Publication: August 15, 2017, by Dial Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Adventure
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating:
We sat at the edge of the ocean—my sister Henri and I—inches apart but not touching at all. We'd been so sure someone would find us by now.
Emma had always orbited Henri, her fierce, magnetic queen bee of an older sister, and the two had always been best friends. Until something happened that wrecked them.
I'd trusted Henri more than I'd trusted myself. Wherever she told me to go, I'd follow.
Then the unthinkable occurs—a watery nightmare off the dazzling coast. The girls wash up on shore, stranded. Their only companion is Alex, a troubled boy agonizing over his own secrets. Trapped in this gorgeous hell, Emma and Alex fall together as Emma and Henri fall catastrophically apart.
For the first time, I was afraid we'd die on this shore.
To find their way home, the sisters must find their way back to each other. But there’s no map for this—or anything. Can they survive the unearthing of the past and the upheaval of the present?
My Thoughts:
A Map for Wrecked Girls is a tale of sisterhood, survival, friendship, love, and forgiveness, and can surely be classified as the best book I've read in 2018. For months, I've been certain that I would not read any good (or 5-star worthy) reads this year, however, in the past few weeks, I have discovered quite a few 5-star reads that I will never forget. Jessica Taylor's story is surely one of those unforgettable ones that needs more publicity and attention! If you're seeking a contemporary story that steers away from the typical premise authors tend to focus on (girl meets boy, and they fall in love), this is the book for you. In fact, even if you're usually reading those cheesy stories, I am certain that you will love this one, too. I am just so obsessed with the story and everything about it. I think that can be proved based on the fact that I read this in one sitting, on an eight-hour long road trip. If this book had the potential to catch my attention for that long, then I am sure that it can be deemed worthy of reading and publicizing.
This story follows the lives of sisters Emma and Henri, who are only a year apart in age, though completely different in personality. They are best friends who hang out with the same people, and tell each other everything. When they head on vacation with their mother to Puerto Rico, the girls expect to spend their time suntanning, drinking cocktails, flirting with boys, and attempting to forget about their own personal problems. Little do they know that they will be stranded on a deserted island with only one other boy, forcing them to attempt to survive in conditions they never experienced previously.
This book moves between the past and the present. By the past, I mean the events leading up to the big dispute between the sisters, causing their relationship to deteriorate and their past friendship to dissipate. In the present, the girls are trapped on the deserted island, attempting to make contact with passing planes or ships, and trying to tend to themselves to survive. I believe that this is my first time reading a story about being stuck on a deserted island, and I loved every part of it. It seemed as if Jessica Taylor had an abundance of knowledge about the subject, and I honestly felt as if the characters had no other options to try to survive. The author covered every single possibility, not leaving any room for speculation and criticism by readers. This was just a roller coaster of a plot, with so much suspense and mystery woven in between the lines that I really couldn't stop reading. It was not physically and mentally possible for me to stop reading.
What readers must be aware of is that the entire story does not solely focus on the survival aspect. It obviously is there too, however, it also focuses on the sisters' pasts, and how easy it was for them to live a worry-free life where they were given everything they wanted. Henri, for example, was more of the rebellious, wild sister who was boy-crazy and spent her weekends partying hard. Emma, on the other hand, was dragged to these parties where she strove to be just like her sister. It obviously did not work out, as they couldn't be the same kind of person, and Emma's struggle was evident throughout the whole novel. I kept wishing for her to learn to become her own person, independent of her sister and her sister's attitude. By the conclusion of the story, I felt that it was the author's intention for us readers not to adore her characters, but to grow with them and see their development as individuals after being deserted and forced to look upon their flaws and pasts. This is a coming-of-age story that shows how people are affected by trauma, and the mistakes they have made in their pasts.
Ultimately, this story contains romance. Specifically, the romance between Emma and Alex, the boy they are stranded with, in the present, and this was the relationship I fully supported and adored. It was the first step Emma took to become her own person and be independent of Henri. Since I was not the biggest fan of Henri's character (was anyone, really?) I was super excited for this relationship to blossom as it made Henri jealous that she was not being given any attention.
The best part of this story was the ending, and how it all came together. Jessica Taylor successfully showcased that all humans are flawed, and especially in our teenage years, we are unable to see this. We all need to work hard to make our relationships work, whether they are sibling ones, romantic ones or parental ones. It also shows that life doesn't always go as planned—which is why we should always strive to tackle the obstacles that are before us.
A Map for Wrecked Girls was life-changing. Its premise, pacing of the plot, characters, romance, themes incorporated and writing were all beautiful, and it was surely one of the best books of the year. Go fall in love with it; you will not be disappointed.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
This story follows the lives of sisters Emma and Henri, who are only a year apart in age, though completely different in personality. They are best friends who hang out with the same people, and tell each other everything. When they head on vacation with their mother to Puerto Rico, the girls expect to spend their time suntanning, drinking cocktails, flirting with boys, and attempting to forget about their own personal problems. Little do they know that they will be stranded on a deserted island with only one other boy, forcing them to attempt to survive in conditions they never experienced previously.
This book moves between the past and the present. By the past, I mean the events leading up to the big dispute between the sisters, causing their relationship to deteriorate and their past friendship to dissipate. In the present, the girls are trapped on the deserted island, attempting to make contact with passing planes or ships, and trying to tend to themselves to survive. I believe that this is my first time reading a story about being stuck on a deserted island, and I loved every part of it. It seemed as if Jessica Taylor had an abundance of knowledge about the subject, and I honestly felt as if the characters had no other options to try to survive. The author covered every single possibility, not leaving any room for speculation and criticism by readers. This was just a roller coaster of a plot, with so much suspense and mystery woven in between the lines that I really couldn't stop reading. It was not physically and mentally possible for me to stop reading.
What readers must be aware of is that the entire story does not solely focus on the survival aspect. It obviously is there too, however, it also focuses on the sisters' pasts, and how easy it was for them to live a worry-free life where they were given everything they wanted. Henri, for example, was more of the rebellious, wild sister who was boy-crazy and spent her weekends partying hard. Emma, on the other hand, was dragged to these parties where she strove to be just like her sister. It obviously did not work out, as they couldn't be the same kind of person, and Emma's struggle was evident throughout the whole novel. I kept wishing for her to learn to become her own person, independent of her sister and her sister's attitude. By the conclusion of the story, I felt that it was the author's intention for us readers not to adore her characters, but to grow with them and see their development as individuals after being deserted and forced to look upon their flaws and pasts. This is a coming-of-age story that shows how people are affected by trauma, and the mistakes they have made in their pasts.
Ultimately, this story contains romance. Specifically, the romance between Emma and Alex, the boy they are stranded with, in the present, and this was the relationship I fully supported and adored. It was the first step Emma took to become her own person and be independent of Henri. Since I was not the biggest fan of Henri's character (was anyone, really?) I was super excited for this relationship to blossom as it made Henri jealous that she was not being given any attention.
The best part of this story was the ending, and how it all came together. Jessica Taylor successfully showcased that all humans are flawed, and especially in our teenage years, we are unable to see this. We all need to work hard to make our relationships work, whether they are sibling ones, romantic ones or parental ones. It also shows that life doesn't always go as planned—which is why we should always strive to tackle the obstacles that are before us.
A Map for Wrecked Girls was life-changing. Its premise, pacing of the plot, characters, romance, themes incorporated and writing were all beautiful, and it was surely one of the best books of the year. Go fall in love with it; you will not be disappointed.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
What is the best book you've read this year?
