The Cartographers

November 1, 2022
A 17-year-old girl struggles through emotional and philosophical quandaries in New York City. Abandoned by her roommates, Georgie and Tashya, and stuck on a subway platform during a blackout, Ocean Sun can't quite shake the feeling that she has died and this is the afterlife. Living in Brooklyn after having deferred her college entrance to avoid mental health strain--and without informing her mother--adds to Ocean's sense of limbo. Then a bizarre White boy named Constantine Brave enters the scene, rambling about mythology and spouting philosophy (to a degree that readers may find frustrating at times) as he takes her on a disjointed journey filled with his spray-painted graffiti train maps, conversations about cloud documents, and dreamlike late-night wanderings. As Ocean is drawn closer to Constant, her own thoughts on life, reality, dying, the self, and language clash with his, creating an intriguing dynamic and a twist on the typical romance arc. Ocean's original narration and worldview are immersive and sympathetic, providing insights into her experiences of depression and disassociation. Similarly, Ocean's relationship to her Chinese ethnicity through her immigrant mother and how it affects her self-view is smoothly integrated into the wider philosophical discussion of life, society, and dreams. White American Georgie and Slovenian Tashya are three-dimensional and grounded, adding extra layers of realism and friendship to Ocean's often unmoored narrative. A satisfying story arc exploring relationships with the self and others. (content warning) (Fiction. 13-18)

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November 7, 2022
When she’s accepted on scholarship to a prestigious N.Y.C. university, Ocean Sun, 17, feels that her future is perfectly charted out. Privately, though, Ocean has been wrestling with depression and suicidal ideation while balancing her Chinese immigrant mother’s high expectations with finding her own place in the world. Unbeknownst to her mother, Ocean defers college admission for a year, hoping the extra time will help her sort out her feelings. Under the guise of leaving for school, Ocean moves in with roommates in New York. While stranded in a subway station, she meets white graffiti artist Constant, and the two develop a profound connection formed via Google Docs correspondence discussing physics, mortality, and love. As Ocean uncovers more about herself and the world around her, however, she struggles to keep her double life secret from her mother. Employing leisurely pacing, Zhang (This Is Where the World Ends) meaningfully develops the characters’ dynamic relationships and intersecting paths toward adulthood, and Ocean and Constant’s poetic conversations and introspective ruminations provide plenty of fodder for philosophical discussion long after readers put down this reflective, romantic novel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Emily S. Keyes, Foreword Literary.

Starred review from September 15, 2022
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Ocean Sun is living two lies. Her hard-working immigrant mother believes Ocean, at 17, is living in a dorm and attending college in New York City. In truth, Ocean is trying to cope with life in general--her depression nearly drove her to end her life in high school--by deferring a year and living on the little money she has saved. When the power in all of New York City goes out, Ocean meets a young man named Constantine Brave, who engages her in activities she'd never imagined: tagging the subway, meeting in cemeteries at night, and having deep philosophical discussions about life, dreams, and reality. Still, Ocean struggles to manage her anxiety and keep her head above water as she accepts a tutoring job and grows more strongly attached to Constantine. The girls with whom she shares an apartment, Georgie and Tashya, evolve from strangers to important friends without whom Ocean can't find her way. The love and support supplied by Georgie and Tashya provide the soft place for Ocean to land as they all map their futures. This arresting, heartbreaking, and meditative novel examines the desperation of anxiety and shows how, though difficult, gaining control of one's life can lead both to living one's best life and living life the best one can.

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August 18, 2023

Gr 10 Up-Mental health, fragile relationships, and life struggles in NYC all come together in this atmospheric novel. Ocean is taking a gap year before attending college with a scholarship. Problem is, she hasn't come clean about it to her immigrant single mom. Ocean has been thinking about suicide since before she left her small town for the big city, and the day she meets mysterious Constantine, she realizes just how little she knows about life. The two enter a strange flirting friendship that ultimately backfires, and as Ocean struggles financially, emotionally, and mentally, things spiral out of her control. Even her two roommates seem to have their act together when they start dating and are working on finding their own paths. Life keeps getting harder as Ocean finds out Constantine is in a relationship, and her love is unrequited; she can't seem to find a way out of her situation. When she ends up in jail for a misdemeanor, Ocean will have to face the fact that she's losing control of her own life. This broody story portrays suicidal ideation throughout the plot, which can be hard to read and needs to be disclosed with a huge trigger warning. Constantine is an irredeemable character who toys around with Ocean, and ultimately hurts her. The unraveling of the main character's mental health is difficult to endure, and there's little in terms of a satisfying ending. Overall, this novel is an exploration of friendships, relationships, and life after high school. VERDICT The suicidal ideation Ocean experiences needs to be handled with care. Only give this book to readers who have been forewarned.-Carol Youssif

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