her characters were interesting and I felt like it was very real as to where life tends to take us at times and how little control we have over it.

I liked this book, the story within a story. Barry is a good writer and creates interesting characters. The book has a lot things happening which makes it a interesting read.

I enjoyed reading "The Map of True Places". It had enough twists and turns to keep me reading, and I couldn't put it down. It delved into the tragedy of mental illness and the many lives affected by it.

Although I understand the main character was looking for and found a "happy ending", I was left wanting more.

So many interesting characters and lifestyles were introduced into the story, I felt the author was unsure where to focus. It was frustrating at times, but I did enjoy it.

This book kept my interest from beginning to end. Although it is set in New England like the "Lace Reader," to me it has a very different feel. The characters are well drawn and believable. The plot has several different side twists; however, they are tied together at the end in an appropriate manner.

A novel that is a fast read; a page turner. The story is a mix of reality and fantasy with a bit of the history of Salem, MA in the background. The main character, Zee, uncovers secrets and works through dark events in her past to finds her way through life.
The book gets a bit too much into psychotherapy and mental illness issues, which may not be for everyone's taste.