The Mapmaker's Children

A Novel

By: Sarah McCoy

Narrated by: Abby Craden, Cassandra Campbell, Sarah McCoy

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Two women from different generations face challenges that test their bravery and resilience in this “lovingly constructed [and] passionately told” (The Washington Post) novel from the author of The Baker’s Daughter.

“Poignant and deeply absorbing. McCoy weaves this moving tale of two women finding their way with style and thoughtfulness.”—Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Circe and The Song of Achilles

When Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown, realizes that her artistic talents may be able to help save the lives of slaves fleeing north, she becomes one of the Underground Railroad’s leading mapmakers, taking her cues from the Slave Quilt codes and hiding her maps within her paintings. As the country steers toward civil war, Sarah faces difficult sacrifices that could put all she loves in peril.

A century and a half later, Eden Anderson, reeling from personal disappointment, moves with her husband to an old house in suburban Washington, D.C., a last-ditch effort to save their marriage and start a family. In the house’s cellar, she discovers a long-hidden porcelain doll that holds extraordinary secrets from the days of the Underground Railroad.

Sarah and Eden’s connection soon bridges the past with the present, forcing each of them to define courage, family, love, and legacy in a new way, illustrating the ways in which history and destiny are interconnected on one enormous, intricate map.

Critic reviews

“Lovingly construction . . . passionately told . . . compelling . . . McCoy deftly intertwines a historical tale with a modern one. . . . The Mapmaker’s Children not only honors the accomplishments of a little-known woman but artfully demonstrates how fate carries us in unexpected directions, no matter how we might try to map out our lives.”—The Washington Post

“The Mapmaker’s Children is marked by rich, closely observed storytelling full of warmth and heart.”—Charles Frazier, New York Times bestselling author of National Book Award winner Cold Mountain

“The lacing of the two plots is seamless. . . . McCoy’s unquestionably a gifted author.”—Dallas Morning News

“Defining moments of bravery and resilience echo across generations for a truly satisfying story.”—Laura Moriarty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chaperone

“Linking a contemporary woman named Eden with the daughter of abolitionist John Brown is a provocative idea, and McCoy has the skills to pull off something talk-worthy.”—Library Journal’s Hot Book Club Reads Pick

“In vibrant yet unassuming prose, McCoy tells a story of womanhood past and present, asking big questions about family, courage, and love. Readers will enjoy solving the historical puzzle of the doll’s origins, but the book’s true strength is its portrayal of Eden and Sarah: two brave women bound together by the difficult, noble work of building worthwhile lives.”—Shelf Awareness

“Poignant and deeply absorbing. McCoy weaves this moving tale of two women finding their way with style and thoughtfulness.”—Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe and The Song of Achilles

“Sarah McCoy has illuminated a forgotten corner of American history with her signature empathy and spirit.”—Mary Doria Russell, author of Doc and Epitaph

“Engaging and emotionally charged . . . Eden’s realization that ‘what fable and history could agree upon was that everyone was searching for their ever-after, whatever that may be’ neatly sums up the novel’s heart—it’s about the family and the life we create, not always the ones we imagine for ourselves.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A fascinating peek into the personal life of the legendary John Brown and keep the pages turning. The Mapmaker’s Children serves as a reminder of how objects persist, such as Sarah’s doll, and how memories connected with those objects can last through generations.”—BookPage

Excellent In Every Way

This book was meticulously researched. The story line was very well put together in a way that made the reader feel invested in the characters well being. I felt their sorrows, their determination, and their love of one another. They had strength to not only make their own journey, but to help others in profound ways. This is a great book.

Good story, but not as good as The Baker’s Daughter

I enjoyed the connection between past and present. I really enjoyed some of the characters- Cleo was my favorite. As far as characters go, though, I enjoyed the characters in The Baker’s Daughter, also by this author, much more.

Great Storyline

i still dislike the jumping between times but it worked in this story as you read about the Civil War and the current day family.

Seeing the past with dual focus

Amazing book! Past and present merge powerfully gathered around two women's lives and history. Wonderful!

Family and History

I read Sarah McCoy's "The Baker's Daughter" and enjoyed it immensely. I looked forward to this book ever since I heard it would be released this year.
Like The Baker's Daughter, The Mapmaker's Children straddles the past and the present. And, like the Baker's Daughter, this book's historical passages are much more riveting than its contemporary ones.
I enjoyed Sarah's experiences as a mapmaker, how she made presumptions and assumed things and fell on her face and fought for what she needed.
I could never wrap my head around Eden, the contemporary heroine, her singleminded determination for a child. And SO many characters were called Mr. and Ms. and I felt like I was in a children's story hour, which was disappointing for such a talented author.
All narrators were quite pleasant to listen to; though I wish a male narrator had been chosen to read letters from male characters, or newspaper articles and such... but that opinion is my own.

Overall, this book was an interesting way to pass the time. Sarah McCoy is a writer to watch, though I wish her contemporary characters would get out of the way so that her historical ones can shine through on their own.