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Incomplete Maps
Incomplete Maps is the debut collection of poetry and hand-drawn illustrations by Judy R. Sebastian. This book is an invitation to us travelers to explore where we are in the journey of life and understand why we are there. Some of us may have travel companions, while some of us may be traveling by ourselves. The book is divided into five sections - The Explorer, The Guide, The Pilgrim, The Pioneer, and The Settler.
The imaginative illustrations and use of dialogues emphasize the childlike curiosity with which we once used to view the world before we quickly grew up and stopped asking questions. The author aims to help each reader rekindle the joys of self-discovery, self-forgiveness, self-healing, and self-love.
The imaginative illustrations and use of dialogues emphasize the childlike curiosity with which we once used to view the world before we quickly grew up and stopped asking questions. The author aims to help each reader rekindle the joys of self-discovery, self-forgiveness, self-healing, and self-love.
151 pages, Paperback
Published July 31, 2021
3 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Judy R. Sebastian
2 books1 followerJudy R. Sebastian is a writer, speaker, and self-taught artist living in Oregon, United States. She is a Keralite (South Indian) who grew up in the Middle East. As a third-culture storyteller, she weaves in anecdotes from her global experiences.
Judy is passionate about key social themes such as personal identities, adult learning, trauma, recovery, inclusion, equity, mental health awareness, and human rights. Messages around these themes are highlighted in her debut collection of poetry and illustrations - Incomplete Maps.
Judy is passionate about key social themes such as personal identities, adult learning, trauma, recovery, inclusion, equity, mental health awareness, and human rights. Messages around these themes are highlighted in her debut collection of poetry and illustrations - Incomplete Maps.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 28, 2021
"What makes a compass trustworthy
is not its engraving, but its ability,
to magnetically align itself with the Earth.
The same can be said about our purpose.
It takes an alignment of two elements.
If the heart does not accept what the hand does,
then the head will continue to spin aimlessly,
like a broken compass."
I appreciated the message behind every poem collected here but, unfortunately, not always the way it was delivered. This poet's style might not be for me but the exploration of important social themes - such as identity, trauma, inclusion, and human rights - made this an important collection. I hope others get to enjoy the power of these words.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Judy R. Sebastian, and the publisher, Ashoka Tree Publishing, for this opportunity.
is not its engraving, but its ability,
to magnetically align itself with the Earth.
The same can be said about our purpose.
It takes an alignment of two elements.
If the heart does not accept what the hand does,
then the head will continue to spin aimlessly,
like a broken compass."
I appreciated the message behind every poem collected here but, unfortunately, not always the way it was delivered. This poet's style might not be for me but the exploration of important social themes - such as identity, trauma, inclusion, and human rights - made this an important collection. I hope others get to enjoy the power of these words.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Judy R. Sebastian, and the publisher, Ashoka Tree Publishing, for this opportunity.
October 26, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley & Ashoka Tree Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book! ♥
5 / 5 Stars
Ah yes, there isn't quite a feeling like finishing a good book, that managed to make you feel both emotional and heartbroken, as well as warm and hopeful at the same time.
What I mean to say by that is, that I felt very understood and seen while reading some of these. They hit you right in the gut, forcing you to fake a smile, because yeah, been there, seen that. Same.
There is also a lot of hopeful, uplifting and inspireing poetry to be found in this. Both sections were sprenkled all over the books and the different parts of the book. And both of them were made up of really strong poetry.
I think I fell in love today. The way these poems were written, the style and the craftmanship, was just really amazing.
So congrats. This didn't just inspire my soul, it also inspired my inner writer.
I don't have anything more to say besides: A really stunning debut-collection!
5 / 5 Stars
Ah yes, there isn't quite a feeling like finishing a good book, that managed to make you feel both emotional and heartbroken, as well as warm and hopeful at the same time.
What I mean to say by that is, that I felt very understood and seen while reading some of these. They hit you right in the gut, forcing you to fake a smile, because yeah, been there, seen that. Same.
There is also a lot of hopeful, uplifting and inspireing poetry to be found in this. Both sections were sprenkled all over the books and the different parts of the book. And both of them were made up of really strong poetry.
I think I fell in love today. The way these poems were written, the style and the craftmanship, was just really amazing.
So congrats. This didn't just inspire my soul, it also inspired my inner writer.
I don't have anything more to say besides: A really stunning debut-collection!
August 10, 2021
I love the subtitle “Stories contoured by poetry” because that’s exactly what this lovely book is and I related to so many of them. Others painted pictures for me. I learned that Saudade means melancholy and that Vilomah is the saddest word of all. The author says “I give you these incomplete maps drawn by the frayed hands of us explorers, us guides, us pilgrims, us pioneers, us settlers.” A beautiful journey.
September 8, 2021
Wonderful and thought provoking read. Beautiful illustrations as well. Judy talks to your heart and makes you think with each line of poetry!!
August 4, 2021
All the poems speak to my heart. Judy is the truth teller of our time. You inspire me Judy! So very proud of you and your achievement!
September 6, 2021
Wonderful book of Poems! Highly recommended
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October 27, 2021First off, I'm grateful to each reader who picked up this book and gave it their gift of time. Thank you, everyone! This isn't a review but a little note from the author herself.
Incomplete Maps was born in the middle of the pandemic. It was written in a socio-politically charged environment and when people were growing tired of hearing 'new' and 'normal' in the same sentence. It was also created with the voice of a cross-cultural immigrant longing to belong.
The personas (The Explorer, The Guide, The Pilgrim, The Pioneer, and The Settler) are represented by different flowers to illustrate how life can change, just like the seasons. The conversations in the book between a child and an adult are based on some of the questions I'd asked as a kid. Some of the rhymes are intentionally broken to mimic the twists and turns of life.
Although poetry may not be for everyone, this is a soulful, if not thought-provoking, read. Read it slowly, like taking sips from a warm beverage on a cold winter's day. When you re-read a few poems, you'll notice how the context changes. I hope this sparks your inner curiosity and paves the way to self-discovery and self-healing. Thank you for being a part of the growing map and making it whole, fellow traveler.
Incomplete Maps was born in the middle of the pandemic. It was written in a socio-politically charged environment and when people were growing tired of hearing 'new' and 'normal' in the same sentence. It was also created with the voice of a cross-cultural immigrant longing to belong.
The personas (The Explorer, The Guide, The Pilgrim, The Pioneer, and The Settler) are represented by different flowers to illustrate how life can change, just like the seasons. The conversations in the book between a child and an adult are based on some of the questions I'd asked as a kid. Some of the rhymes are intentionally broken to mimic the twists and turns of life.
Although poetry may not be for everyone, this is a soulful, if not thought-provoking, read. Read it slowly, like taking sips from a warm beverage on a cold winter's day. When you re-read a few poems, you'll notice how the context changes. I hope this sparks your inner curiosity and paves the way to self-discovery and self-healing. Thank you for being a part of the growing map and making it whole, fellow traveler.
October 29, 2021
Book Review, “Incomplete Maps” by Judy Sebastian
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from the publisher and Netgalley.*
This will be a short review.
I appreciated the message behind every poem but, unfortunately, not always the way it was delivered. The pages have beautiful illustrations to go along with the words so I enjoyed looking at those. The style is not my cup of tea, however I did like the variety of topics included such as identity, trauma, inclusion, and human rights. When reading a book I look for myself throughout the pages and I just didn’t find much that I could relate to, or feel. I would still recommend this to others who might read poetry for other reasons.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from the publisher and Netgalley.*
This will be a short review.
I appreciated the message behind every poem but, unfortunately, not always the way it was delivered. The pages have beautiful illustrations to go along with the words so I enjoyed looking at those. The style is not my cup of tea, however I did like the variety of topics included such as identity, trauma, inclusion, and human rights. When reading a book I look for myself throughout the pages and I just didn’t find much that I could relate to, or feel. I would still recommend this to others who might read poetry for other reasons.
November 1, 2021
Absolutely loved the book. My favorite was ‘The Art of giving’
Great job Judy!
Great job Judy!
April 11, 2024
Judy’s words are absolutely beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews