Review of the Day: The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

The Last Mapmaker is a novel about a girl named Sai and her adventures on the high seas in this Thai inspired novel. The book has plenty of thrilling adventures including chasing whales and a mutiny. Near the end of the novel, Sai says:

To help things along, I gave every newspaper in An Lung detailed accounts of how Bo and I nearly starved to death, baked to a crisp on barren, black-sand beaches while foraging for putrid clams (p. 352).

While this is a children’s novel, I admired Soontornvat’s language. For example:

The Tail Is the Teeth. I had heard those words all my life. They meant that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t escape who you were or where you came from (p. 38).

“Grummit,” he whispered. “Let go of me, you soggy dangle of dog dung!” (p. 125)

Bo spoke perfect Mangkon, but with an accent I couldn’t place and r’s that rolled off his tongue. He also seemed to know how to swear in every language on earth (P. 157).

I opened my eyes, releasing another stream of tears. I had been trying so hard to run from my past. But the past was like mottlefish ink. Even if it fades, it’s still there, and not even the ocean can wash it out (p. 320).

The Last Mapmaker was a fun book to read.

kindle and Audible audiobook. 360 pgs. 7 March 2026