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The Unmapping
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100 copies available
U.S. only
Intimate and spellbinding,
The Unmapping
is a character-driven, literary speculative exploration of a city’s descent into chaos and confusion, perfect for fans of
Station Eleven
by Emily St. John Mandel and
Exit West
by Mohsin Hamid.
4 a.m., New York City. A silent disaster.
There is no flash of light, no crumbling, no quaking. Each person in New York wakes up on an unfamiliar block when the buildings all switch locations overnight. The power grid has snapped, thousands of residents are missing, and the Empire State Building is on Coney Island—for now. The next night, it happens again.
Esme Green and Arjun Varma work for the City of New York’s Emergency Management team and are tasked with disaster response for the Unmapping. As Esme tries to wade through the bureaucratic nightmare of an endlessly shuffling city, she’s distracted by the ongoing search for her missing fiancé. Meanwhile, Arjun focuses on the ground-level rescue of disoriented New Yorkers, hoping to become the hero the city needs.
While scientists scramble to find a solution—or at least a means to cope—and mysterious “red cloak� cults crop up in the disaster’s wake, New York begins to reckon with a new reality no one recognizes. For Esme and Arjun, the fight to hold the city together will mean tackling questions about themselves that they were too afraid to ask—and facing answers they never expected. With themes of climate change, political unrest, and life in a state of emergency, The Unmapping is a timely and captivating debut.
4 a.m., New York City. A silent disaster.
There is no flash of light, no crumbling, no quaking. Each person in New York wakes up on an unfamiliar block when the buildings all switch locations overnight. The power grid has snapped, thousands of residents are missing, and the Empire State Building is on Coney Island—for now. The next night, it happens again.
Esme Green and Arjun Varma work for the City of New York’s Emergency Management team and are tasked with disaster response for the Unmapping. As Esme tries to wade through the bureaucratic nightmare of an endlessly shuffling city, she’s distracted by the ongoing search for her missing fiancé. Meanwhile, Arjun focuses on the ground-level rescue of disoriented New Yorkers, hoping to become the hero the city needs.
While scientists scramble to find a solution—or at least a means to cope—and mysterious “red cloak� cults crop up in the disaster’s wake, New York begins to reckon with a new reality no one recognizes. For Esme and Arjun, the fight to hold the city together will mean tackling questions about themselves that they were too afraid to ask—and facing answers they never expected. With themes of climate change, political unrest, and life in a state of emergency, The Unmapping is a timely and captivating debut.
408 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 3, 2025
6 people are currently reading
5,121 people want to read
About the author
Denise S. Robbins
4books21followersDenise S. Robbins is from Madison, Wisconsin, the city where she grew up and to which she returned to after sixteen years living and working in climate activism on the East Coast. She lives with her husband in a yellow house circled by oaks and pines and two owls. Her stories have been published in literary journals including Barcelona Review, Gulf Coast Journal, and more. Read her work and get in touch at .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 5, 2025
This book is the first book from my imprint, Mareas. It's a literary sci-fi that looks at what it means to be a human experiencing chaos and disaster. I'm writing this as Florida prepares for a major hurricane, as comments online vary wildly between the government has created major weather events, to the government has failed us and climate change is altering how we can live. It makes me appreciate even more what The Unmapping is doing and saying.
Here's what you can expect from The Unmapping:
- A narration style that I describe as "chatty." It wonderfully captures speech and thought patterns in a way that makes it feel like the narrator is truly sitting down to tell you a story.
- A literary leaning contemporary sci-fi.
- Our main character, Esme, who finds that amid large-scale chaos, she also has things to face about herself and her relationship with her fiance, who is missing. Where is he, and why?
- Our other main character, Arjun, who wants to be a hero, to matter to the people around him, and that, at times, is achingly relatable and, at times, acutely disconcerting.
- A cult? In this economy?
- An honest look at who gets impacted most by disaster and how society views them
- A book that is both very human and a little alien that will create a memorable reading experience.
Add it to your shelves! Coming June, 24, 2025, and now available for .
Here's what you can expect from The Unmapping:
- A narration style that I describe as "chatty." It wonderfully captures speech and thought patterns in a way that makes it feel like the narrator is truly sitting down to tell you a story.
- A literary leaning contemporary sci-fi.
- Our main character, Esme, who finds that amid large-scale chaos, she also has things to face about herself and her relationship with her fiance, who is missing. Where is he, and why?
- Our other main character, Arjun, who wants to be a hero, to matter to the people around him, and that, at times, is achingly relatable and, at times, acutely disconcerting.
- A cult? In this economy?
- An honest look at who gets impacted most by disaster and how society views them
- A book that is both very human and a little alien that will create a memorable reading experience.
Add it to your shelves! Coming June, 24, 2025, and now available for .
January 11, 2025
Thank you Bindery Books for this ARC.
This book is based on a very interesting and unique concept, and I was really intrigued by it.
I was expecting some form of disaster story, focusing on the chaos created by the unmapping and how society will adapt to it.
Instead I found this book was more focused on a small cast of characters and their lives, emotions and reactions. It has a eerie feel to it.
I was somewhat unsettled by the choice to name only some of the characters, and giving only tittles to most of them (the wife, the reporter, etc.) and I had a hard time connecting with any of them. Considering the context they are in, I didn't find their decisions or motivations realistic.
Overall it's a miss for me, I would have liked to read a story more focused on the unmapping itself, it's consequences and the practical response to it.
This book is based on a very interesting and unique concept, and I was really intrigued by it.
I was expecting some form of disaster story, focusing on the chaos created by the unmapping and how society will adapt to it.
Instead I found this book was more focused on a small cast of characters and their lives, emotions and reactions. It has a eerie feel to it.
I was somewhat unsettled by the choice to name only some of the characters, and giving only tittles to most of them (the wife, the reporter, etc.) and I had a hard time connecting with any of them. Considering the context they are in, I didn't find their decisions or motivations realistic.
Overall it's a miss for me, I would have liked to read a story more focused on the unmapping itself, it's consequences and the practical response to it.
January 21, 2025
An imaginative plot but the follow-through is very poor.
Esme & Arjun, the principal characters in the story, work in the emergency services in NY. Esme sees an explosion at a coffee shop and sets action in motion. Arjun is an emergency worker always looking to step in and help people. He stays in In NY with his dad. His parents are separated with his mom being in India. Both Esme & Arjun are taken aback when an ‘Unmapping� occurs where entire blocks of the city shift around. This had first happened in a town in Wisconsin. The Empire State Building ends up in Coney Island, and the shift is not one-time. It looks like there will be parts which will shift into the sea. Other cities across the world are to follow. People are distraught, emergency services overwhelmed, radical gangs form, and the political governance is in disarray. Esme’s boyfriend Marcus is nowhere to be seen.
The concept is brilliant but is almost entirely let down by the writing. The character development is poor. Though the broad contours of Esme & Arjun’s characters are interesting, they are very flat characters. The relationships in the book go nowhere and is especially disappointing since the scenario provides an ideal backdrop for good character development & relationships. I found the narrative to be listless, though some of the incidents which follow are interesting.
Overall, a book which falls way short of potential.
My rating: 2.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Bindery Books and the author for a free electronic review copy.
Esme & Arjun, the principal characters in the story, work in the emergency services in NY. Esme sees an explosion at a coffee shop and sets action in motion. Arjun is an emergency worker always looking to step in and help people. He stays in In NY with his dad. His parents are separated with his mom being in India. Both Esme & Arjun are taken aback when an ‘Unmapping� occurs where entire blocks of the city shift around. This had first happened in a town in Wisconsin. The Empire State Building ends up in Coney Island, and the shift is not one-time. It looks like there will be parts which will shift into the sea. Other cities across the world are to follow. People are distraught, emergency services overwhelmed, radical gangs form, and the political governance is in disarray. Esme’s boyfriend Marcus is nowhere to be seen.
The concept is brilliant but is almost entirely let down by the writing. The character development is poor. Though the broad contours of Esme & Arjun’s characters are interesting, they are very flat characters. The relationships in the book go nowhere and is especially disappointing since the scenario provides an ideal backdrop for good character development & relationships. I found the narrative to be listless, though some of the incidents which follow are interesting.
Overall, a book which falls way short of potential.
My rating: 2.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Bindery Books and the author for a free electronic review copy.
December 26, 2024
How to describe this book? It’s a big-brained, high concept, depressing-but-not, hopeful-but-not examination of the absurdity of living in a world we KNOW is made of intense and institutionalised inequality, a world we KNOW we are making uninhabitable for human life at an alarming, near-future rate, and in a society we KNOW is increasingly built around keeping us as isolated from each other as we can.
It’s a book that asks how we can cling to our humanity amidst the catastrophe that is modern human existence, how we can forge real connections with each other, who we can trust with our precious stores of faith, and how we can make the most of our small lives while we have the gift of them. But it asks none of this explicitly, instead building a tapestry of intensely lonely (occasionally unlikable, though always understandable) people already trying to survive in an odd world that suddenly becomes even odder.
The narrative is disjointed (which is thematically appropriate) and the answers to the questions it asks are largely left to you to find, but Robbins� effective and chatty writing style keeps the book from becoming too overwhelmingly cerebral. If you’ve loved Hank Green’s Carl books, anything by Emily St. John Mandel, or Orbital by Samantha Harvey, then this is the contemplative, slightly weird contemporary sci-fi for you.
Thanks to Bindery for the digital ARC. I am a member/supporter of the Mareas Bindery imprint, but this review and rating is an honest one.
It’s a book that asks how we can cling to our humanity amidst the catastrophe that is modern human existence, how we can forge real connections with each other, who we can trust with our precious stores of faith, and how we can make the most of our small lives while we have the gift of them. But it asks none of this explicitly, instead building a tapestry of intensely lonely (occasionally unlikable, though always understandable) people already trying to survive in an odd world that suddenly becomes even odder.
The narrative is disjointed (which is thematically appropriate) and the answers to the questions it asks are largely left to you to find, but Robbins� effective and chatty writing style keeps the book from becoming too overwhelmingly cerebral. If you’ve loved Hank Green’s Carl books, anything by Emily St. John Mandel, or Orbital by Samantha Harvey, then this is the contemplative, slightly weird contemporary sci-fi for you.
Thanks to Bindery for the digital ARC. I am a member/supporter of the Mareas Bindery imprint, but this review and rating is an honest one.
August 29, 2024
Read for work, all my homies HATE esmes fiancé and LOVE Arjun and his fedora!!!!!
Want to read
December 28, 2024how i'm still getting approved for arcs is honestly such a mystery but literary sci-fi sounds teww good to pass up.
thank u netgalley and the publisher for the arc !
thank u netgalley and the publisher for the arc !
January 8, 2025
2.4 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
I requested this ARC because the concept and plot seemed so interesting. And it is. The problem that I have with this book is the two main characters.
Arjun is a whiny little brat and Esme’s doormatnness is just unreadable- like both of them need some self respect. It was really slow going because I just loathed the two main characters, despite the fact that the story/mystery was super interesting. When we got to read POVs of the blonde woman or the mayor or even Esme’s dad I was hooked. Also, they randomly rehash Esme and Arjun’s backstories like a dozen times, it got tiring. To be honest I would have DNFed this book if it wasn’t an ARC, it was putting me into a slump and felt sooo long. The plot was compelling, but not good enough to surpass my hatred for Arjun and Esme- there’s a difference between flawed characters and annoying characters. Their love story was sooo underdeveloped, I was honestly hoping it wouldn't become romantic because there was like 0 development for the first 3/4 of the book. The ending was fine but I wish the conclusion of the mystery was a bittt more fleshed out. This review was all over the place but that's lowkey the theme of the book so I'm not apologizing.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
I requested this ARC because the concept and plot seemed so interesting. And it is. The problem that I have with this book is the two main characters.
Arjun is a whiny little brat and Esme’s doormatnness is just unreadable- like both of them need some self respect. It was really slow going because I just loathed the two main characters, despite the fact that the story/mystery was super interesting. When we got to read POVs of the blonde woman or the mayor or even Esme’s dad I was hooked. Also, they randomly rehash Esme and Arjun’s backstories like a dozen times, it got tiring. To be honest I would have DNFed this book if it wasn’t an ARC, it was putting me into a slump and felt sooo long. The plot was compelling, but not good enough to surpass my hatred for Arjun and Esme- there’s a difference between flawed characters and annoying characters. Their love story was sooo underdeveloped, I was honestly hoping it wouldn't become romantic because there was like 0 development for the first 3/4 of the book. The ending was fine but I wish the conclusion of the mystery was a bittt more fleshed out. This review was all over the place but that's lowkey the theme of the book so I'm not apologizing.
February 10, 2025
* eARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *
1.5 stars
The concept behind this novel intrigued me, which is the only reason I requested to read it. The execution of the Unmapping unfortunately reminded me of the Happening. Interesting concept, undesirable execution, and incredibly unlikable main characters. I spent the entire book wondering if Robbins wanted the reader to like Esme and Arjun? No, right? Arjun was introduced wearing a fedora. I mean, c'mon.
I found this book to be the worst I've read in a while regarding representation of female characters. We are trapped inside Esme's head for so long and her thoughts (and much of the prose in this novel) reads like Kronk's cadence when he's talking about Kuzco's poison. Y'know, "Oh, right, the poison. The poison for Kuzco. The poison specifically chosen to kill Kuzco. Kuzco's poison". Esme thinks in repetitive fragments and 99.98% of those thoughts are about Marcus. I honestly started to think a) Marcus wasn't real and b) Esme's own thoughts wouldn't pass the Bechdel test. She obsessed over him so much I started to understand why the guy was avoiding her. Her thoughts were disturbing to read.
On top of that, Esme was full of contradictions. She expresses a like for being told what to do and says she respects the system of processing at her job when the reader has already seen her tell several people how to do their own jobs and she has no respect for the chain of command. What was the reason?
In terms of other female characters: we get the woman who missed her date with Rick. Broke with no phone, she's still just thinking about this missed date with a guy she's never met in person. Then we have the mayor obsessing over the guy she's having an affair with. We also have the wife of a doomsday prepper, you guessed it, obsessing over when her husband will return. There was not a single woman in this novel worthy of me rooting for them.
Arjun is a concerning portrayal of a mentally unwell character. The world (lbr, New York mainly) is falling apart and he's obsessing over a crush. It adds to my chief issue with this book: nothing feels real.
I thought this was meant to show that civilians tend to downplay disaster until it's too late and instead they focus on trivial things like workplace romance. But, when that's SO much of the novel, the disaster takes a serious backseat. It just didn't make for interesting or entertaining reading.
The only part of this I found somewhat interesting was the story of the kid trapped under (in?) a building. If the entire story centered around that perhaps as a representation of how the city's planning for emergencies completely broke down, maybe I would've found this more interesting. Instead, this novel feels like when someone's trying to tell you a story and they just keep going down tangents to explain about the parents and hobbies of random people you've never heard of nor care about.
It just felt like messy story telling. I acknowledge this writing style is 100% not my favorite so that added to me enjoying this a lot less than others. There are also people that found Esme and Arjun likable, so this is one of those books that I found incredibly unenjoyable, but that others seem to love. Not a recommend from me, but it might be someone else's favorite book.
1.5 stars
The concept behind this novel intrigued me, which is the only reason I requested to read it. The execution of the Unmapping unfortunately reminded me of the Happening. Interesting concept, undesirable execution, and incredibly unlikable main characters. I spent the entire book wondering if Robbins wanted the reader to like Esme and Arjun? No, right? Arjun was introduced wearing a fedora. I mean, c'mon.
I found this book to be the worst I've read in a while regarding representation of female characters. We are trapped inside Esme's head for so long and her thoughts (and much of the prose in this novel) reads like Kronk's cadence when he's talking about Kuzco's poison. Y'know, "Oh, right, the poison. The poison for Kuzco. The poison specifically chosen to kill Kuzco. Kuzco's poison". Esme thinks in repetitive fragments and 99.98% of those thoughts are about Marcus. I honestly started to think a) Marcus wasn't real and b) Esme's own thoughts wouldn't pass the Bechdel test. She obsessed over him so much I started to understand why the guy was avoiding her. Her thoughts were disturbing to read.
On top of that, Esme was full of contradictions. She expresses a like for being told what to do and says she respects the system of processing at her job when the reader has already seen her tell several people how to do their own jobs and she has no respect for the chain of command. What was the reason?
In terms of other female characters: we get the woman who missed her date with Rick. Broke with no phone, she's still just thinking about this missed date with a guy she's never met in person. Then we have the mayor obsessing over the guy she's having an affair with. We also have the wife of a doomsday prepper, you guessed it, obsessing over when her husband will return. There was not a single woman in this novel worthy of me rooting for them.
Arjun is a concerning portrayal of a mentally unwell character. The world (lbr, New York mainly) is falling apart and he's obsessing over a crush. It adds to my chief issue with this book: nothing feels real.
I thought this was meant to show that civilians tend to downplay disaster until it's too late and instead they focus on trivial things like workplace romance. But, when that's SO much of the novel, the disaster takes a serious backseat. It just didn't make for interesting or entertaining reading.
The only part of this I found somewhat interesting was the story of the kid trapped under (in?) a building. If the entire story centered around that perhaps as a representation of how the city's planning for emergencies completely broke down, maybe I would've found this more interesting. Instead, this novel feels like when someone's trying to tell you a story and they just keep going down tangents to explain about the parents and hobbies of random people you've never heard of nor care about.
It just felt like messy story telling. I acknowledge this writing style is 100% not my favorite so that added to me enjoying this a lot less than others. There are also people that found Esme and Arjun likable, so this is one of those books that I found incredibly unenjoyable, but that others seem to love. Not a recommend from me, but it might be someone else's favorite book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
~
The Unmapping is story in which women rely entirely on men for their sense of self, nobody learns anything, and there are no consequences. Yes, it is as frustrating as it sounds. Spoilers follow.
The strength of this book is mostly in the central event of the Unmapping itself. There are an infinite number of interesting stories to be told, particularly from the NYC Emergency Management Department, struggling to deal with the crisis as it first unfolds. We do get to see some of those stories, and that is where the book is at its best, in the early days.
It was the characters that bothered me the most, though, especially the weirdly sexist depiction of women. Esme, an Emergency Management team leader, is shown to be a capable and intelligent person in her own right, with a strong sense of responsibility to the city—so why does that all get sidelined in place of her having an emotional breakdown over her fiancé going missing, realizing that she basically can’t function without him and never has? It undercuts her character so fundamentally. She only really starts to come alive again when she starts dating Arjun, another protagonist and Emergency Department worker, who she has been unkind to the entire book until that point very close to the end. Whether intentionally or not, she is portrayed as needing a man to keep her stable, which just felt gross.
Rosemary, another female character, literally waits for her husband to get home every day to tell her what to do and devoted her life entirely to his interests, but the narrative doesn’t explore her getting a newfound sense of freedom when he disappears. No, instead she’s pretty immediately seduced by a cult and becomes indoctrinated, before conveniently getting free and immediately going back to her husband, who helps her start to get better. The narrative fails to actually challenge her status in any way, actually making it seem like she needs a man to survive, like Esme.
And Arjun is an incompetent fool with a crush on an engaged woman, careless and driven entirely by emotion, but always magically succeeds despite being pretty objectively creepy.
I did not like these people, Esme was at least interesting to read but no character truly changes or faces consequences here. There are no stakes, and no one learns anything. The mayor of New York City magically disappears near the end of the book and is revealed to be hiding out in New Jersey, dating a married man with no repercussions. It’s just so difficult to care.
And then there’s the hamfisted environmental component of the story. We never get a definitive answer on what causes the Unmapping, but the widely accepted explanation in-universe is that it has some vague ties to climate change and pollution. This just annoyed me. Climate change is brought up but nothing is actually said about it. It feels like the author wanted to try and get an environmental message in without actually committing to one. I’m not bothered by not knowing fully what caused the Unmapping, but I am bothered by a lazy message like “pollution is bad.�
There were other issues, like jarring tone shifts—this book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be lighthearted or serious, grounded or fantastical—and not committing to wrapping up certain stories, but my largest issues really were the characters.
I was very disappointed by this one.
2/5 aluminum Christmas trees.
~
The Unmapping is story in which women rely entirely on men for their sense of self, nobody learns anything, and there are no consequences. Yes, it is as frustrating as it sounds. Spoilers follow.
The strength of this book is mostly in the central event of the Unmapping itself. There are an infinite number of interesting stories to be told, particularly from the NYC Emergency Management Department, struggling to deal with the crisis as it first unfolds. We do get to see some of those stories, and that is where the book is at its best, in the early days.
It was the characters that bothered me the most, though, especially the weirdly sexist depiction of women. Esme, an Emergency Management team leader, is shown to be a capable and intelligent person in her own right, with a strong sense of responsibility to the city—so why does that all get sidelined in place of her having an emotional breakdown over her fiancé going missing, realizing that she basically can’t function without him and never has? It undercuts her character so fundamentally. She only really starts to come alive again when she starts dating Arjun, another protagonist and Emergency Department worker, who she has been unkind to the entire book until that point very close to the end. Whether intentionally or not, she is portrayed as needing a man to keep her stable, which just felt gross.
Rosemary, another female character, literally waits for her husband to get home every day to tell her what to do and devoted her life entirely to his interests, but the narrative doesn’t explore her getting a newfound sense of freedom when he disappears. No, instead she’s pretty immediately seduced by a cult and becomes indoctrinated, before conveniently getting free and immediately going back to her husband, who helps her start to get better. The narrative fails to actually challenge her status in any way, actually making it seem like she needs a man to survive, like Esme.
And Arjun is an incompetent fool with a crush on an engaged woman, careless and driven entirely by emotion, but always magically succeeds despite being pretty objectively creepy.
I did not like these people, Esme was at least interesting to read but no character truly changes or faces consequences here. There are no stakes, and no one learns anything. The mayor of New York City magically disappears near the end of the book and is revealed to be hiding out in New Jersey, dating a married man with no repercussions. It’s just so difficult to care.
And then there’s the hamfisted environmental component of the story. We never get a definitive answer on what causes the Unmapping, but the widely accepted explanation in-universe is that it has some vague ties to climate change and pollution. This just annoyed me. Climate change is brought up but nothing is actually said about it. It feels like the author wanted to try and get an environmental message in without actually committing to one. I’m not bothered by not knowing fully what caused the Unmapping, but I am bothered by a lazy message like “pollution is bad.�
There were other issues, like jarring tone shifts—this book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be lighthearted or serious, grounded or fantastical—and not committing to wrapping up certain stories, but my largest issues really were the characters.
I was very disappointed by this one.
2/5 aluminum Christmas trees.
March 22, 2025
Wonderfully weird!
The Unmapping has a wild and simple premise. At precisely 4 AM, all the buildings and blocks in New York City switch places randomly. Sheer, utter chaos ensues. Robbins does a phenomenal job of capturing how a city would respond to this chaos and follows a few key characters through the Unmapping. The book reads like a fever dream, surreal in all the plot points. I have a soft spot for books like this, and I was entertained thoroughly. This is very much a character-driven book, even though the plot is the really interesting thing about it, which would make this difficult to recommend to people. I went in expecting a fun read that would provide little to no explanation, and that is close to what I got, with a dollop of insightful prose, so I'm pretty happy with it.
Some things that really irked me though, was the one-dimensional characterization of most of the women in this book, and the stereotypical depiction of India. Esme was a favorite, but Arjun's character was pretty superfluous. I've forgotten every other character's name, but they were part of some brilliant world-building.
All in all, I think Robbins did a fantastic job of capturing a crisis that spreads (a very obvious inspiration was taken here) and creating fictional people who live in such a crazy world. Having gone through a global event or two in the past few years, I chuckled along with some of the things in this book. Buildings could start switching places and we'd still be expected to go on with life—yeah, I can believe that.
I have one final question though. Where did Central Park go? Did it stay together or get broken up? I demand answers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery books for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Unmapping has a wild and simple premise. At precisely 4 AM, all the buildings and blocks in New York City switch places randomly. Sheer, utter chaos ensues. Robbins does a phenomenal job of capturing how a city would respond to this chaos and follows a few key characters through the Unmapping. The book reads like a fever dream, surreal in all the plot points. I have a soft spot for books like this, and I was entertained thoroughly. This is very much a character-driven book, even though the plot is the really interesting thing about it, which would make this difficult to recommend to people. I went in expecting a fun read that would provide little to no explanation, and that is close to what I got, with a dollop of insightful prose, so I'm pretty happy with it.
Some things that really irked me though, was the one-dimensional characterization of most of the women in this book, and the stereotypical depiction of India. Esme was a favorite, but Arjun's character was pretty superfluous. I've forgotten every other character's name, but they were part of some brilliant world-building.
All in all, I think Robbins did a fantastic job of capturing a crisis that spreads (a very obvious inspiration was taken here) and creating fictional people who live in such a crazy world. Having gone through a global event or two in the past few years, I chuckled along with some of the things in this book. Buildings could start switching places and we'd still be expected to go on with life—yeah, I can believe that.
I have one final question though. Where did Central Park go? Did it stay together or get broken up? I demand answers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery books for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 6, 2025
I let this one sit a little bit before writing my thoughts:
The initial third did not get me hooked enough - but it did promise a ride. For the rest of the book, I could not put it down. I found the "love" story lacking and not too convincing, and at times it seemed like the author was trying to mash a lot of themes together, so some of them didn't get the chance to stand out properly.
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing me the ARC of this book.
The initial third did not get me hooked enough - but it did promise a ride. For the rest of the book, I could not put it down. I found the "love" story lacking and not too convincing, and at times it seemed like the author was trying to mash a lot of themes together, so some of them didn't get the chance to stand out properly.
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing me the ARC of this book.
March 3, 2025
This book wasn't for me and I don't really know whom it's for. For full transparency, I really enjoy Mari, the founder of this book's publishing imprint (Mareas), and I have followed her for a while on TikTok. I requested this arc because I was interested in the premise but also to support Mari (so I wanted to love this so badly!!!)
The premise was very intriguing, and I wish we could have spent more time on the unmapping itself. My reading experience felt very choppy and frustrating because I would get interested in a storyline, start to get a feel for what was going on, and then the plot would shift. I definitely preferred some characters and their stories more than others, so I would often put down the book when the story shifted to a character I really didn't care for. I'm not sure I would have finished this book if it wasn't an arc. "Preferred compared to the others" is the strongest feeling I have for these people, however. Their actions were kind of baffling most of the time (even in the context of unprecedented natural disaster) and did not seem to align with their alleged motivations. The women in particular were very disappointing. The driving force of all of the women was a man, and all of the men they centered their lives on were, of course, horrible. The men, on the other hand, were not defined by women (or partners otherwise). To my recollection, the only characters who didn't have names (e.g. "the wife") were women. I also really wish the main characters' romance did not happen because I found it totally unbelievable and tiresome.
The writing itself was fine. The "chatty" prose style was unique and supported the offbeat tone of the book. I didn't have a problem visualizing what was happening, which was impressive because of the fantastical physics of the unmapping itself. The chatty tone veered to grating, though, when some characters' stream of consciousness started to get circular in nature. (The main female character's thoughts drove me nuts.)
I think overall that this book was very ambitious and perhaps was trying to do too much in a debut. With some serious editing, I think this could be really compelling.
Thank you, Mareas, for the arc!
The premise was very intriguing, and I wish we could have spent more time on the unmapping itself. My reading experience felt very choppy and frustrating because I would get interested in a storyline, start to get a feel for what was going on, and then the plot would shift. I definitely preferred some characters and their stories more than others, so I would often put down the book when the story shifted to a character I really didn't care for. I'm not sure I would have finished this book if it wasn't an arc. "Preferred compared to the others" is the strongest feeling I have for these people, however. Their actions were kind of baffling most of the time (even in the context of unprecedented natural disaster) and did not seem to align with their alleged motivations. The women in particular were very disappointing. The driving force of all of the women was a man, and all of the men they centered their lives on were, of course, horrible. The men, on the other hand, were not defined by women (or partners otherwise). To my recollection, the only characters who didn't have names (e.g. "the wife") were women. I also really wish the main characters' romance did not happen because I found it totally unbelievable and tiresome.
The writing itself was fine. The "chatty" prose style was unique and supported the offbeat tone of the book. I didn't have a problem visualizing what was happening, which was impressive because of the fantastical physics of the unmapping itself. The chatty tone veered to grating, though, when some characters' stream of consciousness started to get circular in nature. (The main female character's thoughts drove me nuts.)
I think overall that this book was very ambitious and perhaps was trying to do too much in a debut. With some serious editing, I think this could be really compelling.
Thank you, Mareas, for the arc!
February 20, 2025
The book explores an intriguing concept, but unfortunately, it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. The story starts off with promise, but quickly becomes entangled by a chaotic mix of themes. Instead of focusing on the central event of the Unmapping and its aftermath, it focuses more on the characters' actions and feelings, which could have been fine- but, the characters themselves aren’t particularly likable. The writing style also didn’t draw me in. If you're a fan of speculative climate sci-fi, it may still be worth checking out, but it didn’t quite click for me.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bindery books in exchange for an honest review.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bindery books in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2025
The premise is refreshingly unique, but what really pulled me in were the characters. For me, this felt like a story about relationships. In the wake of an unmapping that is pulling the physical connections in cities apart, there’s a full cast of characters who are forced to look closely at their own connections � their relationship with self, friends, and their community.
This book was a truly enjoyable read!
This book was a truly enjoyable read!
March 31, 2025
I loved the very real characters and how they navigated different facets of the Unmapping, both personal and citywide. The narrative is an exciting story that also makes the reader reflect on things like the intersectionality between climate change/disaster relief/class consciousness/capitalism. Hurricanes, explosions, relationship drama, Christmas trees, and cults—what more could you ask for in a book?
March 20, 2025
Wow! Loved the premise and the vignettes!
January 15, 2025
The premise of The Unmapping immediately drew me in: New York City’s buildings rearrange themselves every night, leaving the city in chaos with missing landmarks, a broken power grid, and mysterious cults emerging in the aftermath. The first 100 pages take their time setting up the world, but once the story gains momentum, it becomes really engaging.
There’s a diverse cast of characters whose lives become intertwined as they navigate the challenges of this ever-changing city. I enjoyed following their different journeys and seeing how they handled the constant upheaval. This book kept me thinking about how I would act if the world around me was always changing, and I’m really glad I picked it up.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the digital ARC.
There’s a diverse cast of characters whose lives become intertwined as they navigate the challenges of this ever-changing city. I enjoyed following their different journeys and seeing how they handled the constant upheaval. This book kept me thinking about how I would act if the world around me was always changing, and I’m really glad I picked it up.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the digital ARC.
February 22, 2025
3.5, rounded up
The Unmapping follows Esme and Arjun, coworkers in NYC's emergency management department, who find themselves in the midst of social chaos after New York's buildings begin to rearrange nightly. On top of their work responsibilities -- greatly augmented by the number of missing/lost people and the disasters caused by the buildings' movements, as well as growing social unrest -- Esme's searching for her missing fiance, and Arjun's searching for a place he can feel useful and wanted.
The novel also follows an entire cast of supporting characters whose stories are at once connected and completely disparate from Esme and Arjun: the mayor, a stranded young boy, a news reporter, and so many more. It follows Esme & Arjun & this supporting cast and also, simultaneously, somehow, the story of all of New York City.
This book seemed like it would be perfect for me --and I did enjoy reading it, and I can't figure out WHY it didn't quite blow me away. The writing was a great blend of conversational and literary: very accessible. The concept of the Unmapping itself: surreal, funky, and somehow just believable enough. It's a story about climate change, and cults, and the structural misuse of power, and the power of the citizen, and work-life balance, and individual stories in a mass panic. All things I'm super into.
That said, it wasn't quiiiiite it for me. I don't know why: maybe I wished for a little more quirk, or maybe I was too annoyed with the frustrating, but understandable decisions the characters (particularly Esme and Arjun, but all of them) kept making. Ultimately I think I went into it thinking it would be So For Me and it was, but the expectations were maybe a little high on my end.
Regardless, I will absolutely be recommending this book. At the end of the day it wasn't perfect for me, but it was beautiful, interesting, and really relevant -- and I enjoyed it! (I will be seeking out more of Robbins' work because I think she's probably got other stories that will resonate with me more.)
Thanks to Bindery Press & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Unmapping follows Esme and Arjun, coworkers in NYC's emergency management department, who find themselves in the midst of social chaos after New York's buildings begin to rearrange nightly. On top of their work responsibilities -- greatly augmented by the number of missing/lost people and the disasters caused by the buildings' movements, as well as growing social unrest -- Esme's searching for her missing fiance, and Arjun's searching for a place he can feel useful and wanted.
The novel also follows an entire cast of supporting characters whose stories are at once connected and completely disparate from Esme and Arjun: the mayor, a stranded young boy, a news reporter, and so many more. It follows Esme & Arjun & this supporting cast and also, simultaneously, somehow, the story of all of New York City.
This book seemed like it would be perfect for me --and I did enjoy reading it, and I can't figure out WHY it didn't quite blow me away. The writing was a great blend of conversational and literary: very accessible. The concept of the Unmapping itself: surreal, funky, and somehow just believable enough. It's a story about climate change, and cults, and the structural misuse of power, and the power of the citizen, and work-life balance, and individual stories in a mass panic. All things I'm super into.
That said, it wasn't quiiiiite it for me. I don't know why: maybe I wished for a little more quirk, or maybe I was too annoyed with the frustrating, but understandable decisions the characters (particularly Esme and Arjun, but all of them) kept making. Ultimately I think I went into it thinking it would be So For Me and it was, but the expectations were maybe a little high on my end.
Regardless, I will absolutely be recommending this book. At the end of the day it wasn't perfect for me, but it was beautiful, interesting, and really relevant -- and I enjoyed it! (I will be seeking out more of Robbins' work because I think she's probably got other stories that will resonate with me more.)
Thanks to Bindery Press & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2025
The Unmapping was one of my most anticipated books for 2025, due to its very unique and intriguing premise (and not to mention, stunning cover). And I do think it delivered. The setting is New York, and one day the city wakes up to every single building having moved, and this continues to happen every day at 4 am. This becomes known as The Unmapping. Since the buildings themselves move but not their surrounding plot, many buildings are cut off from their gas and electricity lines. Many people go missing as well as they leave their houses in the morning as usual, only to not find their way back at the end of the day, and one boy is caught underground. What ensues is a very disorienting life as the city and its inhabitants try to figure out what's going on, how everyone is affected, and how to create a new normal.
We mainly follow Esme and Arjun. Esme is a woman who works at the Emergency Management Department and whose job is to try and manage some of this crisis. Her fiancé is a journalist who is the person to first expose that this very phenomenon has happened before in a small town. There is a sub-plot as well about this town and the strange things going on there (major cult vibes), beyond just the Unmapping. Once The Unmapping comes to New York, he is one of the people who go missing. Our other main character is my favourite � Arjun, a lonely, fedora wearing man who also works at the Emergency Management Department, but more on the ground. They are friends, and Arjun is in love with Esme without her knowledge.
The writing style is quite simple yet effective and distinctive in a way I can't quite put my finger on. It's very straightforward and conversational, and poses a lot of questions throughout in a bit of a stream of consciousness way. The pacing lies somewhere in the middle. Because it's so easy to read, it keeps drawing me forward and I keep wanting to pick it up to find out what's going to happen, yet sometimes not much actually happens. It's not a very plot driven book, despite this very intriguing event. It's more like studies of these characters all drawn together by this crazy event � how they are affected by it and respond to it. One interesting writing device Robbins uses is that she doesn't always give the side characters names, which to me feels like a way of showing that these are just one response, or one experience out of millions affected by this. I found myself wishing some side plots had more space to be explored, especially the one around the first town to be Unmapped, and the journalist living there, I found that story very interesting but it was left a little unfinished.
Overall a very solid debut novel, 4.25. I’ve never before heard of a similar premise, and it was a very interesting lightly sci-fi twist on more realistic climate fiction with some interesting societal analyses. I would be very keen to read more from this author in the future. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with the e-ARC!
We mainly follow Esme and Arjun. Esme is a woman who works at the Emergency Management Department and whose job is to try and manage some of this crisis. Her fiancé is a journalist who is the person to first expose that this very phenomenon has happened before in a small town. There is a sub-plot as well about this town and the strange things going on there (major cult vibes), beyond just the Unmapping. Once The Unmapping comes to New York, he is one of the people who go missing. Our other main character is my favourite � Arjun, a lonely, fedora wearing man who also works at the Emergency Management Department, but more on the ground. They are friends, and Arjun is in love with Esme without her knowledge.
The writing style is quite simple yet effective and distinctive in a way I can't quite put my finger on. It's very straightforward and conversational, and poses a lot of questions throughout in a bit of a stream of consciousness way. The pacing lies somewhere in the middle. Because it's so easy to read, it keeps drawing me forward and I keep wanting to pick it up to find out what's going to happen, yet sometimes not much actually happens. It's not a very plot driven book, despite this very intriguing event. It's more like studies of these characters all drawn together by this crazy event � how they are affected by it and respond to it. One interesting writing device Robbins uses is that she doesn't always give the side characters names, which to me feels like a way of showing that these are just one response, or one experience out of millions affected by this. I found myself wishing some side plots had more space to be explored, especially the one around the first town to be Unmapped, and the journalist living there, I found that story very interesting but it was left a little unfinished.
Overall a very solid debut novel, 4.25. I’ve never before heard of a similar premise, and it was a very interesting lightly sci-fi twist on more realistic climate fiction with some interesting societal analyses. I would be very keen to read more from this author in the future. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with the e-ARC!
January 6, 2025
The Unmapping by Denise S. Robbins
The reader partakes in an interesting look at what happens when New York geography scrambles like a ham and egg omelette from Denny's. Denise S. Robbins cleverly orchestrates New York lives paralyzed by the sudden changing of building locations. Through the eyes of Esme and Arjun, we witness the utter catastrophic scenarios placed forth by an unforeseen enemy, the Unmapping. Imagine waking up to a different view, your house physically moved. Electricity, transportation, and general knowledge lack of residential placements are causing confusion. The city is at a standstill. Through their work with New York’s emergency management team, Esme and Arjun are trying their best to aid civilians. Arjun is tasked with helping out on the ground level, and Esme is manning the cameras high above; however, neither have the concrete answers to suffice their good intent. While the book proceeds through the various interpersonal relationship strife of both, we stumble upon a possible reason for the shifting of New York City blocks. Global warming? Possibly, but perhaps something even more strange lingers beyond the fringes of normal contemplation.
I was hooked, the steel hook piercing through my pouty lip. My tail frantically jackknifing in protest until I became free, unhooked. I swam away, wondering what was and what could have been. I was fascinated by being lost in a mixed-up world. Enticing me like the wiggling of a worm on said hook. A rotating scenery flipping like a rolodex, upending my equilibrium. The bewilderment of finding a misplaced home or business that was upended by movement, resulting in the devastation of power lines and means of transport, rendering people helpless. In theory, I had never read a book like this, so the writer should be commended for an abundance of creativity. As I approached the latter half of the tale, I begrudgingly became disinterested. The love story souring upon my taste buds? Quite possibly, or perhaps it is the reasoning of why “The Unmapping� was happening in the first place. Without spoiling much, I can say I was disinterested in the discovery. Even after some contemplation, I still didn’t fully understand. The novel felt segmented into three very different ideas. A love story, a survival tale, and a religious implementation that, while I could appreciate, felt unneeded.
I hit the proverbial reading wall. I trudged slowly uphill, owing the author some goodwill after the hospitality I had been shown. The writing style was easy to digest, but the inclusion of so many varying ideas is what bogged me down like quicksand. However, there was enough here to be encouraged to hear the author’s voice on another project. There is something to be said for originality in this day and age. I am giving this 3.25 out of 5 stars, rounding down to 3 stars.
Many thanks to Bindery Books for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
The reader partakes in an interesting look at what happens when New York geography scrambles like a ham and egg omelette from Denny's. Denise S. Robbins cleverly orchestrates New York lives paralyzed by the sudden changing of building locations. Through the eyes of Esme and Arjun, we witness the utter catastrophic scenarios placed forth by an unforeseen enemy, the Unmapping. Imagine waking up to a different view, your house physically moved. Electricity, transportation, and general knowledge lack of residential placements are causing confusion. The city is at a standstill. Through their work with New York’s emergency management team, Esme and Arjun are trying their best to aid civilians. Arjun is tasked with helping out on the ground level, and Esme is manning the cameras high above; however, neither have the concrete answers to suffice their good intent. While the book proceeds through the various interpersonal relationship strife of both, we stumble upon a possible reason for the shifting of New York City blocks. Global warming? Possibly, but perhaps something even more strange lingers beyond the fringes of normal contemplation.
I was hooked, the steel hook piercing through my pouty lip. My tail frantically jackknifing in protest until I became free, unhooked. I swam away, wondering what was and what could have been. I was fascinated by being lost in a mixed-up world. Enticing me like the wiggling of a worm on said hook. A rotating scenery flipping like a rolodex, upending my equilibrium. The bewilderment of finding a misplaced home or business that was upended by movement, resulting in the devastation of power lines and means of transport, rendering people helpless. In theory, I had never read a book like this, so the writer should be commended for an abundance of creativity. As I approached the latter half of the tale, I begrudgingly became disinterested. The love story souring upon my taste buds? Quite possibly, or perhaps it is the reasoning of why “The Unmapping� was happening in the first place. Without spoiling much, I can say I was disinterested in the discovery. Even after some contemplation, I still didn’t fully understand. The novel felt segmented into three very different ideas. A love story, a survival tale, and a religious implementation that, while I could appreciate, felt unneeded.
I hit the proverbial reading wall. I trudged slowly uphill, owing the author some goodwill after the hospitality I had been shown. The writing style was easy to digest, but the inclusion of so many varying ideas is what bogged me down like quicksand. However, there was enough here to be encouraged to hear the author’s voice on another project. There is something to be said for originality in this day and age. I am giving this 3.25 out of 5 stars, rounding down to 3 stars.
Many thanks to Bindery Books for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
January 20, 2025
In "The Unmapping", Robbins introduces readers to a version of New York City where a looming threat has been approaching and finally hits and completely rearranges the entire physical structure of one of the most populous cities in the world. At the forefront of the story are Esme Green, an employee of the Emergency Management Department looped into the city's efforts to restore some semblance of order, and Arjun Varma, her coworker at the EMD tasked with groundwork to find and rescue civilians who've been impacted.
What follows in the next few days is a chaotic scramble; Esme attempts to work with the bureaucratic system and hierarchy, butting heads with her (male) superiors while trying to get ahold of her fiance Marcus who has abruptly disappeared. Arjun attempts to help as best he can within the city, but causes chaos when his efforts are misinterpreted and blasted on social media - all while trying to keep his feelings for Esme hidden. Meanwhile, the many citizens of the city are dealing with their own issues: a young runaway has become trapped underground in the midst of the city's shifting infrastructure; a woman is robbed on her way to meet her new lover; a reverend offers shelter to a growing following of a religious group; a journalist seeks answers from Gleamwood City to the origins of the Unmapping... The different perspectives and storylines converge as the novel progresses to shed some light on the colossal event.
I was intrigued by the dystopian/sci-fi premise of this novel and its center in NYC where I currently live; knowing the exact cross streets and neighborhoods mentioned in this novel was a fun perk. Thematically, I think Robbins incorporated a number of themes and looming topics, including climate change and the impact of corporate greed; the bureaucracy of government across all levels; societal and racial privilege; and the fine line between religion and cults. Unfortunately it didn't feel like many of these had sufficient focus in this story and were cursory examinations at best. I struggled as well with the sheer number of characters and perspectives, and while I can understand Robbins' stylistic intention to introduce many of them as unnamed, I didn't think it served much purpose as these names were all eventually revealed. I didn't feel as though the two protagonists were well-developed either, and their evolving relationship was questionable at times.
Overall I thought the plot of "The Unmapping" was intriguing, but needed additional editing and clarity of characters and voice.
Thank you Bindery Books for the advance copy of this novel!
What follows in the next few days is a chaotic scramble; Esme attempts to work with the bureaucratic system and hierarchy, butting heads with her (male) superiors while trying to get ahold of her fiance Marcus who has abruptly disappeared. Arjun attempts to help as best he can within the city, but causes chaos when his efforts are misinterpreted and blasted on social media - all while trying to keep his feelings for Esme hidden. Meanwhile, the many citizens of the city are dealing with their own issues: a young runaway has become trapped underground in the midst of the city's shifting infrastructure; a woman is robbed on her way to meet her new lover; a reverend offers shelter to a growing following of a religious group; a journalist seeks answers from Gleamwood City to the origins of the Unmapping... The different perspectives and storylines converge as the novel progresses to shed some light on the colossal event.
I was intrigued by the dystopian/sci-fi premise of this novel and its center in NYC where I currently live; knowing the exact cross streets and neighborhoods mentioned in this novel was a fun perk. Thematically, I think Robbins incorporated a number of themes and looming topics, including climate change and the impact of corporate greed; the bureaucracy of government across all levels; societal and racial privilege; and the fine line between religion and cults. Unfortunately it didn't feel like many of these had sufficient focus in this story and were cursory examinations at best. I struggled as well with the sheer number of characters and perspectives, and while I can understand Robbins' stylistic intention to introduce many of them as unnamed, I didn't think it served much purpose as these names were all eventually revealed. I didn't feel as though the two protagonists were well-developed either, and their evolving relationship was questionable at times.
Overall I thought the plot of "The Unmapping" was intriguing, but needed additional editing and clarity of characters and voice.
Thank you Bindery Books for the advance copy of this novel!
February 19, 2025
This is a really gripping sci-fi that tackles a wide range of important themes, within a complex framework of life-threatening disasters, tense interpersonal relationships and grassroots social revolution (all lightly sprinkled with cults & conspiracies). My sincere thanks to NetGalley & Bindery Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review; this was such a compelling & rewarding read!
The narrative style is engaging in its down-to-earth, stream-of-consciousness style that really helps you get in the heads of the characters. I felt the choice to deliberately keep some characters nameless was very effective, driving home the feeling of being small & insignificant (in some positive ways as well as negative) when facing a global crisis that is so much bigger than you.
I related a great deal to the fear and solitude being explored for many of the characters, as well as the heartfelt depiction of community mindset, and of individuals standing up to do whatever they can, no matter how small-scale, to help others against impossible odds.
There were parts of the plot that I struggled to keep up with. I’m not sure I understand the purpose of the cult subplot, and my scientific knowledge is nowhere near good enough to tell you if any of the possible explanations given for why the Unmapping came about hold water or not. But I didn’t find myself put off by any of that; it was a fun ride & thought experiment, and I enjoyed the journey either way.
I recommend this book to anyone keen on sci-fi centred around climate-change or global disaster - also potentially fans of Stephen King’s ‘Under the Dome� or the TV series ‘The OA� - who enjoy exploring the everyday human impact & themes of social justice within that setting.
There are a few potentially sensitive topics covered in this book, so I will include some Content Warnings below for those who find them helpful. So fair warning to STOP READING HERE TO AVOID MINOR SPOILERS.
—ĔĔĔ�
Content Warnings:
The narrative style is engaging in its down-to-earth, stream-of-consciousness style that really helps you get in the heads of the characters. I felt the choice to deliberately keep some characters nameless was very effective, driving home the feeling of being small & insignificant (in some positive ways as well as negative) when facing a global crisis that is so much bigger than you.
I related a great deal to the fear and solitude being explored for many of the characters, as well as the heartfelt depiction of community mindset, and of individuals standing up to do whatever they can, no matter how small-scale, to help others against impossible odds.
There were parts of the plot that I struggled to keep up with. I’m not sure I understand the purpose of the cult subplot, and my scientific knowledge is nowhere near good enough to tell you if any of the possible explanations given for why the Unmapping came about hold water or not. But I didn’t find myself put off by any of that; it was a fun ride & thought experiment, and I enjoyed the journey either way.
I recommend this book to anyone keen on sci-fi centred around climate-change or global disaster - also potentially fans of Stephen King’s ‘Under the Dome� or the TV series ‘The OA� - who enjoy exploring the everyday human impact & themes of social justice within that setting.
There are a few potentially sensitive topics covered in this book, so I will include some Content Warnings below for those who find them helpful. So fair warning to STOP READING HERE TO AVOID MINOR SPOILERS.
—ĔĔĔ�
Content Warnings:
February 3, 2025
Despite a very promising premise, the Unmapping was too messy for me to enjoy.
Now you might think messy books can be fun, sometimes that's exactly what a narrative or protagonist needs, but this was just everywhere... At first, I just though this wasn't for me but would definitely appeal to another audience, but the thing is I don't really understand who would that be now. The Unmapping is unable to pick what it wants to be and leaves us in an uncomfortable, unsatisfying in-between, closer to nothingness than to anything else. Oscillating between quirky, lighthearted and dramatic, vaguely political sci-fi, it tries to be everything all at once and it just leaves the reader confused. I couldn't get into the stories mostly because of that, the tone kept shifting and it made everything feel artificial and unimportant. The narration itself felt that way as well, I found it formulaic and flat, trying so hard to be cool and edgy but ending up very repetitive and simply tiring to read. It kept every storyline at armlength and, although it work perfectly fine for the secondary plots, it made the two protagonists povs unimmersive and therefore boring. I think one of its problem was that it couldn't differentiate actions from descriptions from commentaries and just laid everything on the same level.
I really enjoyed the quick glances at other characters, the way they remained nameless at first, mimicking the anonymity of the big city. It was simply fun and suited the circonstances so well, showing effectively the impact of the unmapping in unexpected ways. I could have read 20 more of these. The writing was also more balanced in those parts and somehow I ended up caring much more of these characters than for Edme & Arjun. I do think coming back to these characters all the time and tying their stories to the main one was a mistake and it would have been more effective to continue displaying only snippets of random people throughout the whole book. It helped us understand the situation and its implications in the "show don't tell" books need. But I recognise this is just a matter of personal taste and I see why other readers would prefer to get to know secondary characters' fate.
As for the main characters... Were we supposed to hate them both ? Edme had simply no personality, no character at all. The way she just flips her mind at the end was so abrupt and puzzling, it just felt convenient to the story. And Arjun was an opportunistic creep. I couldn't have cared less about any of them which is a shame because their jobs could have made a really interesting story.
2/5
Arc provided by the published through Netgalley.
Now you might think messy books can be fun, sometimes that's exactly what a narrative or protagonist needs, but this was just everywhere... At first, I just though this wasn't for me but would definitely appeal to another audience, but the thing is I don't really understand who would that be now. The Unmapping is unable to pick what it wants to be and leaves us in an uncomfortable, unsatisfying in-between, closer to nothingness than to anything else. Oscillating between quirky, lighthearted and dramatic, vaguely political sci-fi, it tries to be everything all at once and it just leaves the reader confused. I couldn't get into the stories mostly because of that, the tone kept shifting and it made everything feel artificial and unimportant. The narration itself felt that way as well, I found it formulaic and flat, trying so hard to be cool and edgy but ending up very repetitive and simply tiring to read. It kept every storyline at armlength and, although it work perfectly fine for the secondary plots, it made the two protagonists povs unimmersive and therefore boring. I think one of its problem was that it couldn't differentiate actions from descriptions from commentaries and just laid everything on the same level.
I really enjoyed the quick glances at other characters, the way they remained nameless at first, mimicking the anonymity of the big city. It was simply fun and suited the circonstances so well, showing effectively the impact of the unmapping in unexpected ways. I could have read 20 more of these. The writing was also more balanced in those parts and somehow I ended up caring much more of these characters than for Edme & Arjun. I do think coming back to these characters all the time and tying their stories to the main one was a mistake and it would have been more effective to continue displaying only snippets of random people throughout the whole book. It helped us understand the situation and its implications in the "show don't tell" books need. But I recognise this is just a matter of personal taste and I see why other readers would prefer to get to know secondary characters' fate.
As for the main characters... Were we supposed to hate them both ? Edme had simply no personality, no character at all. The way she just flips her mind at the end was so abrupt and puzzling, it just felt convenient to the story. And Arjun was an opportunistic creep. I couldn't have cared less about any of them which is a shame because their jobs could have made a really interesting story.
2/5
Arc provided by the published through Netgalley.
January 29, 2025
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I really did enjoy the parts where we got to explore more of the plot in regards to the unmapping, and also really enjoyed the authors writing style, but had some major issues, especially with the characters.
I am someone whose favorite part of a book is usually the characters, so having the characters be generally unlikeable (to me, at least) made it very difficult to get into this book. I did appreciate that the two main characters were written in a unique and even realistic way that spoke to different issues we often see in the world. We had someone who seemed to care more about social media and the performative aspect and idea of being seen as a hero than he did about actually making a difference and another person whose whole identity was wrapped up in her job and her relationship to the point where she had completely lost any sense of who she was as an individual and was unable to cope when these things were removed from her life. But while I found those characterizations interesting, I really disliked the characters themselves, and reading from their point of view and being inside of their heads was not an enjoyable experience, especially during the first half of the book.
About halfway through, we started to delve into the unmapping a little more, which I really enjoyed. The ways all the different characters and storylines were weaving together were really interesting, and I really liked all of the other smaller side plots that were being brought in. It all made me more invested in the story, and I got through the second half pretty quickly, wanting to see how everything would come together. Unfortunately, I didn't find the ending particularly satisfying either. I wasn't a fan of how the characters ended their stories, and the story regarding the unmapping also felt a little unfinished, possibly because it felt like so much more of the book was dedicated to the characters.
Overall, I felt like having the focus of the book be on the characters rather than this really unique and interesting idea weakened the story a lot, but I'd still be interested to read more from this author in the future as I did really enjoy her writing.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am someone whose favorite part of a book is usually the characters, so having the characters be generally unlikeable (to me, at least) made it very difficult to get into this book. I did appreciate that the two main characters were written in a unique and even realistic way that spoke to different issues we often see in the world. We had someone who seemed to care more about social media and the performative aspect and idea of being seen as a hero than he did about actually making a difference and another person whose whole identity was wrapped up in her job and her relationship to the point where she had completely lost any sense of who she was as an individual and was unable to cope when these things were removed from her life. But while I found those characterizations interesting, I really disliked the characters themselves, and reading from their point of view and being inside of their heads was not an enjoyable experience, especially during the first half of the book.
About halfway through, we started to delve into the unmapping a little more, which I really enjoyed. The ways all the different characters and storylines were weaving together were really interesting, and I really liked all of the other smaller side plots that were being brought in. It all made me more invested in the story, and I got through the second half pretty quickly, wanting to see how everything would come together. Unfortunately, I didn't find the ending particularly satisfying either. I wasn't a fan of how the characters ended their stories, and the story regarding the unmapping also felt a little unfinished, possibly because it felt like so much more of the book was dedicated to the characters.
Overall, I felt like having the focus of the book be on the characters rather than this really unique and interesting idea weakened the story a lot, but I'd still be interested to read more from this author in the future as I did really enjoy her writing.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2025
Guys, I think I like speculative fiction! This was my first real foray into the genre, and I’m so glad it was. This started out weird and got weirder throughout, but the way it was done made me ask so many questions and really got my brain working. Amidst the chaos of the disaster at hand the author did a great job of providing perspectives of characters that felt incredibly real. Not good people, not bad people, just people navigating an unprecedented time. It made me think of how I would respond in this kind of situation and what I would deem most important in my life.
I really enjoyed the completely new premise mixed into a very familiar setting. Who can say that in the last five years they haven’t experienced “unprecedented� times? I finished the book wondering about the importance of a sense of self and a sense of community. Two very important elements of life and yet two of the most overlooked. Ok, I’m feeling like I’m about to slip too far into the philosophical so I’ll stop there.
I do have to admit that while reading the emergency services sections, I had to shut off the part of my brain that used to be one of those nerds behind a computer during emergency response operations. There were absolute inconsistencies with how actual response operations would have worked in the real world, particularly with how much decision making power the mayor has, but I digress it added to the story. And this is a work of fiction.
Now, about the book itself, I really enjoyed it overall and the ending was strong. Heck, the ending left me confused but okay with the understanding that I don’t have to understand everything. I loved the feeling of just being thrust into these complex character’s lives and only learning the bare minimum about their past selves. My only criticism is that the middle of the book felt like it meandered a little. There were some perspectives that dragged and a couple inner monologues that could have used some editing down in my opinion. Other than that, my complaints were minimal.
If you’re looking to dip your tow into speculative fiction, this is a great starter! Just be ready to not get all the answers or for anyone’s story to be wrapped up in a perfect bow. Much like life, you get the sense their stories aren’t over. I will absolutely be looking for more books written by Robbins in the future.
I really enjoyed the completely new premise mixed into a very familiar setting. Who can say that in the last five years they haven’t experienced “unprecedented� times? I finished the book wondering about the importance of a sense of self and a sense of community. Two very important elements of life and yet two of the most overlooked. Ok, I’m feeling like I’m about to slip too far into the philosophical so I’ll stop there.
I do have to admit that while reading the emergency services sections, I had to shut off the part of my brain that used to be one of those nerds behind a computer during emergency response operations. There were absolute inconsistencies with how actual response operations would have worked in the real world, particularly with how much decision making power the mayor has, but I digress it added to the story. And this is a work of fiction.
Now, about the book itself, I really enjoyed it overall and the ending was strong. Heck, the ending left me confused but okay with the understanding that I don’t have to understand everything. I loved the feeling of just being thrust into these complex character’s lives and only learning the bare minimum about their past selves. My only criticism is that the middle of the book felt like it meandered a little. There were some perspectives that dragged and a couple inner monologues that could have used some editing down in my opinion. Other than that, my complaints were minimal.
If you’re looking to dip your tow into speculative fiction, this is a great starter! Just be ready to not get all the answers or for anyone’s story to be wrapped up in a perfect bow. Much like life, you get the sense their stories aren’t over. I will absolutely be looking for more books written by Robbins in the future.
February 9, 2025
2.5* DNF - NetGalley
I really wanted to like this book, but this was very difficult to read. I stopped reading at 50% complete because I had other books to work on, and I still hadn't felt hooked by it. I enjoyed what I read in a general way, but I would cap out my enjoyment at about 2.5 stars because of the difficulty of wading through the material.
This is a book that is trying to give you a lot of information and do a combination of situational threat/ intrigue, but combining it with a social interest piece each section. It does a decent job at both of those things, but not a great one. I ended up feeling like it got too involved trying to give you the "Personal Life and Drama" snapshots of each person it gave you a POV of. They are not good about telling you whose POV you're in when they change it, so it can be a lot to keep track of. Honestly, I wish that they had done a 'name tag' at the beginning of each section with a new POV from the last. Or something where you get the name of the person, what building they're in, the new location of said building, and what date/time it is, all at the start of each POV section.
For what they gave you of each character, I felt like each was very interesting and relatable in different ways, but it almost started to feel like rinse and repeat as far as the issues everyone was dealing with because it's just a matter of adjusting and no one was getting any resolutions or finishing adjusting.
Also, this book had nearly-page-long paragraphs. Regularly. With as much information as they were trying to pass on in these longer paragraphs, it really needed to be broken up into more digestible chunks.
Story wise since I only got 50% of the way in and still did not feel like we had gotten to the true hook of what we were reading for. I'm not sure that I can necessarily rate it any higher than 2 1/2 because I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop and we were still in the beginning of adjusting to the Unmapping. I did feel like this was a good "end of the world", slice of life, weird literature.
I really wanted to like this book, but this was very difficult to read. I stopped reading at 50% complete because I had other books to work on, and I still hadn't felt hooked by it. I enjoyed what I read in a general way, but I would cap out my enjoyment at about 2.5 stars because of the difficulty of wading through the material.
This is a book that is trying to give you a lot of information and do a combination of situational threat/ intrigue, but combining it with a social interest piece each section. It does a decent job at both of those things, but not a great one. I ended up feeling like it got too involved trying to give you the "Personal Life and Drama" snapshots of each person it gave you a POV of. They are not good about telling you whose POV you're in when they change it, so it can be a lot to keep track of. Honestly, I wish that they had done a 'name tag' at the beginning of each section with a new POV from the last. Or something where you get the name of the person, what building they're in, the new location of said building, and what date/time it is, all at the start of each POV section.
For what they gave you of each character, I felt like each was very interesting and relatable in different ways, but it almost started to feel like rinse and repeat as far as the issues everyone was dealing with because it's just a matter of adjusting and no one was getting any resolutions or finishing adjusting.
Also, this book had nearly-page-long paragraphs. Regularly. With as much information as they were trying to pass on in these longer paragraphs, it really needed to be broken up into more digestible chunks.
Story wise since I only got 50% of the way in and still did not feel like we had gotten to the true hook of what we were reading for. I'm not sure that I can necessarily rate it any higher than 2 1/2 because I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop and we were still in the beginning of adjusting to the Unmapping. I did feel like this was a good "end of the world", slice of life, weird literature.
January 16, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.
4.5 rounded up.
Wow, what a great start to the reading year! This book is full of complex, compelling characters,and I was so invested in them. Esme, grappling with her fractured relationship with her fiance paired with her organized personality. Arjun's anxiousness, his compulsive desire to feel needed and do good, was resonant. By the end, it was sweet and powerful to see Arjun overcoming his anxiety,Esme reframing her life around herself � how far both of them came. At times I felt their pain, was exasperated by their choices, was buoyed by their hope. Always, I was captivated. In some ways itfelt like watching a friend grow.
The flow-of-consciousness writing style I think is so different from anything I've ever read and I love theliterary/speculative mix! Here, it’s striking and suits the anxious tension of the narrative.And this world —it felt chaotically true. I loved moments where, despite people bracing against things they couldn’t understand, they still found unity, connection, hope - a light in the midst of an ocean of uncertainty. This unity came through especially in the narration, and I loved the way all those disparate plotlines and perspectives wove together so fluidly into a really breathless ending. I shivered! I ached. This book left me feeling thoughtful, and awed, and warm � it felt like waiting for spring. It felt like stepping into a movie and leaving open-jawed. Just wow!
“But this has been a year of miracles. Miracles as big as flying buildings and as small as the pinky finger that has learned how to stay still. As big and invisible as love. The miracle of existing. The miracle of moving.� � The Unmapping.
4.5 rounded up.
Wow, what a great start to the reading year! This book is full of complex, compelling characters,and I was so invested in them. Esme, grappling with her fractured relationship with her fiance paired with her organized personality. Arjun's anxiousness, his compulsive desire to feel needed and do good, was resonant. By the end, it was sweet and powerful to see Arjun overcoming his anxiety,Esme reframing her life around herself � how far both of them came. At times I felt their pain, was exasperated by their choices, was buoyed by their hope. Always, I was captivated. In some ways itfelt like watching a friend grow.
The flow-of-consciousness writing style I think is so different from anything I've ever read and I love theliterary/speculative mix! Here, it’s striking and suits the anxious tension of the narrative.And this world —it felt chaotically true. I loved moments where, despite people bracing against things they couldn’t understand, they still found unity, connection, hope - a light in the midst of an ocean of uncertainty. This unity came through especially in the narration, and I loved the way all those disparate plotlines and perspectives wove together so fluidly into a really breathless ending. I shivered! I ached. This book left me feeling thoughtful, and awed, and warm � it felt like waiting for spring. It felt like stepping into a movie and leaving open-jawed. Just wow!
“But this has been a year of miracles. Miracles as big as flying buildings and as small as the pinky finger that has learned how to stay still. As big and invisible as love. The miracle of existing. The miracle of moving.� � The Unmapping.
February 19, 2025
This book gave me anxiety in the best way. Set in New York City, we follow Esme as she travels to work at the Emergency Response Department to find that the city has unmapped itself. No one knows why or how it's happening, but at 4am each day, the city rearranges itself in a seemingly unknowable pattern. The Empire State Building ends up on Coney Island. People are missing or trapped underneath buildings. There are cults popping up everywhere. Why are there so many aluminum Christmas trees?
Robbins does a great job with the tone of this book. We see the Unmapping through several different perspectives which occasionally get flipped on their head. The narrative voice is always breezy and conversational even when we're unsure who we're following. We feel the despair and confusion of the city and we feel the small bright light of communities being forged from the darkness. It's a wide portrait of a country in crisis.
I will say that the book felt disjointed in places. There were some sections that skimmed past something crucial or focused on a seemingly unimportant section of the story for too long. This book has a gigantic premise and it does its best to present as many facets of that premise as it can squeeze into its pages. I enjoyed jumping around and seeing all of the different points of view, but I can see how some people could find it too scattered.
This was an anxiety-inducing but ultimately enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone interested in speculative fiction about climate change and its many possible effects on our future. A great reminder that, in the end, our human connections are what make everything possible.
Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Robbins does a great job with the tone of this book. We see the Unmapping through several different perspectives which occasionally get flipped on their head. The narrative voice is always breezy and conversational even when we're unsure who we're following. We feel the despair and confusion of the city and we feel the small bright light of communities being forged from the darkness. It's a wide portrait of a country in crisis.
I will say that the book felt disjointed in places. There were some sections that skimmed past something crucial or focused on a seemingly unimportant section of the story for too long. This book has a gigantic premise and it does its best to present as many facets of that premise as it can squeeze into its pages. I enjoyed jumping around and seeing all of the different points of view, but I can see how some people could find it too scattered.
This was an anxiety-inducing but ultimately enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone interested in speculative fiction about climate change and its many possible effects on our future. A great reminder that, in the end, our human connections are what make everything possible.
Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 6, 2025
This book was not for me. I have always preferred character-centric stories, and this book � while it has interesting characters � is written in such a way as to keep everything distant and at arm’s length. I am constantly being told what’s happening, told what characters are thinking, told what they’re doing and what they will do and it’s just not a writing style I, personally, enjoy. The characters themselves weren’t all that interesting to me; Esme having a breakdown about her reliance on her boyfriend, or choosing Arjun because he makes her feel safe. Arjun who manages to somehow end up having done the right thing even though he did it without thought or planning and who I found frustrating in his “I’m a good guy, ma’am� approach to life.
The side characters were moments of me being told how interesting they were when I didn’t find them interesting or even that sympathetic. I pushed through the book to see how it ended, but I can’t honestly say I enjoyed it. However, that said, there are ideas in this book that almost work for me � if only they were followed through. I don’t need to know why the Unmapping happened, I’m fine with it being a mystery, but the reactions to it � and the lack of reactions � but I would have liked for more people to actually care about what was going on.
I feel like there’s an idea here, but it’s one that got lost in the delivery. However, the writing is competent and the book is easy to read with a nice, brisk pace. But my lack of interest in the characters and the passive writing style kept me from enjoying this book, and as much as I liked the idea � I didn’t like what the book did with it.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
The side characters were moments of me being told how interesting they were when I didn’t find them interesting or even that sympathetic. I pushed through the book to see how it ended, but I can’t honestly say I enjoyed it. However, that said, there are ideas in this book that almost work for me � if only they were followed through. I don’t need to know why the Unmapping happened, I’m fine with it being a mystery, but the reactions to it � and the lack of reactions � but I would have liked for more people to actually care about what was going on.
I feel like there’s an idea here, but it’s one that got lost in the delivery. However, the writing is competent and the book is easy to read with a nice, brisk pace. But my lack of interest in the characters and the passive writing style kept me from enjoying this book, and as much as I liked the idea � I didn’t like what the book did with it.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
March 21, 2025
Denise Robbins's The Unmapping comes at an opportune time. Our world is reeling from the after-effects of the pandemic, a myriad of natural disasters likely due to climate change, and a general unrest and fear due to governmental decisions. Each event seems more unthinkable than the last. In Robbins's new book, the homes and buildings in modern-day New York City have started rearranging every night - showing up the next morning scattered across the city in new locations. This obviously causes problems with utility hook-ups and is a logistical nightmare. This "unmapping" can serve as a metaphor for any unimaginable event. And just as in our own time, "People have learned to adapt, even without a competent mayor."
As the citizens reel from the sea change in their city, the helpers appear. These well-developed characters are part of multiple story lines. We learn to care about them, admire their resiliency, and find meaning in their reactions to their new world.
As the plot progresses, we watch Robbins weave the details of each of their lives. Little by little, she reveals how they are connected to each other. And, at the end of the story, we are gobsmacked with how all the pieces are quilted together.
After reading the last page of Unmapping , I uttered a "WOW" and decided to go back and read this brilliant novel all over again.
As the citizens reel from the sea change in their city, the helpers appear. These well-developed characters are part of multiple story lines. We learn to care about them, admire their resiliency, and find meaning in their reactions to their new world.
As the plot progresses, we watch Robbins weave the details of each of their lives. Little by little, she reveals how they are connected to each other. And, at the end of the story, we are gobsmacked with how all the pieces are quilted together.
After reading the last page of Unmapping , I uttered a "WOW" and decided to go back and read this brilliant novel all over again.
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