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The Map That Led to You
Perfect for fans of One Piece, this is an epic Black queer pirate fantasy that you won't be able to put down!
A long time ago, a witch burst into flames. A pirate and a mermaid fell in love. A map was marked with a glowing X. And a republic was born.
Levi and Vega are the children of the fearsome pirate captain of The Sea Dragon. They have been raised on tales of daring feats and seafaring adventures, but there are stories they haven't been told--stories about witches and mermaids and magical maps. When tragedy strikes, the siblings land on the Pirate Republic, a self-governed island of freedom and adventure. Levi uncovers the secrets of his past as he works with his sister, a sea nymph, the pirates, and witches to protect the island from the conquering Empire. But he must learn to accept himself before he can even begin to help his friends.
In the present day, two girls are given a history to try and piece together the rise and fall of the famous and corrupt Pirate Republic, which once formed their island home. As Reggie and Maeve's tentative friendship deepens into something more, they realize that a magical world could be on their very doorstep--if only they can find the map.
Published in partnership with GLAAD, this novel is an intoxicatingly rich fantasy that blends high seas, swashbuckling adventure and lyrical poetry.
Booklist Editors' Choice 2025: Books for Youth Award Winner!
A long time ago, a witch burst into flames. A pirate and a mermaid fell in love. A map was marked with a glowing X. And a republic was born.
Levi and Vega are the children of the fearsome pirate captain of The Sea Dragon. They have been raised on tales of daring feats and seafaring adventures, but there are stories they haven't been told--stories about witches and mermaids and magical maps. When tragedy strikes, the siblings land on the Pirate Republic, a self-governed island of freedom and adventure. Levi uncovers the secrets of his past as he works with his sister, a sea nymph, the pirates, and witches to protect the island from the conquering Empire. But he must learn to accept himself before he can even begin to help his friends.
In the present day, two girls are given a history to try and piece together the rise and fall of the famous and corrupt Pirate Republic, which once formed their island home. As Reggie and Maeve's tentative friendship deepens into something more, they realize that a magical world could be on their very doorstep--if only they can find the map.
Published in partnership with GLAAD, this novel is an intoxicatingly rich fantasy that blends high seas, swashbuckling adventure and lyrical poetry.
Booklist Editors' Choice 2025: Books for Youth Award Winner!
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 3, 2026
I love multiple pov’s/ dual timelines
April 21, 2024
“Let me show you what love means,
Let me right what has been wrong.”
This books isn’t in my usual reading genre but is exactly what my soul needed. The beautiful metaphor of self-love and acceptance is beyond gorgeous and made me cry multiple times. I didn’t think it was possible to love SO MANY characters in one book. The yearning and the love between them is perfect too.
I was totally lost in the huge scope of this book and, despite how dynamic and big the world is in terms of place and characters and time period, it flows perfectly and had me invested at every point. It’s clearly incredibly researched, which only makes it even more tangible.
And on top of it all? The most stunningly lyrical poetry to tie it all together and add something truly unique. Ella McLeod does it again. An “intoxicatingly rich romantasy” is exactly what it is and more.
Let me right what has been wrong.”
This books isn’t in my usual reading genre but is exactly what my soul needed. The beautiful metaphor of self-love and acceptance is beyond gorgeous and made me cry multiple times. I didn’t think it was possible to love SO MANY characters in one book. The yearning and the love between them is perfect too.
I was totally lost in the huge scope of this book and, despite how dynamic and big the world is in terms of place and characters and time period, it flows perfectly and had me invested at every point. It’s clearly incredibly researched, which only makes it even more tangible.
And on top of it all? The most stunningly lyrical poetry to tie it all together and add something truly unique. Ella McLeod does it again. An “intoxicatingly rich romantasy” is exactly what it is and more.
February 15, 2025
Unexpected 5stars, was sceptical at first because who writes second person PoV, but it overall ended up being amazing
July 10, 2026
Per essere una storia per ragazzi mi è piaciuta parecchio, anche se lo stile tra i due piani temporali e addirittura la seconda persona sballa un po' il target, ma in generale bella la mitologia che c'è attorno ed è molto tradizionale sulla parte dei pirati e del bullismo nella parte del presente, e l'unione dei due piani temporali mi è piaciuto. E ci sono le lelle!
Però non mi ha convinto il finale, l'ho trovato un po' triste, quasi una sconfitta.
Però non mi ha convinto il finale, l'ho trovato un po' triste, quasi una sconfitta.
April 15, 2024
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
3.5 stars
THE MAP THAT LED TO YOU is a dual timeline tale of outsiders, magical islands, and fighting for your home, whatever shape that takes.
Despite the above blurb, the focus of the book is not on the present but on the past. The narrator there, Levi, gets the largest portion of page time - and I did enjoy this timeline more. It's the high seas portion of the book, full of ships and pirates and a treasure map...
Levi has grown up on a ship in the aftermath of a witch's death that led to a republic in defiance. But there's a secret he's not been told and the empire wants to conquer the republic. I liked the dynamic between him and his sister Vega, how they had each other's back the entire time.
By contrast to the adventure of the past, the present (narrated by Reggie) felt more like a contemporary tale about two girls and their relationship in a town with Opinions on what is and isn't proper. There are links to the past with their research project and the tree, but given what they were researching was what was playing out on page in the past, it felt like they existed primarily for their relationship.
I picked up this book at a less than ideal time - I was not well and my head was a bit clothy, which meant it took me a while to get into this book. My attention span wasn't great and it contains two narrative elements I struggle with on a good day - second person narration and verse. However, once I got into the book, I could appreciate how the elements were used.
These narratives styles are used to demark the three timelines (and three narrators) well. Levi, and the past, is the more common third person prose while Reggie and the present is in second person. The mythology, happening before and during, and between the others, is in verse. The verse suits this mythological aspect well, giving it a sense of oral tradition being passed down.
3.5 stars
THE MAP THAT LED TO YOU is a dual timeline tale of outsiders, magical islands, and fighting for your home, whatever shape that takes.
Despite the above blurb, the focus of the book is not on the present but on the past. The narrator there, Levi, gets the largest portion of page time - and I did enjoy this timeline more. It's the high seas portion of the book, full of ships and pirates and a treasure map...
Levi has grown up on a ship in the aftermath of a witch's death that led to a republic in defiance. But there's a secret he's not been told and the empire wants to conquer the republic. I liked the dynamic between him and his sister Vega, how they had each other's back the entire time.
By contrast to the adventure of the past, the present (narrated by Reggie) felt more like a contemporary tale about two girls and their relationship in a town with Opinions on what is and isn't proper. There are links to the past with their research project and the tree, but given what they were researching was what was playing out on page in the past, it felt like they existed primarily for their relationship.
I picked up this book at a less than ideal time - I was not well and my head was a bit clothy, which meant it took me a while to get into this book. My attention span wasn't great and it contains two narrative elements I struggle with on a good day - second person narration and verse. However, once I got into the book, I could appreciate how the elements were used.
These narratives styles are used to demark the three timelines (and three narrators) well. Levi, and the past, is the more common third person prose while Reggie and the present is in second person. The mythology, happening before and during, and between the others, is in verse. The verse suits this mythological aspect well, giving it a sense of oral tradition being passed down.
September 25, 2025
"They have come to steal our world, Kano. We will not give it up. We are pirates. The treasure is ours."
I'm UNWELL this might be the best book I've read this year and now I desperately need to become a pirate. Very occasionally, I will come across a book title and I'll know that the book is going to be a hit, and this was one. Comparing it to One Piece in the blurb was absolutely correct. It had the same hopeful, defiant tones and lovable storylines and characters (Vega!!). The inclusion of the gorgeous poetry made reading this such a magical experience, especially when everything started falling into place. Being extremely queer, written by an author of colour and featuring a mainly POC/nonhuman cast, it was also very politically relevant, and my heart ached for the Republic of Sheta Island. My only complaint is the prologue which was basically a huge info dump, but it didn't matter because the rest of the story was just too good.
I'm UNWELL this might be the best book I've read this year and now I desperately need to become a pirate. Very occasionally, I will come across a book title and I'll know that the book is going to be a hit, and this was one. Comparing it to One Piece in the blurb was absolutely correct. It had the same hopeful, defiant tones and lovable storylines and characters (Vega!!). The inclusion of the gorgeous poetry made reading this such a magical experience, especially when everything started falling into place. Being extremely queer, written by an author of colour and featuring a mainly POC/nonhuman cast, it was also very politically relevant, and my heart ached for the Republic of Sheta Island. My only complaint is the prologue which was basically a huge info dump, but it didn't matter because the rest of the story was just too good.
April 15, 2025
I wish I’d had this book growing up. Queer, Caribbean, Magical. How does one manage to feel decolonial rage but also a warm loving hug all at once? Who pulls off second person narratives? And poetry in the middle of it all! What a glorious glorious world. Absolutely loved it.
May 20, 2024
Queer representation AND pirates?! What's not to love!
August 9, 2024
A beautiful and authentic story about queer love. So much representation and history! Really loved the idea of fantasy being blended in with queer history and the loss of it because of colonialism.
August 6, 2026
3.75 stars on 5.00
As a huge fan of Black Sails, I loved the concept of this novel and the queerness of it all. I think that the three different povs are in most cases well used and they make the book more engaging.
However, my feelings are mixed... maybe I am just overthinking, though.
I really enjoyed the characters, the pace, the worldbuilding and the themes of the novel. But despite my enthusiasm for almost the whole book, the ending was a huge let down for me. It felt rushed and more superficial than the rest of the novel. The spoiler free comment is that I would have liked more depth to the antagonists (both in the past and the present timeline). The author tried to give them reasons, but I think more time was needed and the attempt made the situation worse. The fast and short time dedicated to their reasons (only a couple of sentences sometimes) makes it worse imho, because the result was that I felt that these characters, despite their (sometimes almost sensitive reasons) did not "deserve" empathy or time by the narration only because... they were not queer enough or strong enough or out and proud enough to be taken into consideration. But if the whole theme of the novel is the importance of finding your community and the importance of connections, maybe that was not a development (of lack of it) I would have expected.
I also think that characters such as Vega and Kuno should have gone though an arc of some sort, but I can see why they did not and left more time to Levi, Regina and Maeve.
It'll be a long and confusing comment, because I think that the many positive elements of this novel made me think it is worth it to discuss about its (to me) negative sides. Don't know if that makes sense LOL
!!! SPOILERS AHEAD !!!
I felt the ending very rushed, with verbal bullies becoming arsonists in a couple of pages just to get to the end. Moreover, for a book about empathy and finding your own people, I think It completely lacked of empathy towards many characters (which are not queer... I love queer narrations, but this novel was too polarizing in its depiction of "queer / genderfluid = good", "straight/cis = undeserving", especially for a novel for kids.
Let me explain with some examples.
1) The "cartographers" (the first and the last) acted the way they acted because they felt left out by the magic Island and... It's kind of true, because they were never "allowed" to see the X on the map. They were left out because they chose to blend in, but their choice was out of fear of rejection even by the non magical world. I think that these characters had the right to receive more space in the narration, maybe Fifth could have a kind of redemption arc at the end, because he too was trying to find his own people, just like Reggie. His attempts were not the best, but he was trying to create a stable life for his family, especially after the death of his wife. They were not acting out of evil reasons, but out of fear. In the end, I think that the writer tried to show a sparkle of redemption at the end, but it was not enough. He still lost his daughter as punishment for repressing her. Fair enough, ok, Reggie did not have to put up with his father's bullsh*it, but they could at least try to communicate. It would have been more empowering and positive than fleeing away "with your people", cutting out the rest of the world.
2) The fairy queen: she is presented as very female presenting and straight and, again, complexities are something she does not deserve, or this I got from the space given to her in the book. Again we are given a glance of it: she is greedy, yes, but she is also grieving because River Mumma killed her lover. We then know from River Mumma that her lover tried to r*pe her, but does the queen know that? If she didn't know, maybe she had her right to grief, because she didn't know her lover was an evil bastard. We'll never see Mumma and Mmoatia talk about this, because she is a bad bad woman and does not deserve space for redemption, empathy... And she could still be evil! For example if, despite knowing of the r*pe attempt, she still accused Mumma of "seducing" her man, or something on this line... Other than her greediness ofc. Why telling me in a couple of sentences of her grief, if you are not willing to go deeper and make her as complex as other characters? This attempt fell flat because of how insufferable the character is.
3) Last example is Johnson and he introduces another theme I found disappointing. He said he wanted to parlay because he wanted to protect the island and his family on it. I found that interesting, because it added complexities to the "bad guy", but no... since he is a straight male, then he does not deserve complexity and he goes back to be portrayed as the merciless and violent bad guy. I would have preferred him to be a greedy bastard and stop, then. Why giving me a glance on complexities, if you want to step back from it because you need an antagonist that can be killed without any form of remorse? And this leads to another thing that disappointed me: the depiction of violence.
We are speaking of pirates, so ofc the past characters can be used to it and use it when needed, since they belong to a violent world, but again, this is a novel for young readers, which doesn't mean that they are stupid, on the contrary, complexities is welcome!
My problem with how violence isused in it is considered almost ok, even extreme violence, if the protagonists are using it. Example: Vega kills without hesitation or remorse. Ok, she is a cool pirate, she is a star and a perfect fighter, then why when she uses violence she is cool, while killing NPCs on the shore, while if the bad guys are violent, then they are bad and vicious? Kuno kills with remorse, but we never see the psychological effects on them, only because they are killing to protect their loved ones. Ok, then tell me that they doesn't feel remorse because of that or make them refuse to fight in a so violent way!
Even Levi, the "good guy", says that he finds killing easy!! As I said, I love Black Sails, narration of queer violence and queer rage, but that scene was not contextualised in that frame. He kills some soldiers and thinks "wow killing is easy" and stop, no consequences at all on his mind.
Vega at one point almost worries about her nonchalant use of violence, but again the spark of complexity is left there just to be forgotten. Maybe it would have been something to explore, also to give Vega more character development. Vega and Levi's father decapitates a man, too, in front of his children! That was a good scene, and I think that the father was one of the best characters, because it had many contraddictions expressed in a better way than other characters. But this leads me to the main point: he deserves complexity and contraddictions and space in the narration because he is queer, that's the message I'm getting from the narration. So his use of violence and his omissions / lies deserve a welcoming attitude.
!!SPOILERS END!!!
Long story short, intentional or not, I think that the novel needed more time to develop certain things and welcome the complexities and contraddictions that it invites to accept, but if that is the main theme, then it should be applied to ALL the main characters, bad characters included, and a couple of lines are not enough to give them nuances, imho. Better an evil and flat character I can have fun hating on, then this half attempts.
And yes, I would have said the exact same things if the ratio had been upside down.
However, since maybe this is just my overthinking and not the writer's intentions, give a chance to the novel because it is adventurous and engaging overall!
As a huge fan of Black Sails, I loved the concept of this novel and the queerness of it all. I think that the three different povs are in most cases well used and they make the book more engaging.
However, my feelings are mixed... maybe I am just overthinking, though.
I really enjoyed the characters, the pace, the worldbuilding and the themes of the novel. But despite my enthusiasm for almost the whole book, the ending was a huge let down for me. It felt rushed and more superficial than the rest of the novel. The spoiler free comment is that I would have liked more depth to the antagonists (both in the past and the present timeline). The author tried to give them reasons, but I think more time was needed and the attempt made the situation worse. The fast and short time dedicated to their reasons (only a couple of sentences sometimes) makes it worse imho, because the result was that I felt that these characters, despite their (sometimes almost sensitive reasons) did not "deserve" empathy or time by the narration only because... they were not queer enough or strong enough or out and proud enough to be taken into consideration. But if the whole theme of the novel is the importance of finding your community and the importance of connections, maybe that was not a development (of lack of it) I would have expected.
I also think that characters such as Vega and Kuno should have gone though an arc of some sort, but I can see why they did not and left more time to Levi, Regina and Maeve.
It'll be a long and confusing comment, because I think that the many positive elements of this novel made me think it is worth it to discuss about its (to me) negative sides. Don't know if that makes sense LOL
!!! SPOILERS AHEAD !!!
I felt the ending very rushed, with verbal bullies becoming arsonists in a couple of pages just to get to the end. Moreover, for a book about empathy and finding your own people, I think It completely lacked of empathy towards many characters (which are not queer... I love queer narrations, but this novel was too polarizing in its depiction of "queer / genderfluid = good", "straight/cis = undeserving", especially for a novel for kids.
Let me explain with some examples.
1) The "cartographers" (the first and the last) acted the way they acted because they felt left out by the magic Island and... It's kind of true, because they were never "allowed" to see the X on the map. They were left out because they chose to blend in, but their choice was out of fear of rejection even by the non magical world. I think that these characters had the right to receive more space in the narration, maybe Fifth could have a kind of redemption arc at the end, because he too was trying to find his own people, just like Reggie. His attempts were not the best, but he was trying to create a stable life for his family, especially after the death of his wife. They were not acting out of evil reasons, but out of fear. In the end, I think that the writer tried to show a sparkle of redemption at the end, but it was not enough. He still lost his daughter as punishment for repressing her. Fair enough, ok, Reggie did not have to put up with his father's bullsh*it, but they could at least try to communicate. It would have been more empowering and positive than fleeing away "with your people", cutting out the rest of the world.
2) The fairy queen: she is presented as very female presenting and straight and, again, complexities are something she does not deserve, or this I got from the space given to her in the book. Again we are given a glance of it: she is greedy, yes, but she is also grieving because River Mumma killed her lover. We then know from River Mumma that her lover tried to r*pe her, but does the queen know that? If she didn't know, maybe she had her right to grief, because she didn't know her lover was an evil bastard. We'll never see Mumma and Mmoatia talk about this, because she is a bad bad woman and does not deserve space for redemption, empathy... And she could still be evil! For example if, despite knowing of the r*pe attempt, she still accused Mumma of "seducing" her man, or something on this line... Other than her greediness ofc. Why telling me in a couple of sentences of her grief, if you are not willing to go deeper and make her as complex as other characters? This attempt fell flat because of how insufferable the character is.
3) Last example is Johnson and he introduces another theme I found disappointing. He said he wanted to parlay because he wanted to protect the island and his family on it. I found that interesting, because it added complexities to the "bad guy", but no... since he is a straight male, then he does not deserve complexity and he goes back to be portrayed as the merciless and violent bad guy. I would have preferred him to be a greedy bastard and stop, then. Why giving me a glance on complexities, if you want to step back from it because you need an antagonist that can be killed without any form of remorse? And this leads to another thing that disappointed me: the depiction of violence.
We are speaking of pirates, so ofc the past characters can be used to it and use it when needed, since they belong to a violent world, but again, this is a novel for young readers, which doesn't mean that they are stupid, on the contrary, complexities is welcome!
My problem with how violence isused in it is considered almost ok, even extreme violence, if the protagonists are using it. Example: Vega kills without hesitation or remorse. Ok, she is a cool pirate, she is a star and a perfect fighter, then why when she uses violence she is cool, while killing NPCs on the shore, while if the bad guys are violent, then they are bad and vicious? Kuno kills with remorse, but we never see the psychological effects on them, only because they are killing to protect their loved ones. Ok, then tell me that they doesn't feel remorse because of that or make them refuse to fight in a so violent way!
Even Levi, the "good guy", says that he finds killing easy!! As I said, I love Black Sails, narration of queer violence and queer rage, but that scene was not contextualised in that frame. He kills some soldiers and thinks "wow killing is easy" and stop, no consequences at all on his mind.
Vega at one point almost worries about her nonchalant use of violence, but again the spark of complexity is left there just to be forgotten. Maybe it would have been something to explore, also to give Vega more character development. Vega and Levi's father decapitates a man, too, in front of his children! That was a good scene, and I think that the father was one of the best characters, because it had many contraddictions expressed in a better way than other characters. But this leads me to the main point: he deserves complexity and contraddictions and space in the narration because he is queer, that's the message I'm getting from the narration. So his use of violence and his omissions / lies deserve a welcoming attitude.
!!SPOILERS END!!!
Long story short, intentional or not, I think that the novel needed more time to develop certain things and welcome the complexities and contraddictions that it invites to accept, but if that is the main theme, then it should be applied to ALL the main characters, bad characters included, and a couple of lines are not enough to give them nuances, imho. Better an evil and flat character I can have fun hating on, then this half attempts.
And yes, I would have said the exact same things if the ratio had been upside down.
However, since maybe this is just my overthinking and not the writer's intentions, give a chance to the novel because it is adventurous and engaging overall!
August 2, 2026
3.75 rounded up. Exactly the kind of fast-paced fiction I was looking for! What a delight! (Except for the 8 pages where I cried my eyes out.) I was equally intrigued and confused by the mix of formats— second person present timeline, third person past timeline, interspersed with mythology told in rhyming verse? It’s the kind of concept that sounds like a clusterfuck, and somehow, it… worked?!
I’m not sure why exactly McLeod has decided to write her contemporary fantasies in second person, but I’m assuming for this title it has to be:
A.) For easy relatability to the reader, since Reggie deals with teen-typical issues (lack of control over her life, bullying, relationship drama and first kisses),
B.) Reggie’s ties to the Nubia lore. Second person allows for a more “story-like” but personal feel (although I think that the past timeline was the one that actually broke the fourth wall).
(I just know there’s a lot of room for analysis and it doesn’t seem impulsive.)
While the editions kind of flip-flop on which storyline is prioritized in the summary, I borrowed a library copy that was a Little Bee Books edition with art of Levi on the cover, so I started the book very aware of his timeline and not really of Reggie’s. Tbh that’s the best mindset to go in with: Levi’s storyline is the clear focus, second only to the evolution and eventual downgrade/gentrification of Sheta Island itself. If you’re expecting Reggie and Maeve’s sapphic romance to be on most of the pages, it will likely be disappointing. (I don’t know why some of the covers are so misleading…)
That said, the past timeline was, without a doubt, more engaging. McLeod’s excitement for bloodshed, swashbuckling, and magic is transparent. There was also some clear Jamaican-coding for a bulk of the cast, especially with the integration of the River Mumma, which, while I kind of wish it was made more overt (the setting stays vaguely Caribbean), it did add some interesting subtext. Particularly in the parts about colonization and “The Empire” (which is so clearly Britain LOL). Also, aaa!! The sister and brother bond between Vega and Levi is so endearing, I love how they connect both emotionally and through their shared gender nonconformity <3! Kano was a welcome addition, albeit a slightly rushed one. Would have liked to see more of the other pirates, their limited page time was pretty memorable but I also felt some parts were spent on playing catch-up.
And! I was not expecting to see some immortal yearning in the poetry segments, but that was a nice surprise… enough so that I might want to check out this author’s Andromeda retelling that just released🤭 the Ezi and River Mumma lore dumps were verrryyyy fairytale-coded
I do think the pacing was janky, though. While I was still engaged, a lot of the stakes and story come to a halt around the portion where Levi and crew find refuge in The Republic. A lot of the character growth was strange as a result, having to be set off by a realization that can’t really be worked out with action or many other characters. If the trio dynamic between Kano, Levi and Vega wasn’t so solid, I would have been bored.
Also… I’m not sure how to feel about the modern-day plotline. Reggie was kind of the only character I found myself being genuinely attached to? While I thought Maeve’s struggles with confrontation were realistic for a girl her age, her arc was predictable. Every other student had paper-thin characterization, including Chloe, who engaged in some very cringy Disney Channel-esque bullying. To put it bluntly, this book falls flat on its face whenever it tries to be “hip”. I had gone too long without realizing that a YA book could fully do that, I guess, and the universe had to remind me. The slang felt a little Wrong, the school setting felt a little Wrong, every issue within Reggie’s home life felt realistic on paper and off-kilter in presentation. Only Reggie’s internal world, lovably whimsical and a bit of a painful reminder of how I would cope with my own teenage life, felt real.
(I guess the drag bar stuff was fun, though.)
I think the best part about the two timelines converging was seeing what the past characters became, and just how much lore was embedded into Sheta Island. On a worldbuilding level, it’s so much fun to observe and dissect. There’s all this attention spent on which landmarks from Levi and Vega’s timeline were preserved, how parts of their story (especially the more fantastical ones) got forgotten or distorted by documentation— or lack thereof, and the looming, crushing feeling of being in Reggie’s POV and seeing the island’s cultural background get absolutely ground into a pulp by tourism. And the addition of figuring (some of) that out through Maeve and Reggie’s opinionated academic research?! It was bittersweet, yes, but I was also geeking out a little. As a reader, you essentially have to play “connect the dots” game with every POV switch— a facet of the reading experience I absolutely took advantage of.
Goddamnit, now I want to LARP as one of Reggie’s classmates and write a 5,000 word essay on the Republic’s fall😭😭
Anyhow! This was not perfect by any means but I enjoyed it a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many casually queer unambiguously Black characters in one pirate book and I am kind of giddy. Interested in reading what else this author publishes.
I’m not sure why exactly McLeod has decided to write her contemporary fantasies in second person, but I’m assuming for this title it has to be:
A.) For easy relatability to the reader, since Reggie deals with teen-typical issues (lack of control over her life, bullying, relationship drama and first kisses),
B.) Reggie’s ties to the Nubia lore. Second person allows for a more “story-like” but personal feel (although I think that the past timeline was the one that actually broke the fourth wall).
(I just know there’s a lot of room for analysis and it doesn’t seem impulsive.)
While the editions kind of flip-flop on which storyline is prioritized in the summary, I borrowed a library copy that was a Little Bee Books edition with art of Levi on the cover, so I started the book very aware of his timeline and not really of Reggie’s. Tbh that’s the best mindset to go in with: Levi’s storyline is the clear focus, second only to the evolution and eventual downgrade/gentrification of Sheta Island itself. If you’re expecting Reggie and Maeve’s sapphic romance to be on most of the pages, it will likely be disappointing. (I don’t know why some of the covers are so misleading…)
That said, the past timeline was, without a doubt, more engaging. McLeod’s excitement for bloodshed, swashbuckling, and magic is transparent. There was also some clear Jamaican-coding for a bulk of the cast, especially with the integration of the River Mumma, which, while I kind of wish it was made more overt (the setting stays vaguely Caribbean), it did add some interesting subtext. Particularly in the parts about colonization and “The Empire” (which is so clearly Britain LOL). Also, aaa!! The sister and brother bond between Vega and Levi is so endearing, I love how they connect both emotionally and through their shared gender nonconformity <3! Kano was a welcome addition, albeit a slightly rushed one. Would have liked to see more of the other pirates, their limited page time was pretty memorable but I also felt some parts were spent on playing catch-up.
And! I was not expecting to see some immortal yearning in the poetry segments, but that was a nice surprise… enough so that I might want to check out this author’s Andromeda retelling that just released🤭 the Ezi and River Mumma lore dumps were verrryyyy fairytale-coded
I do think the pacing was janky, though. While I was still engaged, a lot of the stakes and story come to a halt around the portion where Levi and crew find refuge in The Republic. A lot of the character growth was strange as a result, having to be set off by a realization that can’t really be worked out with action or many other characters. If the trio dynamic between Kano, Levi and Vega wasn’t so solid, I would have been bored.
Also… I’m not sure how to feel about the modern-day plotline. Reggie was kind of the only character I found myself being genuinely attached to? While I thought Maeve’s struggles with confrontation were realistic for a girl her age, her arc was predictable. Every other student had paper-thin characterization, including Chloe, who engaged in some very cringy Disney Channel-esque bullying. To put it bluntly, this book falls flat on its face whenever it tries to be “hip”. I had gone too long without realizing that a YA book could fully do that, I guess, and the universe had to remind me. The slang felt a little Wrong, the school setting felt a little Wrong, every issue within Reggie’s home life felt realistic on paper and off-kilter in presentation. Only Reggie’s internal world, lovably whimsical and a bit of a painful reminder of how I would cope with my own teenage life, felt real.
(I guess the drag bar stuff was fun, though.)
I think the best part about the two timelines converging was seeing what the past characters became, and just how much lore was embedded into Sheta Island. On a worldbuilding level, it’s so much fun to observe and dissect. There’s all this attention spent on which landmarks from Levi and Vega’s timeline were preserved, how parts of their story (especially the more fantastical ones) got forgotten or distorted by documentation— or lack thereof, and the looming, crushing feeling of being in Reggie’s POV and seeing the island’s cultural background get absolutely ground into a pulp by tourism. And the addition of figuring (some of) that out through Maeve and Reggie’s opinionated academic research?! It was bittersweet, yes, but I was also geeking out a little. As a reader, you essentially have to play “connect the dots” game with every POV switch— a facet of the reading experience I absolutely took advantage of.
Goddamnit, now I want to LARP as one of Reggie’s classmates and write a 5,000 word essay on the Republic’s fall😭😭
Anyhow! This was not perfect by any means but I enjoyed it a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many casually queer unambiguously Black characters in one pirate book and I am kind of giddy. Interested in reading what else this author publishes.
July 10, 2025
Great book with an interesting style.
The combination of second person pov, third person and lyrical verse ensured variety and a different approach to differentiate between the protagonists/times. (Cause honestly sometimes in multiple pov books it's exhausting trying to figure out who is actually "telling the story" in every chapter and I prefer the approach of this author more to other ways I've seen it done before. It makes the reading experience more clear, although one should not forget, that this contributes to making the story seem less cohesive from time to time).
I absolutely loved the queer aspects of the story and some lines really made me think, especially in Levi's chapters and I liked that. Furthermore, he, Vega and Kano were enjoyable characters. I loved them.
However, there's a major issue I had while reading - MAEVE.
I only picked this up in the first place, for a cute sapphic fantasy read. And I tried really hard to love them - and well, I loved Reggie, but Maeve... made things difficult.
Without giving too much away for those who haven't read this yet...
It's okay not to be sure what you want.
It's also okay to have some issues you're struggling with.
It's also okay that this book addresses bullying.
But I felt like Reggie was just treated unfairly the whole book. And that made me mad.
The sapphic part was cute, but just for two pages, until something fucked it up again.
I wanted them to talk, in depth, about what happened and really apologize or make up for what they did.
And well... they did - KINDA...
I'm a forgiving person, but I think this book might give those folks who already struggle with forgiving too much an unhealthy idea of how to take care of themselves.
In the end, it wasn't actually that bad and it all ended up working out. But that was just on the surface and if these topics come up in a book, I want to dive into them.
Sadly, this aspect reduced my really positive reading experience, cause I always wondered if I should like her/trust her now instead of enjoying the cute moments.
And I wish that that there was more fantasy and/or magic, cause sometimes these aspects lacked... depth?
I mean, I absolutely looooved the combination of pirates, witches and fairies, but it wasn't quite enough for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this less than I thought I would, but it still ended up being a great read.
Oh and a map would be cool, especially if the book is titled "The MAP that led to you" ;)
The combination of second person pov, third person and lyrical verse ensured variety and a different approach to differentiate between the protagonists/times. (Cause honestly sometimes in multiple pov books it's exhausting trying to figure out who is actually "telling the story" in every chapter and I prefer the approach of this author more to other ways I've seen it done before. It makes the reading experience more clear, although one should not forget, that this contributes to making the story seem less cohesive from time to time).
I absolutely loved the queer aspects of the story and some lines really made me think, especially in Levi's chapters and I liked that. Furthermore, he, Vega and Kano were enjoyable characters. I loved them.
However, there's a major issue I had while reading - MAEVE.
I only picked this up in the first place, for a cute sapphic fantasy read. And I tried really hard to love them - and well, I loved Reggie, but Maeve... made things difficult.
Without giving too much away for those who haven't read this yet...
It's okay not to be sure what you want.
It's also okay to have some issues you're struggling with.
It's also okay that this book addresses bullying.
But I felt like Reggie was just treated unfairly the whole book. And that made me mad.
The sapphic part was cute, but just for two pages, until something fucked it up again.
I wanted them to talk, in depth, about what happened and really apologize or make up for what they did.
And well... they did - KINDA...
I'm a forgiving person, but I think this book might give those folks who already struggle with forgiving too much an unhealthy idea of how to take care of themselves.
In the end, it wasn't actually that bad and it all ended up working out. But that was just on the surface and if these topics come up in a book, I want to dive into them.
Sadly, this aspect reduced my really positive reading experience, cause I always wondered if I should like her/trust her now instead of enjoying the cute moments.
And I wish that that there was more fantasy and/or magic, cause sometimes these aspects lacked... depth?
I mean, I absolutely looooved the combination of pirates, witches and fairies, but it wasn't quite enough for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this less than I thought I would, but it still ended up being a great read.
Oh and a map would be cool, especially if the book is titled "The MAP that led to you" ;)
May 1, 2024
Brilliant!
I picked this book up lured by the Pirates and Witches hook, but found so much more within this pages. McLeod has crafted a stunning universe of beautiful prose, poetry and magic, with characters that are so painfully human despite being otherworldly.
The structure and style are different than anything I've read before, and I am in absolute awe of McLeod's craftmanship. We get three different timelines in three different styles, each more enchanting the other.
The most past is told in verse, when we follow goddesses of creation, Anansi spiders and witches, learning more about Caribbean mythology and lore. It is simply gorgeous.
Then the middle timeline, where we spend more time in, is told in 3rd person with a flare of omniscient. Here we follow the Pirates, Levi and Vega's story and omg these siblings have become my everything. Their relationship is wonderful, and I love them with all my heart. Bring Kano to the picture, a non-binary nymph, and this trio makes this book what it is, a masterpiece.
Finally we have the present timeline, which is told in present tense and---AND---second person pov! I'd never read a story like this and despite taking a little bit to get used to it, I absolutely adored it in the end. Here we follow Reggie and Maeve, and their sweet love story as they try to understand Sheta Island's history.
When those 3 timelines converge at the end ---- WOW, simply WOW.
The themes discussed along the narrative are also brilliant and have moved me deeply, such as love and loss, found family, finding oneself, but also colonialism and human rights, I mean, it's truly brilliant.
Each character in this book is ALIVE, the craftmanship in these plot lines is perfectly executed, the prose is STUNNING, and I cannot recommend this book enough.
This is one of those genre-defying/bending stories and I'm in love with it.
Best read of the year so far.
I picked this book up lured by the Pirates and Witches hook, but found so much more within this pages. McLeod has crafted a stunning universe of beautiful prose, poetry and magic, with characters that are so painfully human despite being otherworldly.
The structure and style are different than anything I've read before, and I am in absolute awe of McLeod's craftmanship. We get three different timelines in three different styles, each more enchanting the other.
The most past is told in verse, when we follow goddesses of creation, Anansi spiders and witches, learning more about Caribbean mythology and lore. It is simply gorgeous.
Then the middle timeline, where we spend more time in, is told in 3rd person with a flare of omniscient. Here we follow the Pirates, Levi and Vega's story and omg these siblings have become my everything. Their relationship is wonderful, and I love them with all my heart. Bring Kano to the picture, a non-binary nymph, and this trio makes this book what it is, a masterpiece.
Finally we have the present timeline, which is told in present tense and---AND---second person pov! I'd never read a story like this and despite taking a little bit to get used to it, I absolutely adored it in the end. Here we follow Reggie and Maeve, and their sweet love story as they try to understand Sheta Island's history.
When those 3 timelines converge at the end ---- WOW, simply WOW.
The themes discussed along the narrative are also brilliant and have moved me deeply, such as love and loss, found family, finding oneself, but also colonialism and human rights, I mean, it's truly brilliant.
Each character in this book is ALIVE, the craftmanship in these plot lines is perfectly executed, the prose is STUNNING, and I cannot recommend this book enough.
This is one of those genre-defying/bending stories and I'm in love with it.
Best read of the year so far.
June 18, 2024
This book is EVERYTHING my inner child needed. I thought the queer storyline was just sapphic but it's SO MUCH MORE than that. There's sapphic rep, non binary/gender non-conforming rep, bisexual rep (& more!!!) and all of it is so lovingly and unapologetically done. I've heard people critique other queer YA for being "unrealistic" and having "too many" queer characters, but it's NOT AT ALL unrealistic. Queer people are everywhere and it's so important for this to be reflected in fiction (in particular YA/children's fiction because these years are so formative in self discovery and learning empathy/understanding of others). I never EVER read a book like this as a child but I can imagine how safe and validated it would have made me feel, in much the same way as I feel reading it now.
The characters are so full of life and easy to love and the Black and queer representation is just utterly beautiful. The story is intricate and nuanced and gripped me from start to finish. The writing style is so clever (I'm sure that this author must have studied creative writing because WOW !!!) - changing tenses for different characters/timelines and even mixing poetry and narrative effortlessly.
There is NOTHING I would change about this book, I will be keeping it for life and will be reading it with my future children! Go and read it. I PROMISE you're gonna love it <3 x
The characters are so full of life and easy to love and the Black and queer representation is just utterly beautiful. The story is intricate and nuanced and gripped me from start to finish. The writing style is so clever (I'm sure that this author must have studied creative writing because WOW !!!) - changing tenses for different characters/timelines and even mixing poetry and narrative effortlessly.
There is NOTHING I would change about this book, I will be keeping it for life and will be reading it with my future children! Go and read it. I PROMISE you're gonna love it <3 x
October 6, 2024
pirates and mermaids and witches and fairies with lots of gender bending and queer relationships?? sign me tf up
a beautiful story about self acceptance, resistance, and finding your place in the world that highlights many types of relationships- romantic but also many platonic ones.
the writing is so beautiful it left me speechless at times. i loved the references to real pirate history with the republic and the integration of themes like colonisation, exploitation of the land, the pitfalls of individualism, gentrification, capitalism, and conservatism is extremely well done.
all the characters are so wonderfully queer and their queerness interacts so well with their magic and arc. one character i hold very near to my heart- Kano, a nymph who shifts between various states of human, water, and air, and who cannot be confined by the gender binary. way to make me yearn to be a nymph smh.
in conclusion, i absolutely loved it! a friend lend this book to me bc they had a feeling i’d like it but it appears i may just have to acquire it myself
a beautiful story about self acceptance, resistance, and finding your place in the world that highlights many types of relationships- romantic but also many platonic ones.
the writing is so beautiful it left me speechless at times. i loved the references to real pirate history with the republic and the integration of themes like colonisation, exploitation of the land, the pitfalls of individualism, gentrification, capitalism, and conservatism is extremely well done.
all the characters are so wonderfully queer and their queerness interacts so well with their magic and arc. one character i hold very near to my heart- Kano, a nymph who shifts between various states of human, water, and air, and who cannot be confined by the gender binary. way to make me yearn to be a nymph smh.
in conclusion, i absolutely loved it! a friend lend this book to me bc they had a feeling i’d like it but it appears i may just have to acquire it myself
May 1, 2026
Did someone say map? And queer pirates? AND Afro-Caribbean folklore? Yes, please. (Also can we just take a moment to admire this cover? Pure slayage).
This was one of those hidden gems that was nowhere on my radar until someone (okay, Lesley) brought it to my attention, and it ended up being on of my favorite reads of the month. Oh, and did I mention there is a "fuck you" to colonialism?
I've read a few reviews that complain about the pacing, and there are a few places where is seems to jump abruptly, but that is overshadowed by the beautiful story, relationships, and writing. The style switches dependent upon the timeline that is highlighted. Most is third person (past), but there are several chapters in second person (present), and poetry is woven throughout (far past). The poetry really adds to the folklore aspect.
Highly recommended, and really who doesn't love queer pirates?
This was one of those hidden gems that was nowhere on my radar until someone (okay, Lesley) brought it to my attention, and it ended up being on of my favorite reads of the month. Oh, and did I mention there is a "fuck you" to colonialism?
I've read a few reviews that complain about the pacing, and there are a few places where is seems to jump abruptly, but that is overshadowed by the beautiful story, relationships, and writing. The style switches dependent upon the timeline that is highlighted. Most is third person (past), but there are several chapters in second person (present), and poetry is woven throughout (far past). The poetry really adds to the folklore aspect.
Highly recommended, and really who doesn't love queer pirates?
August 11, 2026
ella mcleod is a master of a writer and it’s a shame she isn’t more popular.
on that note, i did not like this book. in fact, i think i liked the idea of what this book was more so than the actual book. the book constantly flips back & forth from modern times to 200 years prior, and even though the book spends more time in the past building up the characters and the plot, every single time the story went back to the 21st century, you find out exactly what’s about to happen in the next chunk of the story that’s set in the past.
and i mean this happens
every.
single.
time.
i thought there was nothing worse than reading predictable copycat fantasy books, but turns out reading fantasy books where you find out everything that’s about to happen before it actually happens, subsequently making the entire length of the novel tedious, is in fact WORSE.
on that note, i did not like this book. in fact, i think i liked the idea of what this book was more so than the actual book. the book constantly flips back & forth from modern times to 200 years prior, and even though the book spends more time in the past building up the characters and the plot, every single time the story went back to the 21st century, you find out exactly what’s about to happen in the next chunk of the story that’s set in the past.
and i mean this happens
every.
single.
time.
i thought there was nothing worse than reading predictable copycat fantasy books, but turns out reading fantasy books where you find out everything that’s about to happen before it actually happens, subsequently making the entire length of the novel tedious, is in fact WORSE.
January 6, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. So much in fact that I have reread it and reread it and am even annotating it. I found so much more than just a story in those pages. I found a home 💖. As a queer person I loved the representation and the fact that Kano is a them. The writing is lyrical and beautiful and the use of second person is so well executed and the fact they’re pirates… I would probably sell my soul for a sequel!!!
December 12, 2025
QUEER. FANTASY. PIRATES. that is all. no for real, i really liked this book more than i thought i would. the change in style through the book kept it so interesting. the characters were all lovable and rich and the vibes were great the whole time. i loved the lore and the worldbuilding. i only wish reggie's story was a little more integrated and equal to levi's. there were some parts where i forgot reggie existed because levi's story was so much longer.
January 25, 2026
4.5 ⭐️’s rounded up.
“I simply do not see the point in living my life for anyone else. It is my life. I want to live it and live it for me.”
I really appreciate how this book has a very distinctive difference between things taking place in the past, and those in the present as in other books, this can usually confuse me a lot. I easily fell in love with the characters from both the past and the present, and really enjoyed the story/stories being told.
“I simply do not see the point in living my life for anyone else. It is my life. I want to live it and live it for me.”
I really appreciate how this book has a very distinctive difference between things taking place in the past, and those in the present as in other books, this can usually confuse me a lot. I easily fell in love with the characters from both the past and the present, and really enjoyed the story/stories being told.
February 22, 2025
Fun fantasy with my absolute favs, queer pirates! Told through three different perspectives and timelines (one of which was second person… slay), this book weaves history, myths and magic together beautifully. Soooo sick of the nonbinary shapeshifter trope but the character was sweet/important that it’s almost okay. Great ending that brings the timelines together!
June 28, 2025
I picked up The Map That Led to You as an LGBTQ book club read. The formatting of the book is strange but creative. The plot was too slow and not engaging enough in the first half. The romance and faster pace in the second half was great. The romance was probably my favorite part. There was a lot of fluff that could have been cut out to improve the pace of the book.
June 29, 2025
Sink me!
Sadly I found the first half to drag a little, but then I couldn't put it down.
Vega is such a strong character and I wish I could be like her.
Levi's whole character arc and gender expression and acceptance was so lovely to see.
Kano has my heart.
I wanted more of Reggie and Maeve!!! I want to know what happens next!
Sadly I found the first half to drag a little, but then I couldn't put it down.
Vega is such a strong character and I wish I could be like her.
Levi's whole character arc and gender expression and acceptance was so lovely to see.
Kano has my heart.
I wanted more of Reggie and Maeve!!! I want to know what happens next!
September 2, 2024
A YA Romantasy to sing about! With wonderful prose, fantastic world building and characters to fall in love with. This book is a rallying cry towards the power of self-love and is gorgeously connected to its worlds mythology - a mind altering read. Divine.
July 18, 2026
The Map That Led to You: DNF. Impressively ambitious scope (multiple timelines and POVs, mythological and fantasy elements, verse interludes), but slow-paced. Some of the vocabulary in the historical chapters felt pretty modern to me.
Want to Read
December 3, 2023How have I not heard of this…. It sounds good
April 16, 2024
Well sink me ! A gorgeous rollercoaster adventure of love, fallen stars, chosen family, home and finding your true self
Did Not Finish
October 25, 2024Second person pov….? No thanks.
January 18, 2025
3.5, I loved all the poetry and I cared so deeply about Levi and Vega but I didn't really connect with Reggie and Maeve. Still very well written though.
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