The Last Mapmaker

By Christina Soontornvat

A young mapmaker's assistant hides her past on a secret-laden voyage to a mythical land.

6.0/7 Bookroo expert·4.1/5 Goodreads · 6,765 ratings

368 pages· 69,176 words· Est. 9.5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Twelve-year-old Sai, assistant to a renowned mapmaker, hides her conman father's past in a society where ancestry defines status. Joining a sea expedition, she discovers the ship's true destination: the legendary Sunderlands, a realm of dragons and untold riches. As secrets unravel, Sai must decide if her dreams are worth the risks. Will she navigate the treacherous waters of identity and ambition, or will her hidden past catch up with her? Embark on a thrilling journey where integrity and destiny collide in a world as intricate as the maps she helps create.

From the publisher

From Christina Soontornvat, the visionary and versatile author of two 2021 Newbery Honor Books, comes a high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. In a fantasy adventure every bit as compelling and confident in its world building as her Newbery Honor Book A Wish in the Dark, Christina Soontornvat explores a young woman’s struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman–and in a kingdom where the status of one’s ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn’t the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands–a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining–she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as beautiful and intricate as the maps of old.