Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Liveright (2013), Edition: First Edition, 384 pages
Description
When his beloved brother-in-law goes missing at the front in 1916, Angus defies his pacifist upbringing to join the war and find him. Assured a position as a cartographer in London, he is instead sent directly into the visceral shock of battle. Meanwhile, at home, his son Simon Peter must navigate escalating hostility in a fishing village torn by grief.
Media reviews
After raising a family, combined with a 27-year career in neuroscience, P.S. Duffy has turned to writing fiction. Her first novel is an addition to the literary canon of World War I — and it’s an addition of the very best kind.
Duffy’s first novel explores the circles of hell opened up by war, both on the actual war front and at home...Physical and emotional geography are beautifully rendered, and Duffy’s vivid descriptions illuminate war’s transformative effect in fresh ways. Well-nuanced characters and carefully
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choreographed (but still surprising) situations make this a strong debut. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jenn.S
Touching, endearing and at times bringing out a smile. This novel flowed eloquently through the story between views of the characters. Each felt like an actual person although it felt as though more fleshing out was done on one more than the others. Even so it's not that much of a distraction to
Thank you for the free copy provided through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
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prevent the reader from enjoying the story as it unfolds. Thank you for the free copy provided through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member janerawoof
I enjoyed and highly recommend this World War I novel about a fishing village in Nova Scotia during the war years. One of her sons, Angus McGrath, a talented artist, navigator, and mapmaker enlists in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, partly for patriotism and partly to search for his
The characters were very believable. Angus' father's boat, the old and irreparable Lauralee to me was a symbol of the passing of the old way of life. Simon Peter, the son, helps to build a new up-to-date boat, the North Star I felt it was a symbol pointing to the coming new times. I liked the author's flowing and descriptive writing style. I felt the story was paced well.
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brother-in-law, Ebbin, a soldier, who has been declared dead. His ID discs have been found but no body. Angus feels he is still alive. Angus is to be posted behind the lines in London as a cartographer but he is informed there is a surfeit of cartographers and so is sent to the front in the infantry. The novel smoothly cuts from the village to the front lines back and forth. We are given a good picture of how the whole village, especially Angus' wife, son and sister carry on. The war scenes were especially vivid; they took me right to the horrendous conditions in the trenches, the skirmishing, and Valmy Ridge. Yes, he finds Ebbin, but the man is incredibly changed. After Angus is wounded with a bayonet to the shoulder and the arm is paralyzed, he is sent home. We see finally how the war years have changed everyone into acceptance of a new way of life and thinking.The characters were very believable. Angus' father's boat, the old and irreparable Lauralee to me was a symbol of the passing of the old way of life. Simon Peter, the son, helps to build a new up-to-date boat, the North Star I felt it was a symbol pointing to the coming new times. I liked the author's flowing and descriptive writing style. I felt the story was paced well.
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LibraryThing member theeccentriclady
I enjoyed this book. Not in a warm fuzzy feeling book but as one that hits true to life and passes on great insight as to the suffering that life gives us. I am a pacifist as is the Father/Grandfather character in the book and I could relate to so much of what he was feeling but as his son went off
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to war I also could see how important it is to support the soldiers. I have direct contact with men suffering from PTSD and this also makes me sympathetic to Angus as he comes home. The writing is beautiful and I highlighted several places where the insights were very moving for me. At the end I cried. A very real life book that helps you see that there is beauty even in the ugly. Show Less
LibraryThing member MargaretPinardAuthor
A little-known subject to me was WWI and Vimy Ridge, especially Canada’s involvement in it. Too, I’ve not read many war stories, usually veering away to more peripheral stories of courage or metaphorical battles. But this book, it grabbed me.
It alternates between the home front in Nova Scotia
The France scenes were rich in detail too, from the eerily peaceful village found after winning a bloody ridge, to the farm life still going on, to the vision of thousands of dead bodies left for months undisturbed in a valley. There were definitely poignant parts such as these, that might be disturbing for some, but I found them arresting, like they really captured the moment, the frame of mind, the despair.
Especially in Angus’ mind while on the front, as you listen to his internal battles, there is a definite pathos, one that even a mid-30s single woman from California can relate to! Excellently written, structured, paced–not too dense, but it does take some time to absorb. And a quick-flipped, but satisfying, ending.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a novel with some substance, but without a pushy message; it is the journey of a man’s heart, which has been to purgatory and back.
It alternates between the home front in Nova Scotia
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and the front in France where the protagonist is for most of the novel. There was a chunk of the book that dragged for me–from 25% to 50%–but then it really got rolling, and all the setup was worth it! The Nova Scotia parts were rich in period detail, in the language of the fishermen, in the daily habits of small town coastal folk, and this gave a very solid foundation for the protagonist’s torment of being away and on his mission to find his brother-in-law, who’d gone missing.The France scenes were rich in detail too, from the eerily peaceful village found after winning a bloody ridge, to the farm life still going on, to the vision of thousands of dead bodies left for months undisturbed in a valley. There were definitely poignant parts such as these, that might be disturbing for some, but I found them arresting, like they really captured the moment, the frame of mind, the despair.
Especially in Angus’ mind while on the front, as you listen to his internal battles, there is a definite pathos, one that even a mid-30s single woman from California can relate to! Excellently written, structured, paced–not too dense, but it does take some time to absorb. And a quick-flipped, but satisfying, ending.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a novel with some substance, but without a pushy message; it is the journey of a man’s heart, which has been to purgatory and back.
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LibraryThing member pennsylady
The phrase "No Man's Land" is commonly associated with the First World War.
It does, however date back to perhaps the 14th century.
"Its meaning was clear to all sides: no man's land represented the area of ground between opposing armies - in this case, between trenches.
Artillery shelling of No Man's
The Cartographer of No Man's Land, a debut novel by P.S. Duffy, captures a a family divided by World War I , alternating from an ancestral home in Nova Scotia to the trenches of France....
The author reminds us, as the 100th anniversary of the conflict arrives, that soldier, commander and civilian were often oblivious to the devastation that was to come and cheerfully took up arms.
They were totally unprepared for "the slaughter to come as outdated tactics (massed frontal assaults) met modern weaponry (machine guns, poison gas, mass shelling, land mines)."
This novel carefully weaves the the dynamics of a father at war (Angus McGrath) and a son (Simon Peter) coming of age at home without him.
Characters, no matter how small their roles, are vividly portrayed.
There is intensity as the novel discloses the effects of war on men and women both on the battlefield and at home.
We can't exit the novel without acquiring a measure of understanding of the human condition.
an interesting note:
P. S. Duffy traces her Nova Scotian roots back over 250 years
She has had a long and successful career in science.
She states:
"Today, as a member of the Neural Engineering Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, I write and edit research papers on the neural mechanisms underlying deep brain stimulation, a treatment for neurological disease."
Her research is extensive, taking us from intense moments in the trenches of France to a precise depiction of the Nova Scotia of this time period.
...definitely a worthwhile read....
4.5 ★
It does, however date back to perhaps the 14th century.
"Its meaning was clear to all sides: no man's land represented the area of ground between opposing armies - in this case, between trenches.
Artillery shelling of No Man's
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Land was common, quickly reducing it to a barren wasteland comprised of destroyed vegetation, mud-soaked craters - and rotting corpses."The Cartographer of No Man's Land, a debut novel by P.S. Duffy, captures a a family divided by World War I , alternating from an ancestral home in Nova Scotia to the trenches of France....
The author reminds us, as the 100th anniversary of the conflict arrives, that soldier, commander and civilian were often oblivious to the devastation that was to come and cheerfully took up arms.
They were totally unprepared for "the slaughter to come as outdated tactics (massed frontal assaults) met modern weaponry (machine guns, poison gas, mass shelling, land mines)."
This novel carefully weaves the the dynamics of a father at war (Angus McGrath) and a son (Simon Peter) coming of age at home without him.
Characters, no matter how small their roles, are vividly portrayed.
There is intensity as the novel discloses the effects of war on men and women both on the battlefield and at home.
We can't exit the novel without acquiring a measure of understanding of the human condition.
an interesting note:
P. S. Duffy traces her Nova Scotian roots back over 250 years
She has had a long and successful career in science.
She states:
"Today, as a member of the Neural Engineering Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, I write and edit research papers on the neural mechanisms underlying deep brain stimulation, a treatment for neurological disease."
Her research is extensive, taking us from intense moments in the trenches of France to a precise depiction of the Nova Scotia of this time period.
...definitely a worthwhile read....
4.5 ★
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
The Cartographer of No Man's Land is an engrossing and beautifully written novel of how the war affects the men in the trenches as well as the families left behind. Angus MacGrath is the captain of the Lauralee, a Canadian coastal trader as well as a talented, but unknown artist. When the news
The battle scenes are terrifyingly real and there is a richly detailed recreation of how trench warfare was fought. The author does a wonderful job of illustrating the friendships the soldiers share when their lives are in constant jeopardy. I had no idea of the losses suffered by Canadians during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The author wrote a detailed account of Vimy using well-researched historical fact and blending in the fictional account of Angus and his fellow soldiers.
I enjoyed the Snag Harbor chapters and loved the ethical and patriotic Simon Peter and how he wants to stand up for the abused, both horses and people. The real draw for me was Angus' story. When he first gets to France he's so afraid. There is the constant threat of screaming artillery shells exploding around him and clouds of poison gas everywhere. He wants to find Ebbin but even more, he wants to get home to Hettie and Simon Peter. Throughout the book we see him becoming stronger and developing a love and respect for his men as he tries to keep them all safe.
I was completely immersed in this beautifully told story about the sacrifices people make and how we all need to help one another heal.
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arrives that his brother-in-law and best friend, Ebbin, is missing in action in France, Angus is devastated by his wife's despondency at the loss of her brother. Leaving behind his young son, Simon Peter, and against the wishes of his pacifist father, Angus enlists. He is promised that his navigation and artistic skills will keep him in the safety of London as a behind-the-lines cartographer. Once in London he is sent to the front lines as a replacement officer due to the staggering personnel losses. In alternating chapters we move back and forth from the battlefields of France to Snag Harbor, Nova Scotia where we follow the story through the eyes of young Simon Peter MacGrath.The battle scenes are terrifyingly real and there is a richly detailed recreation of how trench warfare was fought. The author does a wonderful job of illustrating the friendships the soldiers share when their lives are in constant jeopardy. I had no idea of the losses suffered by Canadians during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The author wrote a detailed account of Vimy using well-researched historical fact and blending in the fictional account of Angus and his fellow soldiers.
I enjoyed the Snag Harbor chapters and loved the ethical and patriotic Simon Peter and how he wants to stand up for the abused, both horses and people. The real draw for me was Angus' story. When he first gets to France he's so afraid. There is the constant threat of screaming artillery shells exploding around him and clouds of poison gas everywhere. He wants to find Ebbin but even more, he wants to get home to Hettie and Simon Peter. Throughout the book we see him becoming stronger and developing a love and respect for his men as he tries to keep them all safe.
I was completely immersed in this beautifully told story about the sacrifices people make and how we all need to help one another heal.
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LibraryThing member juliecracchiolo
I won a copy of The Cartographer on No Man’s Land back in the early Fall 2014 from Shelf Awareness. Immediately, I read the first couple of chapters. As I read, I knew that this was a book that I want to save until holiday vacation time. The beauty and depth of those first chapters made me aware
It’s 1917. World War I is raging across Europe, especially in the trenches in France. Back in Nova Scotia, Angus McGrath sails the coasts fishing and hauling as his father has done before. Ebbin, his brother-in-law, joined up and hasn’t been heard from in months. His wife, Hettie, is beside herself with grief.
Angus enlists, going in search of Ebbin. He has been assured that he will not be in the thick of battle, but that he will be behind the lines, probably based in London as a cartographer. This surprises Angus as no one has ever thought his drawings were good.
Seems the Canadian recruiters are much like the American recruiters. They’ll promise young people anything to get them to sign on the dotted line. Needless to say, Angus winds up in the trenches, where replacement officers are needed.
Readers will get a true sense of war from this story. The landscape is decimated and dangerous by bomb craters, divided by the trenches and barbwire. The towns and farms are deserted. Forests are charred. Artillery shells burst around and over the soldiers. Clouds of gas roil obstruct the ghastly view.
Oscillating between Angus’s point of view and what’s happening back home, readers can almost get a true sense of the war and its toll on the families.
Although Duffy is a journalist, this haunting, debut novel is beautifully written and seductive as it pulls readers further and further into the story. I would give The Cartographer of No Man’s Land six stars if I could.
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that this was not a novel to be rushed through---although at times it was tough---but to be savored and enjoyed. This debut novel is all those things…and moreIt’s 1917. World War I is raging across Europe, especially in the trenches in France. Back in Nova Scotia, Angus McGrath sails the coasts fishing and hauling as his father has done before. Ebbin, his brother-in-law, joined up and hasn’t been heard from in months. His wife, Hettie, is beside herself with grief.
Angus enlists, going in search of Ebbin. He has been assured that he will not be in the thick of battle, but that he will be behind the lines, probably based in London as a cartographer. This surprises Angus as no one has ever thought his drawings were good.
Seems the Canadian recruiters are much like the American recruiters. They’ll promise young people anything to get them to sign on the dotted line. Needless to say, Angus winds up in the trenches, where replacement officers are needed.
Readers will get a true sense of war from this story. The landscape is decimated and dangerous by bomb craters, divided by the trenches and barbwire. The towns and farms are deserted. Forests are charred. Artillery shells burst around and over the soldiers. Clouds of gas roil obstruct the ghastly view.
Oscillating between Angus’s point of view and what’s happening back home, readers can almost get a true sense of the war and its toll on the families.
Although Duffy is a journalist, this haunting, debut novel is beautifully written and seductive as it pulls readers further and further into the story. I would give The Cartographer of No Man’s Land six stars if I could.
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LibraryThing member christinejoseph
"Pg 55 — Moral certainty luxury of very young + very old — "— shades of grey
seeing world Bk + white.
Pg. 107 — sphagnum "moss dressing" more absorbent in dressing for wounds
"Blue Cross" — for animal help
Dumb friends league — for hay blankets horse oats
Pg 202 — someone gone — a piece
dream of youth — find him person get it back
Scottish regiment — looking for Brother in law — finds him — everyone very brave —
lose so many many daily in trenches, missions, shocker to me at end his beloved leader reader of Illiad, Odyssey — suicide in London hotel.
can't come back —
Named trenches after things — so many different injuries — to body + mind
whole hospitals for Mind
When his beloved brother-in-law goes missing at the front in 1916, Angus defies his pacifist upbringing to join the war and find him. Assured a position as a cartographer in London, he is instead sent directly into battle. Meanwhile, at home, his son Simon Peter must navigate escalating hostility in a town torn by grief.
seeing world Bk + white.
Pg. 107 — sphagnum "moss dressing" more absorbent in dressing for wounds
"Blue Cross" — for animal help
Dumb friends league — for hay blankets horse oats
Pg 202 — someone gone — a piece
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of you missing — who you are/were with themdream of youth — find him person get it back
Scottish regiment — looking for Brother in law — finds him — everyone very brave —
lose so many many daily in trenches, missions, shocker to me at end his beloved leader reader of Illiad, Odyssey — suicide in London hotel.
can't come back —
Named trenches after things — so many different injuries — to body + mind
whole hospitals for Mind
When his beloved brother-in-law goes missing at the front in 1916, Angus defies his pacifist upbringing to join the war and find him. Assured a position as a cartographer in London, he is instead sent directly into battle. Meanwhile, at home, his son Simon Peter must navigate escalating hostility in a town torn by grief.
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LibraryThing member ParadisePorch
Since The Cartographer of No Man’s Land is set throughout the year of 1917, in France and in Chester Nova Scotia, just a few miles outside Halifax, I expected the Halifax Explosion to play some part in the story. I was disappointed that it rated only a passing reference near the end of the
Okay story.
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book.Okay story.
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LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
What a great book to finish the year with. Angus McGrath, a Nova Scotian boat skipper, enlists to fight in WWI when his wife's brother goes missing at the front. Angus is also an artist so he hopes to work as a cartographer away from the front, but is instead sent to fight. His wife Hettie and son
The book alternates between events at the front and those back in Nova Scotia. The author writes vivid descriptions and evocative characters as the war changes their way of life. Angus must deal with the deaths of his men, the cold and despair at the front as well as the courage of men driven to kill or be killed. Simon Peter misses his father but is growing up as he deals with his irascible grandfather, his mother's growing independence, and his German teacher who is suspected of spying.
I really enjoyed the book, rating it a solid 4 stars until the end. I loved the ending which is probably a bit of a cliffhanger for some readers but felt like a perfect conclusion for me.
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Simon Peter are left at home, along with his pacifist father Duncan. The book alternates between events at the front and those back in Nova Scotia. The author writes vivid descriptions and evocative characters as the war changes their way of life. Angus must deal with the deaths of his men, the cold and despair at the front as well as the courage of men driven to kill or be killed. Simon Peter misses his father but is growing up as he deals with his irascible grandfather, his mother's growing independence, and his German teacher who is suspected of spying.
I really enjoyed the book, rating it a solid 4 stars until the end. I loved the ending which is probably a bit of a cliffhanger for some readers but felt like a perfect conclusion for me.
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Awards
Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Shortlist — Fiction — 2014)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — November 2013)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013
Physical description
384 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
9780871403766