The Mapmaker’s Daughter by Clare Marchant

Description

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…

A sweeping, heartbreaking read, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Kathryn Hughes.

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Review

This one took me a while to get into. In some places, it felt quite repetitive, with constant reminders of the past and why the characters behaved and reacted as they did – which felt unnecessary with the extent the author repeated them.

However, the dual timeline plot was great, the lives of Frieda and Robyn worked well together with similarities to play on. I enjoyed the Elizabethan storyline more so than the present day, but this is purely my taste. The vivid descriptions of the clothing, food, locations, herbs, etc. were brilliant. The insights into cartography and navigation during the Tudor and Elizabethan age was fantastic and well researched.

Once I got into the storyline I was compelled to keep reading and finished the book in just over a day.

A nice read, but not one to gush about.