The Map of Us

by Jules Preston

*Short-listed for Best Short Romance at the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romance of the Year Awards 2019*

One of the most original and charming books you will ever read, this is perfect for all those who love Eleanor Oliphant and The Keeper of Lost ThingsReaders love The Map of

‘A story that will melt even the most hardened soul … utterly charming’ Irish Times bestseller Carmel Harrington

‘Quirky, original and humorous’ USA Today bestselling author Sue Fortin

‘Totally addictive’ Joe Heap

‘Beautiful, funny, warm and clever’ Darcie Boleyn

‘An unexpected gem of a book’ Rachel Oakes, Litsy

‘A very fresh, imaginative approach to a love story’ Kraftireader

‘One to keep forever’ Celia J Anderson

‘The best book I have read in many years’ Martin 6654, Amazon reviewer

‘Without doubt one of the very best books I have ever read’ TAW, Amazon reviewer

‘Buy it because every page is a treasure. Buy it because you'll love it … over and over again!’ Mart, Amazon reviewer

‘So very worthy of five stars. Full of humour with touches of sadness. A true wordsmith’ Phil M, Amazon reviewer

‘I don't usually write book reviews at 2.30 in the morning but I loved this book so much that I HAD to write my review as soon as I finished it…The characters in this book will stay with me for a long time’ Annalisa999, Amazon reviewer

‘A beautiful sigh of a book’ Mees, Amazon reviewer

***A story of love and lost directions

Violet North is wonderfully inconvenient. Abandoned by her family and lost in an imagined world of moors and adventure, her life changes in the space of just 37 words exchanged with a stranger at her front door.

Decades later, Daniel Bearing has inherited his father's multi-million pound business, and is utterly lost. He has no idea who he is or where his life is headed.

When Violet’s granddaughter’s marriage falls apart, Tilly, always adept with numbers, compiles a detailed statistical report to pinpoint why. But the Compatibility Index Tilly creates has unforeseen consequences for everyone in her world.

Tilly and Daniel share a secret too. 10.37am, April 22nd.Soon, a complex web of secrets and lies is exposed and an adventure begins with a blue typewriter…

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Book Club, Family, Unfinished

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 4, 2018

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 turquoise Blue Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Let me start this off by saying this is a book that is going to take you a while to get into... The narrative is very unusual and quirky.... very short chapters some of them appear simply to be lists.... and honestly about 30% in I was thinking to myself, how am I going to rate this book? But by the end I was so charmed, after I got into the flow of the writing style....

There are quite a few characters in this book all of them a bit quirky... and due to the choppy writing style it did take me awhile to appreciate these characters.... Tilly was very interesting... a statistician who saw life through numbers and facts... in fact she wrote a report of sorts when her marriage broke up including flow charts and gave it to her ex.... she even came up with a compatibility index, but never fear it was put to good use in the end.... there was quite the cast of characters in this book... including all of Tilly’s siblings, her father, her grandmother, her ex-boyfriend, his new girlfriend, her boss, her coworker, and Daniel....

Now there are a few characters I would have liked to get to know better... including Catherine Tilly’s sister.... absolutely could relate to Catherine better than Tilly, the girl had a crazy handbag collection.... also would have liked a little more about her grandmother Violet, really enjoyed her relationship with Owen... also really enjoyed Matt and grace, Tillys ex and his new girlfriend.... well shoot I really needed to know more about everybody her brother who was a expert in the color blue, her father who created sand sculptures for a living, see what I am saying super quirky.... additionally there were some interesting little chapters about household appliances... and I can’t forget Daniel, what will happen there?

I want to recommend this if you are willing to go into it with an open mind... and know that it is not written in a
conventional writing style, but in the end quite a lovely book....

*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so rarely come across books like this one these days. It's fair to say it's my choice that means I too often pick ones filled with attitude, sex and conflict. While I enjoy those, 95% aren't very memorable. But when I do come across ones like this, it makes them extra special. And its because they have charm. They're quirky in the best way, they're full of a kaleidoscope of characters and tiny stories that normally get overlooked. It's these books that I savour and think about weeks, even months after reading them.

If you give this a chance and wait a little while to settle into the short chapters from a variety of characters, things start to build and all that charm I mentioned comes out. You also get some laughs, some sad parts and warm fuzzy feelings. I loved how everything came round in a circle and watching how each character progressed. My only complaint would be that I wanted more.

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy - after an unfortunate run of rubbish books, non finishers and 2 -stars -at -the -most -ratings, I stumbled upon this and nailed it in one day!

It is an onion of a book, layer upon layer of alternate character stories: The past, the present, love, loss, humour, kindness, devotion, sadness, greed, passion.... it’s been a roller coaster of emotion.

There are hints of Laurie Lee, Eleanor Oliphant, Miss Peregrine, and the Darling buds of May in here - but don’t be fooled by that, this is not an old fashioned book, on the contrary, it is modern and new and fresh.

Easily worthy of 4 stars and the best book I’ve read in a good while :)

[Erin-Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The journey of me reading this book went something like this:
- who’s the narrator here?
- huh?
- what’s going on?
-I’m going to hate this
- ohhh, it’s two narrators!
- hang on, what?
- okay there’s way more than two narrators
- why can I not work out who’s speaking here?
- oh okay so *** is related to ***?
- and she’s related to ***
- actually this is quite clever!
- yep, I’m really liking this
- sold

So, the above is the reason I’m giving ‘The Map of Us’ 4.5 stars.
🌟🌟🌟🌟

If I’m going to give anyone advice reading this book, it would be: hang in there son.

I really didn’t enjoy the start. I didn’t have a clue who was talking and I couldn’t keep track of any of the details. Around 50% in though, it cleverly starts coming together and you get up slowly completing a literary jigsaw. It was a really clever structure but I do think quite a few readers would put it down before they realised that it isn’t just bad writing.

The characters are fascinating and once you get used to their individual voices and how they fit in the family tree of the larger narrative, you begin to really understand and like each individual story. The chapters are really short, some barely two pages long and I like that in a book. It always encourages you to rip through a story rather than struggle through it.

I don’t want to say too much more because I think it will spoil it but I’ll end with this: it’s endearing, sweet and intelligently written and that’s all I want in a book.

Booksource: NetGalley - thank you to Jules Preston and Harper Impulse.

[Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review to come

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expecting nothing more than a light hearted read requiring little concentration, I actually found The Map of Us provides quirkily signposted directions for an unexpected and delightful journey.

It has an oddly detached narrative style that complements Matlida (Tilly) Eastleigh’s statistician’s mind perfectly. The clippy chapters, barely half a page in most places, allowed me to travel lightly and effortlessly stroll through the pages.

What I discovered is all roads lead ‘North’ – that’s Violet North and her humble blue, Remington typewriter with an annoying ‘e’ that sticks. I didn’t grasp how an inanimate object could play such a significant role before I started reading. How it could create new paths to follow and become an anchor for future generations, especially as they sail some pretty choppy seas before finding the true route to their happiness.

With all honesty it took a little while for me to settle into this book before I realised I was overcomplicating things. The only advice I can offer future readers is: don’t try to work out the destination before you get there, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

(Advanced copy received courtesy of Netgalley, which I voluntarily chose to read and review.)

[Daniela (Only If For A Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me by its uniqueness. There were several points of view from members of the same family and each of them was written in a completely different style. One of them was set in the past and it was very lyrical and atmospheric but I preferred the one which was set in the present and in which we followed Tilly.

Tilly's marriage has fallen apart and she is trying to understand why using her analytical skills and creating charts and diagrams, which was funny and adorable. She works at a company that does some analysis for a manufacturer of healthy protein bars so there were some discussions about the preferences of the health-conscious sector and the appearance/taste etc. of these bars, and I immensely enjoyed that part because hey, that's me, I'm the health-conscious sector! :- D

It took me a while to get into it and it could be confusing at times but overall, I was impressed by the execution and the structure of this novel. Thinking about this a while after having finished it, I might want to re-read it one day because I just really appreciate unique (but still enjoyable) books!

[G.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quirky, quite unusual little book which I enjoyed reading. There were occasions when I was a little bit irritated by the several narrators and very short chapters. All in all an interesting family saga type story with some odd but pleasing characters !

[Avigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up the book for two reasons:
1. Cover buy & the summary looked interesting.
2. Because of the blurb on the cover, "if you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you will enjoy this book."
Well, this book is a fast read, due to the short chapters. It was corky & strange, each character had its storyline, and I didn't feel the storylines weren't connected.
None of the characters were likable, excluding Violet and Owen.
I understand why people DNFed the book; I didn't do it because reading non-spoiler reviews I felt that somehow the storylines would connect the only thing that happened is that life is a circle, and the happiness and love that Violet had will occur at the end to Tilly, Matilda.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit unsure of this book for a while, but it kept hold of me. Short personal chapters that at first seemed unconnected, but as you read more began to gel together within a family framework over 3 generations. Only one person, Tilly or Matilda, uses first person totally, but we see a bit from almost everyone’s unique viewpoint. Unique is a chosen description as these people are not your mainstream romcom office workers. One is a sand sculpter, one is a world expert in the colour blue who looks more like a surfer, each is uniquely individual and in their own way endearing. The book is incredibly well plotted for all the right elements to begin to make sense in their own time as you weave through all the different people and their stories, and as you see more of each person you want to carry on and find out more. That said, the way of writing, the number of different people, storylines, generations, involved can be a little confusing at first, the book needs a little perseverance from the reader to get you past the initial confusion until you have enough to piece things together. It is worth persevering with though as it is a delightful story.
I received a electronic copy via NetGalley in return for honest feedback.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my humble opinion this is sat in and has been published under the wrong genre. It is not chick-lit, and that is not meant in a derogatory way in regards to that particular genre, but this isn’t just your normal romcom, romancey and happy-go-lucky read.

Perhaps the publisher struggled to define it and put it into a definitive category. Credit should be given where credit is due though, because this is an extraordinary read.

What is Map of Us about? In a way it is the story of the roots of a family told in the form of short, really short – often only a paragraph, chapters by each character. It’s as if the narrator is making a diary entry about each one of them.

The seedling of the family tree is Violet, and her roots and family, both blood and non-blood, begin with a man without a name and a dog named Dog.

It’s quirky, memorable and in a way a small work of art. Hopefully one day more people will recognise that. I would not only put it in the bracket of women’s fiction, I would also put it in literary fiction.

For me personally the best moment and quote from the story, aside from the Compatibility Index of course, is ‘nice toast’ courtesy of Abby. So much more than just a throwaway comment, it’s a point of connection and affirmation of feeling comfort and possibly even trust for the very first time.

What I take away from this story is that sometimes blood doesn’t bond and bind us and it’s ok to walk away from toxicity. Family isn’t necessarily who we are related to, it’s the people we connect with and become part of our inner circle. Simultaneously at some moments in time family can be the protective cocoon we yearn for and need.

It’s a remarkable read and there will probably be real requests for the fictional Compatibility Index. It will definitely be going on my exceptional reads of the year list.
*I received a copy via NetGalley*

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I didn't finish this book. I tried to get into it on a number of occasions but it just fell flat. The premise was good and I was hoping that by trying a few times it would be one I'd like at the right time, but I joist found myself uninterested in the charcters. That being seeing there are many good reviews on here so I encourage others to read it for themselves as it might be one they love.

[Jeanniehay64 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so original, it had charm , wit, beautiful characters and a story which had multiple layers finely woven together at the end.

I did find it hard to understand at the beginning, I was quite confused but I am so glad I kept reading as I began to put the peices together.

The short chapters I found very refreshing and the quirky characters each with their own charm and individual personalities were interesting.

I loved Tilly who saw life through numbers and statistics. Her grandmother Violet who explores the world through her typewriter and the rich array of relatives and friends who each add to the story.

My advice is keep reading you will not be disappointed , a beautifully written book which is endearing, memorable and quirky. Jules Preston is an author to look out for if this debut novel is anything to go on.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this fantastic book

[Amy Boucher Pye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this quirky book not sure what I was getting into, as I downloaded via NetGalley and didn’t remember much of the book’s description. Jetlagged, I kept reading, trying to keep the story straight with its many tangents and different characters. I knew they must all intertwine eventually, and didn’t give up when the lyrical prose kept drawing me in.

Ultimately, delightful.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky and unexpected. A sweeping story with multiple narrators, spanning multiple generations, but remains domestic and cosy. You may start off unsure but you're sure to get sucked in! This book deserves a spot on your summer reading list.

[Cathy Fuggle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky , touching , unusual, lovely ... 😀

[Lenka Otap · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I felt this book was really weird and confusing. Short one page chapters. Short sentences. At that point I was ready to rate it 2 stars. It took a while to get sucked in, but at the end I laughed and a cried and I also loved the writing style.

[Elsabe Retief · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that won’t allow you to read it with divided attention! I loved the writing style, how it all came together with an incredible sense of humour. Lovingly describing all or faults and horrors that can be viewed as quirky or seen as serious psychological dysfunctionalities.
I have been really thinking a lot about people blaming everything and everybody around them for their unhappiness and misfortune. This book again came my way at the right time, right place - on the other hand it could also just be me reading into it what I wanted to hear. Either way, I am fully convinced again that we are making our fortune or misfortune. We are responsible for ourselves and our lives.
Also that companion planting is of the utmost importance- choose the people you surround yourself with, with care. It is not that some people are bad, it’s just not working well in the particular combination of companion planting in that particular garden.
Being a list person, I identified with that graphs and Venn diagrams and lists of pros and cons!!

[Darcie Boleyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Map of Us is a fabulous debut. It’s so good, in fact, that it’s hard to believe it is a debut novel.

Jules Preston’s voice is refreshing, funny, warm and engaging. He clearly has a great sense of humour and some of the lines had me laughing out loud. It’s clear that Mr Preston is a keen observer of people and their quirks and this made for fascinating and vivid characters I felt I knew very well by the end of the novel.

The chapters are short and easy to read, so the novel can be read in one sitting or picked up when taking a quick coffee break, although I have to warn you that because they are short and intriguing, I did keep saying ‘One more chapter…’ then finding myself five chapters along.

I foresee a very bright future for this talented author and look forward to his next book.

[Yvonne (It's All About Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished reading: June 13th 2018

"Me being me isn't always easy on those I love."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Harper Impulse in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***



I stumbled across this title after reading Inge's review earlier this month, and even though unfortunately she wasn't able to enjoy it better, my curiosity was piqued and I knew I couldn't let this story go. Quirky characters? A comparison to Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine? Where can I sign up for that?! The Map Of Us sounded like one of those stories you either hate or love, especially since the connection to the characters seems all important in this story. Quirky and unusual characters can go both ways, and while I love my characters that way, they often are not for everyone. One of the reasons I ended up enjoying The Map Of Us better than I thought I would was exactly that: my ability to appreciate and embrace the quirkiness of Tilly and Violet. And I think this story has a lot of potential, although I had my doubts about the execution in certain areas. The first thing I struggled with was the writing style, which I somehow didn't manage to get used to. Short phrases can mess up the pace and make the story feel haltered... But more than that, I especially struggled with the chapters in Dad's POV. I'm sad to say I had to skimread those since I couldn't get used to them. And talking about POVs, I felt there were too many different POVs in the story, making it harder to connect with at least one of them. I think I would have enjoyed the story that much better if it would have been told from just Violet's or Tilly's POV, or just the two of them at least. I never got a proper feel for any characters due to the many switches and it made the story feel quite messy and for me it lacked cohesion. That is, until the final stage when everything is rushed to be connected together. I did like the quirkiness of The Map Of Us and both Violet and Tilly have so much potential! I just wish they would have gotten their chance in the spotlight rather than being squeezed in between the other POVs.



Violet North has been abandoned by her family, but somehow manages to overcome her difficulties and survive in a big house all on her own. Then her life changes forever in the space of just 37 words with a stranger at her front door... And not only that, but a whole fictional world has opened up for her as well, with the help of a blue typewriter she borrowed from one of her neighbors. Decades later, her granddaughter Tilly sees her marriage fall apart. Tilly has always been good with numbers, and compiles a detailed statistical report to help find out exactly why and when it went wrong. The Compatibility Index has consequences she had never forseen when she first created it though...



Like I said before, The Map Of Us has a lot of potential, both because of the general idea behind it and the two most important characters Tilly and Violet. I honestly feel that with more development and focus on those two characters, a more fluent writing style and less jumping between different characters would have made The Map Of Us into another fantastic read similar to the likes of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. As it is, I don't think that comparison would do The Map Of Us a favor, since unfortunately they are not on the same level. But I do want to stress that especially Tilly has the same potential and quirkiness in her personality that made Eleanor Oliphant into such a success for me. So again, with more focus and development of that character (and Violet as well), I would probably have enjoyed The Map Of Us considerably better.

P.S. Find more of my reviews here.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for a digital ARC. Oh this was such a charmer and incredibly witty. This is heart warmer but not in a light, average sweet way. Original and creative. Loved this. You will finish with a smile.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite Eleanor Oliphant! I've been a bit slow on the reading front lately & didn't really follow this at first, think it really needs to be read more consistently than I'd done but got more into my reading again and it all clicked into place. A lovely story.

[Sammy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful quirky read, beautiful characters a charming story, felt like I was part of their story, lovely just lovely

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. I love the way it is written with each character having their own voice portrayed through the style of writing. And such a variety of characters. Recommend.

[Mash Patooties · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding. Finished in one day. Stick with it, it all becomes clear at about 30%. You'll be glad you did.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Paula Hartharn-Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle story with some quirky characters

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can definitely recommend. Absolutely delightful.

[Lubna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Category: disappointing

- I really don't know why I didn't like this as much as I thought I would, definitely might read it again. I did love the little lists of everything random though!

[Justkeepreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely sucked into this book from the very first page. It completely compelled me and demanded all of my attention. As I greedily devoured every words. It had me laugh, smiling and sometimes shredding a little tear. To me this book was exactly what I needed at exactly the right moment on time. I absolutely loved the way that it was written in various character POV, all the poems, letters ect also gave it a refreshing difference from other books that all seem the same to me at the moment. I really liked all the characters, how they and the story developed and well basically the whole thing. I was extremely happy with the ending as it was exactly what I wanted to happen. I really loved it and if you like something that it a little different from the norm. Which has you piecing things together as you go through the book. Trying to work out how all the characters are interwoven then this book is for you. I can’t recommend it highly enough.