Flying on a Jet Plane —Travel Listening!

When I read Peng Shepherd’s first novel, The Book of M, I found myself swept into a world where people’s shadows disappear and then they lose their memories. The novel felt gloriously messy and all engrossing. So when I heard Shepherd’s second book was coming out in 2022, I immediately marked it as one of my most anticipated novels of the year.

The Cartographers begins when Nell’s father, a prestigious cartographer at the New York Public Library, dies, leaving behind a disheveled office, which makes Nell believe there was foul play. As she looks around at his papers, she finds a secret compartment in his desk holding what seems to be a worthless map with a mysterious symbol on it. From there, Nell is thrown into a part of her father’s life that she never knew existed. There are secret societies, missing towns, and a mysterious figure haunting Nell’s every step.

All-star narrator Emily Woo Zeller performs the audiobook when we’re in Nell’s perspective. She captures the emotions of the protagonist with precision. Whenever we enter the perspective of a new character, a different narrator performs that chapter, giving each perspective a unique feel. Each narrator fits their character perfectly.

As I listened to this adventure story, I loved following clues to discover the truth that’s always lingering at the edges of Nell’s life. While the book’s vibe is incredibly different from The Book of M, The Cartographers reminds me of a story that’s made for television, fast paced and intriguing with all of its twists and turns.

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, Nancy Wu, Karen Chilton, Ron Butler, Neil Hellegers, Jason Culp, and Brittany Pressley

In a town with few trans people, Aaron and Oliver, two young trans men, have always had each other. But when Aaron moves away, they both feel so much more alone. They find solace in looking into American history, trying to find more people like them in America’s past.

Ingrid Yang is an exhausted PhD student trying to finish her dissertation on poet Xiao-Wen. And after it’s done, she never wants to think about Xiao-Wen again. But as her time as a grad student comes to an end, Ingrid begins to wonder if it’s been worth it.

With library budgets shrinking, libraries are in danger of becoming an endangered institution. Amanda Oliver discusses the history of libraries in America, and the many services they provide. Using her own experience as a librarian, Oliver gives listeners an incredible portrait of one of America’s most beloved institutions.

A master forger, said to be a woman, becomes notorious in Buenos Aires for her forgeries of the work by painter Mariette Lydis. Lydis is known for her portraits  of well to do Argentinians. When an art critic becomes determined to find the forger and to learn more about what drives her to imitate the art of others, the chase is on.

Savvy Sheldon is obsessed with house renovation shows, so when she finally realizes that her life is a hot mess, she decides to renovate her life. Savvy starts by renovating her kitchen and her body, determined to become a healthier version of herself. But then she keeps running into a handsome stranger. Will he fit into her new plans for her life?