Lives of Mapmakers Alicia L. Conroy Carnegie Mellon University Press ISBN: 0-88748-451-4 Literary Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

Alicia L. Conroy expertly composes eleven short stories with a variety of storylines, flavours, and tones to ultimately become Lives of Mapmakers. Storylines range from the somewhat stern historical piece to the fantastical whimsy (though a little gruesome at the beginning) Mud-Coloured Beauties of the Plain. Then, the tone, and even the format, change in Breath with a Shakespearean-like sonnet. The overall theme that binds these very different works together seems to be people looking for direction in their lives.

Lives of Mapmakers is extremely well written. Perhaps, almost to much so. There were times when I was so intrigued with the mechanics of the writing that I had to reread stories because I missed out on what was actually happening. There were also a few pieces that I felt utterly stupid, like a child back in literature class who knows the writing is extremely good but can’t quite be grasped. Therefore, I suggest that those with a more refined educated taste for literature will find this work utterly fascinating.

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