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The Cartographers
Struggling to balance the expectations of her immigrant mother with her deep ambivalence about her own place in the world, seventeen-year-old Ocean Wu takes her savings and goes off the grid. A haunting and romantic novel about family, friendship, philosophy, and love.
Ocean Wu has always felt enormous pressure to succeed. After struggling with depression during her senior year in high school, Ocean moves to New York City, where she has been accepted at a prestigious university. But Ocean feels so emotionally raw and unmoored (and uncertain about what is real and what is not), that she decides to defer and live off her savings until she can get herself together. She also decides not to tell her mother (whom she loves very much but doesn’t want to disappoint) that she is deferring—at least until she absolutely must.
In New York, Ocean moves into an apartment with Georgie and Tashya, two strangers who soon become friends, and gets a job tutoring. She also meets a boy—Constantine Brave (a name that makes her laugh)—late one night on the subway. Constant is a fellow student and a graffiti artist, and Constant and Ocean soon start corresponding via Google Docs—they discuss physics, philosophy, art, literature, and love. But everything falls apart when Ocean goes home for Thanksgiving, Constant reveals his true character, Georgie and Tashya break up, and the police get involved.
Ocean, Constant, Georgie, and Tashya are all cartographers—mapping out their futures, their dreams, and their paths toward adulthood in this stunning and heartbreaking novel about finding the strength to control your own destiny.
Ocean Wu has always felt enormous pressure to succeed. After struggling with depression during her senior year in high school, Ocean moves to New York City, where she has been accepted at a prestigious university. But Ocean feels so emotionally raw and unmoored (and uncertain about what is real and what is not), that she decides to defer and live off her savings until she can get herself together. She also decides not to tell her mother (whom she loves very much but doesn’t want to disappoint) that she is deferring—at least until she absolutely must.
In New York, Ocean moves into an apartment with Georgie and Tashya, two strangers who soon become friends, and gets a job tutoring. She also meets a boy—Constantine Brave (a name that makes her laugh)—late one night on the subway. Constant is a fellow student and a graffiti artist, and Constant and Ocean soon start corresponding via Google Docs—they discuss physics, philosophy, art, literature, and love. But everything falls apart when Ocean goes home for Thanksgiving, Constant reveals his true character, Georgie and Tashya break up, and the police get involved.
Ocean, Constant, Georgie, and Tashya are all cartographers—mapping out their futures, their dreams, and their paths toward adulthood in this stunning and heartbreaking novel about finding the strength to control your own destiny.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2023
23 people are currently reading
7715 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
March 17, 2023
The only thing keeping me from highlighting half this book is the fact that it was a library copy. It put so many of my feelings into words. In a way it felt a lot like the YA of the 2000s and early 2010s but more self-aware and deconstructive--a bit of Dash and Lily, a bit of John Green, a bit of your typical Teenage Mental Health Book, a bit of Nicola Yoon, and altogether something new and wonderful and melancholy. In a way it reminded me of the Subway plotline from Ghost Quartet, wherein Ocean is both Rose and Pearl, the victim and the photographer.
May 11, 2023
Thank you to Harper360YA for providing me with an ARC!
Where to start with this book? For being so short, I sure have some pretty complicated feelings towards it! First off, it was marketed all wrong. The blurb simultaneously gives away way too much about the plot while not really telling you anything at all. Confusing I know, but if you’ve read it, you understand. I was also expecting something a lot more uplifting from the story but in reality, this book just sucks every last bit of happiness from you. I highly recommend looking up trigger warnings before reading! I thought Ocean’s character was interesting but I really didn’t like how much time she spent thinking vs. actually doing or saying. She seemed to be constantly thinking of things to say for example but never went ahead and actually voiced anything which created such awkward exchanges between her and the rest of the characters. I’m not sure if this was done on purpose but by the end it was starting to get on my nerves.
I really liked Georgie and Tasha and wish more of the book could’ve been spent on them instead of Constant. The author’s note at the front of the book made Ocean and Constant’s relationship sound cute, but if you’ve tracked with my review this far, you’ll know that what we expect is not what we get with this book. And let me tell you, their relationship was NOT cute. I could never fully figure it out and there was so much baggage coming from both of them that I just didn’t enjoy reading about it. After I finished this book and even before that when I was nearing the end, I just had to accept that I’m in a very different stage of life and share a very different mindset to that of the characters in this book. So, while I feel that there is an audience out there that could potentially really enjoy this book, in the end I just couldn’t connect with it. Happy Reading :)
Content Notes:
Where to start with this book? For being so short, I sure have some pretty complicated feelings towards it! First off, it was marketed all wrong. The blurb simultaneously gives away way too much about the plot while not really telling you anything at all. Confusing I know, but if you’ve read it, you understand. I was also expecting something a lot more uplifting from the story but in reality, this book just sucks every last bit of happiness from you. I highly recommend looking up trigger warnings before reading! I thought Ocean’s character was interesting but I really didn’t like how much time she spent thinking vs. actually doing or saying. She seemed to be constantly thinking of things to say for example but never went ahead and actually voiced anything which created such awkward exchanges between her and the rest of the characters. I’m not sure if this was done on purpose but by the end it was starting to get on my nerves.
I really liked Georgie and Tasha and wish more of the book could’ve been spent on them instead of Constant. The author’s note at the front of the book made Ocean and Constant’s relationship sound cute, but if you’ve tracked with my review this far, you’ll know that what we expect is not what we get with this book. And let me tell you, their relationship was NOT cute. I could never fully figure it out and there was so much baggage coming from both of them that I just didn’t enjoy reading about it. After I finished this book and even before that when I was nearing the end, I just had to accept that I’m in a very different stage of life and share a very different mindset to that of the characters in this book. So, while I feel that there is an audience out there that could potentially really enjoy this book, in the end I just couldn’t connect with it. Happy Reading :)
Content Notes:
May 6, 2023
I didn't know this was a literary fiction, so my expectations were skewed. Still, I read this quickly despite the pretentious monologues and commentary on life. I liked Ocean at the beginning, but she quickly became more than one character- she was indecisive about everything, constantly questioning if she loved this stranger she had met late one night, and it made me want to throw this book at the wall.
The book shifts from Ocean herself to this stranger, turning it into some twisted romance with a toxic male love interest. Ocean ignores her mother and her friends to meet him, letting him lead her wherever he wants. He's so full of himself, and honestly I felt like I was reading about a predator, the way he was described, and it made me so uncomfortable.
Ocean's depression was discussed in detail, and I related to so many things, until Constant would plunge into her head, and then everything went out of control. It was just weirdly written, and I don't know if that's because of my lack of experience of literary fiction, but I felt so hollow reading this book; partly because of the topics discussed, and mostly because of the blandness of the book.
Overall, I got basically nothing out of this, except don't date a philosophy major because YIKES
The book shifts from Ocean herself to this stranger, turning it into some twisted romance with a toxic male love interest. Ocean ignores her mother and her friends to meet him, letting him lead her wherever he wants. He's so full of himself, and honestly I felt like I was reading about a predator, the way he was described, and it made me so uncomfortable.
Ocean's depression was discussed in detail, and I related to so many things, until Constant would plunge into her head, and then everything went out of control. It was just weirdly written, and I don't know if that's because of my lack of experience of literary fiction, but I felt so hollow reading this book; partly because of the topics discussed, and mostly because of the blandness of the book.
Overall, I got basically nothing out of this, except don't date a philosophy major because YIKES
December 10, 2023
I really need Constant to stop talking
February 24, 2023
Different
This book was very well written and had strong characters, especially Ocean.
However, the plot seemed to have a few holes, especially surrounding the character of Constantine.
This book was very well written and had strong characters, especially Ocean.
However, the plot seemed to have a few holes, especially surrounding the character of Constantine.
December 29, 2023
The Cartographers is a coming of age story featuring severe depression, toxic relationships, racism, and the pressure of being raised by immigrant parents.
This book really resonated with me. Ocean is struggling with severe depression, pressure from her mother, and gets entangled with a charming narcissist. Her obsession with the male lead may seem like a lot, but that's what narcissists do- pull you in and make you obsessed with them. Especially as Ocean is only 18 and just graduated high school, and this is her first real experience with a relationship, it felt very authentic to me.
This is a short, intense read dealing with some darker issues.
Definitely check the trigger warnings: MC with severe depression and suicidal ideation, past suicide attempt, toxic relationship with male lead portraying narcissistic tendencies, cops and the justice system
This book really resonated with me. Ocean is struggling with severe depression, pressure from her mother, and gets entangled with a charming narcissist. Her obsession with the male lead may seem like a lot, but that's what narcissists do- pull you in and make you obsessed with them. Especially as Ocean is only 18 and just graduated high school, and this is her first real experience with a relationship, it felt very authentic to me.
This is a short, intense read dealing with some darker issues.
Definitely check the trigger warnings: MC with severe depression and suicidal ideation, past suicide attempt, toxic relationship with male lead portraying narcissistic tendencies, cops and the justice system
May 17, 2023
1.5
This book is definitely not for me... so I have to rant... when I should have just DNF it
Like
- A book that is targeting a very, VERY specific group
Dislike
- I would say it was extremely pretentious but I guess you can argue it is "philosophical"
- Half of the main characters problem can be solved if she actually spoke her mind in plain old English
- The story didn't move smoothly but it felt very jumpy
- The theme is about "communication" and it was communicating in the most difficult way possible
- My eyebrows had a work out from cringing so hard
- It's too deep for my not deep soul
This book is definitely not for me... so I have to rant... when I should have just DNF it
Like
- A book that is targeting a very, VERY specific group
Dislike
- I would say it was extremely pretentious but I guess you can argue it is "philosophical"
- Half of the main characters problem can be solved if she actually spoke her mind in plain old English
- The story didn't move smoothly but it felt very jumpy
- The theme is about "communication" and it was communicating in the most difficult way possible
- My eyebrows had a work out from cringing so hard
- It's too deep for my not deep soul
Want to read
January 9, 2019My existence is a complete void between now and the day this book releases.
Amy Zhang, please break my heart again.
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Amy Zhang, please break my heart again.
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Read
February 2, 2023DNF 17%
It’s a no from me. Boring and pretentious. Very much could be the book for someone, but….definitely not me
It’s a no from me. Boring and pretentious. Very much could be the book for someone, but….definitely not me
January 30, 2023
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I had a tough time with this one. (It didn't help that the marketing blurb somehow both reveals too much of the plot and is wildly misleading.) I appreciate Amy Zhang's raw exploration of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other aspects of mental health, particularly in young adults. This comes up not only for Ocean, but also for her roommates Georgie and, to a lesser degree, Tashya. Speaking of them, I loved the dynamic between the three girls--the way their relationships develop and the way they support each other is oddly heartwarming.
But Constantine. Constant. I couldn't stand him. I suppose that's the point, but I found myself skimming all of the Google Doc exchanges between him and Ocean. It was like all the worst, overly esoteric discussions I had in grad school. I understand Zhang's reason for including them, and some readers might enjoy them, but they didn't work for me.
I think this is worth picking up for Ocean's mental and emotional journey. Just, you know, skip the Google Doc ramblings if you don't want to think too much about philosophy or The Meaning of Life.
I had a tough time with this one. (It didn't help that the marketing blurb somehow both reveals too much of the plot and is wildly misleading.) I appreciate Amy Zhang's raw exploration of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other aspects of mental health, particularly in young adults. This comes up not only for Ocean, but also for her roommates Georgie and, to a lesser degree, Tashya. Speaking of them, I loved the dynamic between the three girls--the way their relationships develop and the way they support each other is oddly heartwarming.
But Constantine. Constant. I couldn't stand him. I suppose that's the point, but I found myself skimming all of the Google Doc exchanges between him and Ocean. It was like all the worst, overly esoteric discussions I had in grad school. I understand Zhang's reason for including them, and some readers might enjoy them, but they didn't work for me.
I think this is worth picking up for Ocean's mental and emotional journey. Just, you know, skip the Google Doc ramblings if you don't want to think too much about philosophy or The Meaning of Life.
June 5, 2022
Ocean is still a mystery. And her story is too. Part Midnight Library meets It's a Wonderful Life, blended with shades of Hadestown and One Last Stop, just for good measure. The book winds as much as NYC, as much as Ocean. Truly, without a map.
"It was a hopeless endeavor without a map." Ocean seems both lost and found. But honestly, who among us hasn't felt that? Sometimes it seems like teens float in a grey world of their own, until somebody finds them. And plenty of adults too.
"Lies and lies. The truth, strangest of all... Last night felt like a dream, but I kind of liked that."
Thankfully, the author's note at the beginning of the book completely saves it. Yes, CW: suicide, anxiety, mental health issues. But the work comes from a place of love. "There is no way out of hell. Every system is outdated. The worst has already happened."
"You can fix a map, but you can't fix a system." In the end, we keep walking or we don't. There isn't a map; just finding the way that works.
Oh, and read The Little Prince. It won't be time wasted. I promise.
"It was a hopeless endeavor without a map." Ocean seems both lost and found. But honestly, who among us hasn't felt that? Sometimes it seems like teens float in a grey world of their own, until somebody finds them. And plenty of adults too.
"Lies and lies. The truth, strangest of all... Last night felt like a dream, but I kind of liked that."
Thankfully, the author's note at the beginning of the book completely saves it. Yes, CW: suicide, anxiety, mental health issues. But the work comes from a place of love. "There is no way out of hell. Every system is outdated. The worst has already happened."
"You can fix a map, but you can't fix a system." In the end, we keep walking or we don't. There isn't a map; just finding the way that works.
Oh, and read The Little Prince. It won't be time wasted. I promise.
Read
March 28, 2023"it was the only way i had known him: in transit."
7:09:20 ocean
first few sentences gave surrealist dream and i was lowkey here for it. a ya version of all the japanese books i don't get. but than that random boy showed up and ruined it. i hate to be the loser living an unexamined life but all the philosophy and semantics felt like a waste time. i'm not depressed so i don't wallow on that stuff and just accept it & move on. the whole "i don't have a home" narrative was way too on the nose. some subtlety would be beneficial. the difference in meaning between her chinese and english name was cool but the way she talked about it felt so blah. think the only reason i got through this was because i listened to it at work and anything becomes preferable to tlc on repeat all day.
march 27, 2023
7:09:20 ocean
first few sentences gave surrealist dream and i was lowkey here for it. a ya version of all the japanese books i don't get. but than that random boy showed up and ruined it. i hate to be the loser living an unexamined life but all the philosophy and semantics felt like a waste time. i'm not depressed so i don't wallow on that stuff and just accept it & move on. the whole "i don't have a home" narrative was way too on the nose. some subtlety would be beneficial. the difference in meaning between her chinese and english name was cool but the way she talked about it felt so blah. think the only reason i got through this was because i listened to it at work and anything becomes preferable to tlc on repeat all day.
march 27, 2023
March 27, 2023
There was so much existential dialogue/monologue that really was boring and interrupted the flow of the story. Ocean was an indecisive character. I appreciated some of the points and what the author was trying to do, but there are other books that give voice to characters with suicidal thoughts that were preferable to me.
April 21, 2023
Man, I’ve been there with pretentious boys who were bad listeners and treated me like crap. This was such a MOOD. It was more internally driven than I expected, not a love story and urban adventure but a journey of self-discovery and self-rescue. I liked it, but I’m not sure what kind of person I’d recommend it to.
March 3, 2023
The only YA book to reference The Lobster, Waking Life, and Daisies, I assume.
January 9, 2024
she is me, i am her.
March 26, 2023
Trigger warnings:
This wasn't quite what I expected it to be, in the sense that it was a much, much heavier read than I expected. Please check the trigger warnings and be careful.
That being said, I enjoyed my reading overall, definitely an interesting, heartbreaking exploration of depression, with messy, complex relationships and feelings, as well. The friendships were the highlights of this book for me, for sure.
Full review coming soon on the blog :)
Thank you to Harper360UK for sending me an ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influence my thoughts & rating.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
This wasn't quite what I expected it to be, in the sense that it was a much, much heavier read than I expected. Please check the trigger warnings and be careful.
That being said, I enjoyed my reading overall, definitely an interesting, heartbreaking exploration of depression, with messy, complex relationships and feelings, as well. The friendships were the highlights of this book for me, for sure.
Full review coming soon on the blog :)
Thank you to Harper360UK for sending me an ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influence my thoughts & rating.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
February 1, 2023
As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, I will always try to give books featuring these subjects a chance, even if they might be somewhat triggering. These are subjects that I feel should be explored, especially in a YA space, instead of ignored as they have in the past.
At times the story does feel very raw and real. I really enjoyed the relationships between Ocean, Georgie and Tashya. It was nice to see how they grew and bonded as the book progressed and the different struggles they each had.
I did like the Google Doc exchanges that were included, but there were times I felt there could be a little less of them. Still, I enjoyed the different ways the conversations could be interpreted and how different readers could see the exchanges different ways.
This was a great exploration of Ocean's growth and journey through her gap year and recovering from past events. Definitely be mindful if suicide talk, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are triggering.
At times the story does feel very raw and real. I really enjoyed the relationships between Ocean, Georgie and Tashya. It was nice to see how they grew and bonded as the book progressed and the different struggles they each had.
I did like the Google Doc exchanges that were included, but there were times I felt there could be a little less of them. Still, I enjoyed the different ways the conversations could be interpreted and how different readers could see the exchanges different ways.
This was a great exploration of Ocean's growth and journey through her gap year and recovering from past events. Definitely be mindful if suicide talk, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are triggering.
gave-up-on
May 22, 2022DNF
43%
43%
March 1, 2023
AMAZING
October 18, 2025
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts.
The book takes you into the story of Ocean, who is actually supposed to go to college but is very insecure about herself and everything that happens to her. Because of this, she becomes very depressed and keeps thinking she is dead and in hell.
Then she meets Constantine during a power blackout. It seems that Constantine understands her and they have contact with each other through Google Docs. I had absolutely nothing with Constantine and couldn't stand him, how he dealt with Ocean and didn't seem to think about it at all but just made it appear as if he understood her.
I had a very hard time getting into the story, especially the Google Docs conversations between Ocean and Constantine were very drawn out and sometimes hard to follow. Also, the book is very heavy at times because of all the dialogues Ocean is having in her head and everything that comes with it (see trigger warnings).
The book does take you through the emotional journey of someone who is having a very hard time emotionally and thinks that nothing is good enough, despite hearing frequently that it is not the case and everyone is struggling (I think Constantine in particular makes her even more insecure). Therefore, I found the end of the book a very nice ending, how Ocean finally copes and it seems that her depressive thoughts seem to go away and she can finally convincingly say "I'm fine."
Especially her friends Georgie and Tashy played a big role in this, the dynamic between those three was very nice to read. Ocean couldn't fool them and they tried to help her, they are suchs good friends. This helped make sure that Ocean also grew as a person and was able to get back on track.
Even though the book was difficult getting into and from time to time heavy to read, this book does make you aware of how many young people are struggling with anxiety and depressive thoughts. The author did a very good job of showing this with this book.
Trigger warnings: anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts.
The book takes you into the story of Ocean, who is actually supposed to go to college but is very insecure about herself and everything that happens to her. Because of this, she becomes very depressed and keeps thinking she is dead and in hell.
Then she meets Constantine during a power blackout. It seems that Constantine understands her and they have contact with each other through Google Docs. I had absolutely nothing with Constantine and couldn't stand him, how he dealt with Ocean and didn't seem to think about it at all but just made it appear as if he understood her.
I had a very hard time getting into the story, especially the Google Docs conversations between Ocean and Constantine were very drawn out and sometimes hard to follow. Also, the book is very heavy at times because of all the dialogues Ocean is having in her head and everything that comes with it (see trigger warnings).
The book does take you through the emotional journey of someone who is having a very hard time emotionally and thinks that nothing is good enough, despite hearing frequently that it is not the case and everyone is struggling (I think Constantine in particular makes her even more insecure). Therefore, I found the end of the book a very nice ending, how Ocean finally copes and it seems that her depressive thoughts seem to go away and she can finally convincingly say "I'm fine."
Especially her friends Georgie and Tashy played a big role in this, the dynamic between those three was very nice to read. Ocean couldn't fool them and they tried to help her, they are suchs good friends. This helped make sure that Ocean also grew as a person and was able to get back on track.
Even though the book was difficult getting into and from time to time heavy to read, this book does make you aware of how many young people are struggling with anxiety and depressive thoughts. The author did a very good job of showing this with this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2023
Honestly not really my cup of tea. I’m not super into philosophy as a whole and it got rather annoying in all honesty to read the letters between the two characters. I don’t think the writing is all that bad though but definitely wasn’t enough for me to enjoy it. I do think she explains the messy thoughts of late teen life and maybe as someone in their mid-twenties I just don’t relate as well anymore.
Overall not horrible but definitely meant for someone else.
Overall not horrible but definitely meant for someone else.
January 2, 2023
This is a well written story and if I were in my twenties I would have enjoyed it. But as an older person this story did not resonate for me.
February 24, 2023
a mixture of mary h.k. choi and nina lacour.
may or may not have accelerated a depressive episode but also i'm not necessarily gonna count it as a bad thing.
may or may not have accelerated a depressive episode but also i'm not necessarily gonna count it as a bad thing.
November 24, 2023
I cried
March 25, 2023
Rounded to 3.5 stars.
Thank you YA Books Central and HarperCollins for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: suicidal ideation, depression
This is an unusual read, different from what I was expecting, and surprisingly heavy, both in tone and material. It places mental health at the forefront of the read, along with the struggle that so many young people face when they transition between high school and college, taking the first steps towards independence.
The story is told through the eyes of Ocean Sun, a young woman who has made the choice to defer college for a year and live independently in NYC, without telling her mother about her decision. It opens with Ocean waiting for a subway train, except the city has been hit with a blackout. She’s the kind of character who is always in her head, struggling with overthinking literally everything, and this goes on for the entire book, making it difficult for me to identify with her.
When Ocean crosses paths with Constantine, she’s initially hesitant, but he quickly wins her over. There seems to be something pulling them towards each other, and they form some kind of connection in the strange aura of NYC in a blackout. They part ways but begin a correspondence via a Google document, communicating only via this document, meeting up for random nighttime adventures. As a naïve and inexperienced girl, Ocean is quickly taken in by Constantine’s good looks and quirky ways, and how worldly he seems, challenging her mind and introducing her to new experiences around the city, while making her feel protected. She feels comfortable opening up to him about things she’s never spoken about to anyone else, while also being able to communicate more easily in writing than she can in words. At the same time, she is slowly pulling away from her gregarious roommate Georgie and talented Tashya, who are dating each other, leaving Ocean feeling like a third wheel.
We don’t get to know too much about Constantine, other than what Ocean sees of him, but I didn’t really vibe with his character. So much of their communication was overly philosophical and esoteric, and while it never really felt like it was going anywhere to me, Ocean would perseverate over each individual word of these interactions ad nauseam.
I loved the interactions between the three roommates, and how they supported each other in their strange way. Both Georgie and Tashya are well-developed characters, as vividly depicted as Constantine is left blank, and I loved watching them get to know each other. Ocean also explores some of the difficulties she experiences as a first-generation American, and the disconnect she experiences as the daughter of an immigrant, especially with communication. I thought it was especially poignant when she talked about the constraints of language when discussing certain concepts, and how love was expressed between her and her mother.
While the summary both is and isn’t well-explained by the summary, I found myself struggling with the first three-quarters of the book and then really warming to it in the last quarter. I loved watching Ocean really grow and change, and start to come out of her shell and discover what growing up really means, as well as learning about what friendship actually entails. Overall, the best parts of this book were the way it brought up mental health and the importance of having so
Thank you YA Books Central and HarperCollins for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: suicidal ideation, depression
This is an unusual read, different from what I was expecting, and surprisingly heavy, both in tone and material. It places mental health at the forefront of the read, along with the struggle that so many young people face when they transition between high school and college, taking the first steps towards independence.
The story is told through the eyes of Ocean Sun, a young woman who has made the choice to defer college for a year and live independently in NYC, without telling her mother about her decision. It opens with Ocean waiting for a subway train, except the city has been hit with a blackout. She’s the kind of character who is always in her head, struggling with overthinking literally everything, and this goes on for the entire book, making it difficult for me to identify with her.
When Ocean crosses paths with Constantine, she’s initially hesitant, but he quickly wins her over. There seems to be something pulling them towards each other, and they form some kind of connection in the strange aura of NYC in a blackout. They part ways but begin a correspondence via a Google document, communicating only via this document, meeting up for random nighttime adventures. As a naïve and inexperienced girl, Ocean is quickly taken in by Constantine’s good looks and quirky ways, and how worldly he seems, challenging her mind and introducing her to new experiences around the city, while making her feel protected. She feels comfortable opening up to him about things she’s never spoken about to anyone else, while also being able to communicate more easily in writing than she can in words. At the same time, she is slowly pulling away from her gregarious roommate Georgie and talented Tashya, who are dating each other, leaving Ocean feeling like a third wheel.
We don’t get to know too much about Constantine, other than what Ocean sees of him, but I didn’t really vibe with his character. So much of their communication was overly philosophical and esoteric, and while it never really felt like it was going anywhere to me, Ocean would perseverate over each individual word of these interactions ad nauseam.
I loved the interactions between the three roommates, and how they supported each other in their strange way. Both Georgie and Tashya are well-developed characters, as vividly depicted as Constantine is left blank, and I loved watching them get to know each other. Ocean also explores some of the difficulties she experiences as a first-generation American, and the disconnect she experiences as the daughter of an immigrant, especially with communication. I thought it was especially poignant when she talked about the constraints of language when discussing certain concepts, and how love was expressed between her and her mother.
While the summary both is and isn’t well-explained by the summary, I found myself struggling with the first three-quarters of the book and then really warming to it in the last quarter. I loved watching Ocean really grow and change, and start to come out of her shell and discover what growing up really means, as well as learning about what friendship actually entails. Overall, the best parts of this book were the way it brought up mental health and the importance of having so
March 18, 2023
3 Stars
Thank you to Harper Collins for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warnings for Depression and Suicide Idealtion/Discussion of Suicide
Honestly this is such a hard book to review because there were things I honestly adored about this and some things that made me want to pull my hair out... Constant I am looking at you.
The basis of the story is that our main protagonist Ocean is feeling quite a bit of strain and pressure to take her next step in Education and live a certain life that her mum wants for her. However with all this been said and done Ocean is dealing with her own struggles primarily her mental health. Before she'd left she'd try to discuss this with her mum but she didn't really fully understand why Ocean was feeling the way she did.
Fast forward and she's now in a house/flat share with two other people and that is Georgie and Tashya and let me tell you... Georgie is probably my favourite character out of the book! ANYWAY... they both have things going on with their lives, Tashya is a potential rising star in the music land and rehearsing a lot and Georgie doesn't really know if she's coming or going and what she wants to do with her life but there is an underlining that her dads do have certain expectations for her.
I think what is great about this book is the social norms and what's "expected" of you, it's normally to get a great job, move on to higher education, when it comes to a job what type of job and so on. In this it really does show that not everybody is the same in this, nor do they want that expectation and can sometimes struggle with it even.
The mental health aspect in this felt very very relatable and also all consuming where it's in the pit of the depression and there's so many different ways they can appear. For Ocean it appears to be how badly her sleep is affected and that's only one of them. I won't dive too much into this because everyones Mental Health is different but I did think it was done in a relatable way.
Now... these are all my good parts so why did this get 3 stars? Honestly I couldn't get past Constant. I 1000000% understand why he is the way he is, but I just think that it could of been done better, I get that he's not supposed to be super likeable but in my opinion the parts with Constant and Ocean just felt so pretentious and I know he's a philosophy student I just think it could of been a bit more. I think this could have been so much more enjoyable with a different male protagonist or for him to be less like that? I can't explain, but his character as a whole was so off putting and sadly I just couldn't get past it. I honestly think if there was a different male protagonist this would of been a 4 star read.
I know that my review is saying that it's a 3 star read, but there were so many elements that were done so well and so relatable that I applaud how Amy Zhang has depicted Mental Health, I just can't get past Constant, HOWEVER counterbalance that with Georgie?! Super hard one to review as overall it was a good book it was just one element I could not stand.
Thank you to Harper Collins for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warnings for Depression and Suicide Idealtion/Discussion of Suicide
Honestly this is such a hard book to review because there were things I honestly adored about this and some things that made me want to pull my hair out... Constant I am looking at you.
The basis of the story is that our main protagonist Ocean is feeling quite a bit of strain and pressure to take her next step in Education and live a certain life that her mum wants for her. However with all this been said and done Ocean is dealing with her own struggles primarily her mental health. Before she'd left she'd try to discuss this with her mum but she didn't really fully understand why Ocean was feeling the way she did.
Fast forward and she's now in a house/flat share with two other people and that is Georgie and Tashya and let me tell you... Georgie is probably my favourite character out of the book! ANYWAY... they both have things going on with their lives, Tashya is a potential rising star in the music land and rehearsing a lot and Georgie doesn't really know if she's coming or going and what she wants to do with her life but there is an underlining that her dads do have certain expectations for her.
I think what is great about this book is the social norms and what's "expected" of you, it's normally to get a great job, move on to higher education, when it comes to a job what type of job and so on. In this it really does show that not everybody is the same in this, nor do they want that expectation and can sometimes struggle with it even.
The mental health aspect in this felt very very relatable and also all consuming where it's in the pit of the depression and there's so many different ways they can appear. For Ocean it appears to be how badly her sleep is affected and that's only one of them. I won't dive too much into this because everyones Mental Health is different but I did think it was done in a relatable way.
Now... these are all my good parts so why did this get 3 stars? Honestly I couldn't get past Constant. I 1000000% understand why he is the way he is, but I just think that it could of been done better, I get that he's not supposed to be super likeable but in my opinion the parts with Constant and Ocean just felt so pretentious and I know he's a philosophy student I just think it could of been a bit more. I think this could have been so much more enjoyable with a different male protagonist or for him to be less like that? I can't explain, but his character as a whole was so off putting and sadly I just couldn't get past it. I honestly think if there was a different male protagonist this would of been a 4 star read.
I know that my review is saying that it's a 3 star read, but there were so many elements that were done so well and so relatable that I applaud how Amy Zhang has depicted Mental Health, I just can't get past Constant, HOWEVER counterbalance that with Georgie?! Super hard one to review as overall it was a good book it was just one element I could not stand.
March 15, 2023
I had high hopes for this one! I found the author via TikTok and hearing about the challenges of trying to figure out her third book piqued my curiosity for this.
There are a lot of things to love about this novel... and one major thing to hate! My absolute favorite thing in this book is the strong female friendships and characters. Georgie and Tashya are AMAZING side characters who really make the story. They're not half-assed at all, they're very much fully fleshed out, three dimensional characters. They were honestly more likable than Ocean herself. I would've killed to see more of them on the page!!!
Constantine was the absolute worst part of the book for me. I think the author could've made her point about "don't date a philosophy bro ever / especially not when you're young and lost and adrift" without spending SO MANY DAMN PAGES on him. I could not buy Ocean's infatuation with him, particularly because he was so annoying, pretentious, vague, and noncommittal all the time. It was irritating. The philosophy sections were interesting at first, but got old quickly. I eventually started just skimming them.
Also worth noting: it was hard to read a book with a protagonist THIS depressed. I'm not sure I've read a novel before where this is suicidal ideation on nearly every page. Ocean seems very passive through the whole book (bc she's depressed, I get it!). But it's painful to read. And exhausting. And drags you down. Which is likely the intention, it just makes it a heavy book to get through!
Maybe the author will write a spinoff with Tashya and Georgie...I'd read that in a heartbeat! Especially if there's no angst and all laughs and dogs and queer joy.
There are a lot of things to love about this novel... and one major thing to hate! My absolute favorite thing in this book is the strong female friendships and characters. Georgie and Tashya are AMAZING side characters who really make the story. They're not half-assed at all, they're very much fully fleshed out, three dimensional characters. They were honestly more likable than Ocean herself. I would've killed to see more of them on the page!!!
Constantine was the absolute worst part of the book for me. I think the author could've made her point about "don't date a philosophy bro ever / especially not when you're young and lost and adrift" without spending SO MANY DAMN PAGES on him. I could not buy Ocean's infatuation with him, particularly because he was so annoying, pretentious, vague, and noncommittal all the time. It was irritating. The philosophy sections were interesting at first, but got old quickly. I eventually started just skimming them.
Also worth noting: it was hard to read a book with a protagonist THIS depressed. I'm not sure I've read a novel before where this is suicidal ideation on nearly every page. Ocean seems very passive through the whole book (bc she's depressed, I get it!). But it's painful to read. And exhausting. And drags you down. Which is likely the intention, it just makes it a heavy book to get through!
Maybe the author will write a spinoff with Tashya and Georgie...I'd read that in a heartbeat! Especially if there's no angst and all laughs and dogs and queer joy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2023
So, I really liked the vibe of this book but wasn't really invested in the story.
The vibe is best described as the literary version of Lo-Fi music - moody, melancholic, nostalgic, philosophical, and contemplative.
I think I would have loved this book back when I was in grade 12 or in my first year of university when I enjoyed thinking about the meaning of life and other philosophical thoughts. Because that's what this book was about - a series of philosophical ramblings between our MC, Ocean Wu, and a rando she met in the subway, Constantine Brave (or Constant, for short).
Ocean was having an existential crisis and was depressed and suicidal so she decided to defer her first year of university to try and figure life out (but that hasn't really been working out). One night, she meets Constant who's a graffiti artist and philosophy student and together, they end up sharing a Google document where they write messages to each other in the form of philosophical essays.
Perhaps philosophy nerds will enjoy this book, but I think I've outgrown Ocean's way of thinking and her life problems (she's so young, naive, and lost! I feel for her, I really do).
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If you like the following books, then you might like The Cartographers and vice versa:
The vibe is best described as the literary version of Lo-Fi music - moody, melancholic, nostalgic, philosophical, and contemplative.
I think I would have loved this book back when I was in grade 12 or in my first year of university when I enjoyed thinking about the meaning of life and other philosophical thoughts. Because that's what this book was about - a series of philosophical ramblings between our MC, Ocean Wu, and a rando she met in the subway, Constantine Brave (or Constant, for short).
Ocean was having an existential crisis and was depressed and suicidal so she decided to defer her first year of university to try and figure life out (but that hasn't really been working out). One night, she meets Constant who's a graffiti artist and philosophy student and together, they end up sharing a Google document where they write messages to each other in the form of philosophical essays.
Perhaps philosophy nerds will enjoy this book, but I think I've outgrown Ocean's way of thinking and her life problems (she's so young, naive, and lost! I feel for her, I really do).
_________________________________
If you like the following books, then you might like The Cartographers and vice versa:
March 12, 2024
3/11/24 Oof, some of this was hard to read. It brought up a tough time in my life. I can't say I enjoyed it or even got a lot out of it, but I can see this being a book that someone clings to like a rock in a storm.
I did like the ending.
I did not like the philosophy. Having gone through so much philosophy, this one felt very basic and solipsistic, the selfish, lonely kind that suites the book, but not me. It does blow your mind the first time you hear it, like suddenly seeing the second face in a trick painting, but after the novelty wares off, it seems childish. Plus a lot of it is nullified by a lot of other philosophy and science of what we do share, mirror neurons etc. We are connected, even if we do not always remember that.
I did like the ending.
I did not like the philosophy. Having gone through so much philosophy, this one felt very basic and solipsistic, the selfish, lonely kind that suites the book, but not me. It does blow your mind the first time you hear it, like suddenly seeing the second face in a trick painting, but after the novelty wares off, it seems childish. Plus a lot of it is nullified by a lot of other philosophy and science of what we do share, mirror neurons etc. We are connected, even if we do not always remember that.
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