The Map of Salt and Stars

“Nobody can love the stars and hurt people. They just can't.”

2 young girls, 800 years apart, set off on the same journey but under very different circumstances. For one of them it is a voyage of discovery, of maps and adventure. The other fleeing Syria, a country that is about to tear itself apart. The thing linking the two stories....... HOME.

I really enjoyed this. I would definitely recommend taking a few minutes every time the story switches between timelines, just to savour what you have just read. I think the only negative is that sometimes the grave nature of some of the situations, especially in the present day story, got a little bit lost in the magical prose, however, I guess that this is really seen through the eyes of children and they don't see misery and suffering the same way we do now we are older, more cynical and more miserable.

...meh, it was boring.
And since I live in one of the worst countries in the world—not so far from Syria— I'm not obsessed with the idea of borders, home countries, or any of those be-proud-of-your-origins concepts or whatever.
That said, it did make me almost cry many times. Never cried, but almost-cried a lot.
I feel like I can be meaner but this is a book about Syrian refugees so I suppose the intentions are pure and at the end of the day, I did feel for the children so I'll leave it at that.

Absolutely beautiful.

Uma história bonita e emocionante em muitos momentos, triste em muitos outros. Tem um pezinho na fantasia por causa da condição de sinestesia da protagonista, que vê cores em cheiros e sons, deixando a narrativa bonita e colorida. Em alguns momentos achei as reflexões demais e muitas partes arrastadas, mas não tirou o mérito da história. Inclusive o livro no geral é um pouco arrastado, mas é aquela coisa - tem o seu próprio ritmo. As coisas acontecem aos poucos (e acontecem muitas coisas!). Uma grande surpresa! Pode ser que eu amente a nota conforme for pensando no livro ao longo dos dias.

This is such a beautifully written story. The Author has an excellent way of describing feelings and ideas using colors. This is a powerful story about overcoming challenges and tragedies.

Everything about this book resonated with me, from the modern story of Nour escaping a war-torn Syria to Rawiya's adventures 800 years before. I loved the side-by-side telling of these two stories, and enjoyed the parallels between them. The characters were developed nicely, and Nour's synesthesia made her a compelling character that gave me a glimpse into what it might be like.

This was an easy add to my favorites shelf. Very well done.

Pure poetry.

Lyrical and heartbreaking, Map of Salt and Stars is an amazing read. Dual stories weave throughout the book and it ‘s a joy to see the journey mirrored in present day and in ancient times. This is my new “you have to read this book!”.