The Creator's Map

by Emilio Calderón

Set in Rome during the tumultuous period of the 1930s and 1940s, this novel recreats the dark intrigue, romantic entanglements and divided loyalties of a war-torn Europe. An exiled Spanish architect, a beautiful young librarian and an elegant Fascist prince are caught up in a plot involving a map which could destroy them all.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, War, Adventure, World War II, Spain

259 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Emilio Calderón (Málaga, 1960). Reside en Madrid desde hace más de treinta años. Es historiador, editor y escritor. Durante diez años se dedicó exclusivamente a la literatura infantil y juvenil y publicó, entre otras, Continúan los crímenes en Roma, Julieta sin Romeo, El último crimen de Pompeya y El misterio de la habitación cerrada, cosechando notables éxitos con alrededor de un centenar de reediciones de su obra. Su primera novela para adultos, El mapa del creador (Roca Editorial), fue editada en 2006, después de disfrutar de una beca de creación literaria en la Real Academia de España en Roma. Esta obra se convirtió inmediatamente en un éxito internacional y ha sido publicada en veintitrés países. En septiembre de 2007 publicó El secreto de la porcelana (Roca Editorial), y en junio de 2008 El judío de Shanghai (XIII Premio de novela Fernando Lara, Planeta), que ya ha sido traducida al inglés, y cuyos derechos se han vendido también en Alemania, Holanda, Rumanía, Ucrania y Croacia.
En octubre de 2009 fue Finalista del Premio Planeta con la obra La bailarina y el inglés, y en noviembre del mismo año, fue galardonado con un Micrófono de Plata de la Asociación de profesionales de Radio y Televisión por su aportación al mundo de la cultura.
Los sauces de Hiroshima (Editorial Planeta), publicada en octubre de 2011 y traducida al inglés, cierra su "trilogía asiática".
En 2012, con La cosecha humana (Editorial Planeta), el autor se introduce en el género negro.
En 2013 vio la luz La biblioteca (Editores de Zut), una apasionante historia sobre libros que transcurre en la Biblioteca Nacional de España, la novela más madura y compleja según el autor.
En 2014 publicó El velo de Isis (Ediciones Arconte), un cuento infantil, El elefante que quería ser hormiga (Carena Editors) y participó en tres antologías, La vida después-Cuentos de cine (Editores de zut), Relatos Insólitos (Ediciones Arconte) e Imaginaria, esta última de cuentos para niños.
Su nueva novela, Círculos (Editorial Stella Maris), estará disponible en noviembre de 2015.

Reviews

[Javi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es Roma en plena segunda guerra mundial. Dos refugiados de la guerra civil española se ven envueltos en actos de espionaje dirigidos a vigilar los movimientos de un príncipe simpatizante del régimen nazi. Al mismo tiempo que tratan de desvelar el misterio que rodea cierto mapa creado por Dios en persona.

Me ha gustado muchísimo esta novela. Tiene un aire de inmersión muy parecido al que nos encontramos en La Sombra del Viento, de Zafón. Tanto la relación entre los personajes como la veracidad historia resultaron ser más atractivas de lo que esperaba.

Muy recomendada su lectura.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this book a few years ago and became so bored with it that I gave up with only 60 pages left. As I was destashing some books, I came across it again and decided to finish it while practicing speed reading. I liked the idea of the story, but it was very dry for my personal taste.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leider ist dieser Roman eine Mogelpackung. Auf Grund der Buchbeschreibung habe ich einen Abenteuerroman nach Art eine Indiana Jones erwartet. Bekommen habe ich eine sehr detaillierte Darstellung der Zustände in Rom in den Jahren 1937-1953 mit kleineren Ausflügen in eine Liebesgeschichte.
Im großen und ganzen nicht uninteressant aber nicht das, was ich wollte.

[MTD · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is billed as a sort of Da Vinci code in the time of Fascism and the Spanish Civil War. In fact, that part of the plot occupies very little real estate. The book is more about the historical aspects of the time period -- fine for me since I am interested in that period of history, but not so good for someone interested in a literary thriller a la Dan Brown or Perez-Reverte (who in my opinion does it so much better!). I kept feeling like the translation was leaving something out -- I don't read Spanish fluently, so this is just a feeling I got, not an informed comment about the content.

[coty ☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not the biggest fan of WW2 based books, but the premise of this had me hooked, not gonna lie, and I was thoroughly disappointed. I felt that this would be like Uncharted or Indiana Jones maybe, but instead, it's a boring "love story" where you can't feel the love whatsoever and the characters are flatter than what some people believe the Earth to be. There's no depth to this book, and the Epilogue seemed like a slap in the face to any reader who may have somehow found themselves invested in the story.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't think this book was that great. The story, while interesting, never fully developed and the characters all seemed not well developed either.

[Simona · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5*... prea multă istorie, prea puțin s-a dezvoltat subiectul la care te aștepți când citești titlul cărții...

[M M · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is set in the emigre Spanish community in 1930s Italy. Although Spain is riven with sectarian strife, the snooty expatriates are all Nationalists, and would like nothing better to ally themselves both with Mussolini's Fascists, and the nascent Nazis who are going from strength to strength. This is a somewhat laboured spy novel with all the simplifications and generalisations attendant upon a conspiracy to take over the world. Calderon, however, seems to be pitching it as a sort of Indiana Jones caper, with frequent references to the Nazi desire to snatch antiques of power, such as the chalice of Jesus and the Ark of the Covenant and sundry other relics from the Christian past. The main narration follows an architect who rises in the Fascist and Nazi hierarchies under the aegis of an influential and immensely wealthy prince; both these men are in love with a (obviously) beautiful and vivacious girl. There is a motley collection of men named Smith who recruit the architect and his girl to spy upon the prince and the Church; meanwhile, the spies are being spied upon by the counter-intelligence of the Nazis and the Vatican; the plot is somewhat tenuous and the book is ultimately quite plodding. At the end comes the rather facile conclusion that nothing is as it seems, and people fighting on the opposing side may just as likely be on yours. The blurb calls it 'part love story, part espionage novel and part mystery'. It fails at all three.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creator's Map by Emilio Calderon (Hardback, July 2008)

The writing in Caleron's historical novel captivates and enchants. The Creator's Map is filled with images and names evocative of another time, Rome in the Fascist Era of Hitler, Franco and Mussolini, rich in intellectual and philopsophical ideas, and rife with the exigencies and vagaries of world politics. Calderon wraps these timeless details around a complex romantic web.

Through the eyes of a Spanish architect in Rome, the dark period surrounding the rise and fall of Fascism roars to life as an architect, a passionate young librarian, and an Italian prince become entangled in a web of intrigue, love, and deceit involving a fateful map.

If you are a fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Shadow of the Wind with its Labyrinthine streets and reliquary of "lost" books, or Orhan Pamuk's Snow for its incomprehensible politics and hapless narrator used by every side, or Peter Cameron's Andorra with its intriguing mix of ex-patriots thrown together in a historic setting, or even the religious intrigue of secret sects found in The Da Vinci Code, here's a book for you.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really really wanted to like this one, but --

You know that adage "show and don't tell"? Sometimes the showing can be overdone, but this book felt entirely like telling. The narrator isn't particularly likeable - in fact, nobody is. The only reason we know who to root for is because the other guys are Nazis. And you know, in some cases unlikeable narrators and characters are okay, but an entire book of icky people with no redeeming qualities is hard to take. Perhaps worse than that is the execution. The narrator is writing from some years in the future of what actually happens here, and is constantly reminding us of this: how he will later feel when Montse does this or says that; or what he will later learn when someone or other whatevers.

The idea of this book is so compelling, but the execution isn't. For the entirety of the book, I keep waiting for it to actually begin, and it never really does. I feel like this is one huge long outline of a novel that needs a lot more depth and three-dimensional characters. Not recommended.

[Roxana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in English, even when the original book is surely written in Spanish, but since I happen to find the book, by chance, in English, and it seems good, I didn¡t want to wait to find it in its original language.
Saying this, I really liked the book. Like a Robert Ludlum's novel, the story take place in Rome during the civil war in Spain and through the World War Two, with Musolini and Hitler playing a backround characters. José María and Montse, two spaniars living in Rome, get involved in a spy game where nobody is who pretend to be, it all started with a map supposelly writen by God himself...
It is also a love story or rather a love triangle story...
Again, as all books about war, you will find the worst and the best of human being, and that nobody is actually just good or bad but a mix of both.
I have to say, I didn't like the ending...

[Surreysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spy thriller set in World War II, of a slightly different cast, since our narrator-protagonist (a Spaniard living in Rome) is clueless, or, more precisely, cannot make sense of what clues he gets. His girlfriend/wife, Montse, and his rival, Junio, are in possession of rather more pieces of the puzzle, but neither Jose Maria nor we can be fully certain of who was working for whom until the last, revelatory letter after Junio's death. I won't make spoilers, but the Creator's Map of the title is in one sense a real red herring and in another crucial to everyone's motives, representing as it does the insanity of the Nazis' greed for power.

This novel provided several hours of engrossing reading on my commute.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting "a feverish triangle of love and intrigue" and felt cheated when I finished this book. Characters seemed poorly developed- I never developed empathy for them throughout the entire novel. What I did enjoy with this read was learning some history about Italy and Spain during WWII. At times, it seemed like I was reading a history book though because Calderon never quite blended the story with the historical info in a seamless way. Reading this story was like reading two genres in one. I gave it three stars because I found the period in history interesting, not because I was dying to find out what happened to the characters!

[Liviu · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has great reviews and when I started reading it seemed like a joke that I did not get. And it does not get better. I do not know if it's the translation or the original, but it's such a juvenile book with moron characters that I could not believe the reviews it got. Big waste of time.

A lovestruck mentally challenged architect, an early 20's girl that acts 15, an Italian fascist prince that struts like a comic opera villain, secret spies out of comedy and a mystical map. So bad that even one star is too much.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I looked forward to reading this book because its reviews had compared it to mystery/thrillers that I had devoured, like The Shadow of the Wind and books by Arturo Perez Reverte. However, it took me a long time to read the whole book because I kept falling asleep! I just was not able to get into the characters, the plot was slow to pick up, and I found the story a little flat. Still, I liked the details about the feelings of the Spaniards who were living away from Spain during the Spanish Civil War, and I liked hearing the descriptions of Rome.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say this story was intense and the book was short, great for a weekend read. A book of love and loyalty to one's country. HOWEVER, it is horribly written. The author would have been better off selling his idea than writing it himself. At times, it gets pretty hung up on architectural descriptions and you just want them to get on with it all ready! But in the end it really was a good story and made up for the poor writing...

By the way! DO NOT BUY ONLINE!!! I actually bought this book in a hard cover copy form the Dollar Tree!

[Stef · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I really don't know why this book is called THE CREATOR'S MAP ( DIE KARTE GOTTES ). The map is mentioned but only at the beginning and at the end. the book is about two young people who work as a spy in Rome during the Mussullini time. It is a nice book, interesting story and characters and one learns a lot about life during that time but it just isn't what the cover promised. Therefore only three stars

[Svetlana Dorokhova · Rating 1 out of 5]

Книга меня разочаровала: ожидала одно, получила другое. Вместо интересного и захватывающего шпионского романа вышел долгий и скучный урок истории. Против истории я ничего не имею и даже люблю, но не в этом случае. Совершенно не поняла, причем тут Карта творца, о ней речь шла только в начале и в конце. Ну, и сам герой не вызвал у меня никакой симпатии, скорее отторжение - настолько он слабохарактерный.

[Ginnie Leiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this book last night. A very good look at Rome during WWII. I love reading books that take place in cities I am familiar with. Reading about the characters on the Giancolo or in St. Cecelia's brings back pleasant memories of my times in Rome. Ultimately a book about betrayal, a memorable story.

[Kyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there were incremental ratings, because I would have given this a 3.5.

I actually liked this book a lot, and learned a lot about history while I read it. It's very setting-focused and history-focused, but the plot is very compelling. There were parts that were a little gory, but hey, war is war. It isn't an easy read, but I thought it was worth it.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calderon's style is enchanting and the twists are solid, but the overall pacing just seems off and the characters a little wooden. Not sure if it's remnants of less-than-ideal translation or if it's similar in the original.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Spanish novel in the secrets of the Vatican wrapped up in the Spanish Civil War genre...I suspect I just created that genre. If you like Rome, Mysteries of the Vatican and espionage, this book is worth a read.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

The best part of the book was that it was set in Rome and gave some great descriptions. The plot was far-fetched and some of the characters did things that were out-of-character. My copy is in the 'garage sale' pile. (although if anyone wants to, they are welcome to it!)

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set during World War II, this mystery/adventure novel follows a group of Spaniards in Rome who are seeking a map, said to have been drawn by God Himself, that shows the secrets of power in the universe. Unfortunately, the plot was plodding and the characters were relatively unappealing.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reaaaally liked this book. Though I have never been that much into WW2 themes, it was really interesting to read! Wonderful web of background stories going on...at the end I really was fascinated, but sad at the same time :/

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book never managed to capture my whole interest. There were several references made to places or people that were never fully explained, for example the Tiber River. I do not believe I was able to follow the plot and appreciate it fully. I think that is due to la k of personal effort though

[Sybele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not about Creator's map as an artifact it is about the world created by mankind. At least I as I was trying to find a deeper meaning in it. For me it gives an interesting insight in life in Italia during the second world war. Full stop.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In spite of the poor reviews, it was worth reading due to the chance to see WWII from the Spanish/Italian perspective. Jose & Montse & Prince Junio's story of spying and intrigue plodded at times but had unforeseen consequences.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was definitely a quick read with some interesting facts but still left me waiting for the really great story to unfold.

[Sophiene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reading this in a dutch translation.