A Stranger's Map

by Meryl McQueen

Sometimes, it takes a stranger to lead us home. Set in 2002 and spanning three continents, A Stranger’s Map is the emotional, optimistic story of love, loss, and redemption between a father and two on one hand, blood ties severed by family tragedy, and on the other, an unlikely surrogate bond that transcends devastating grief and a fight for survival.

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Yusuf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, haunting book about two families trying to come to terms with awful grief. The author does an amazing job describing Sudan--village life and refugee camps, as well as the wide open spaces of Africa. Both of the main characters--a young woman named Ayen and a middle-aged Australian named Thomas--have their own histories of loss and suffering, but they also shared incredible strength and optimism. It is a book for our times--reminding us of the horrors of war, without losing sight of the possibility for second chances. This book would make a different book group selection, with its combination of global/personal stories and ethical complexity.