THE EXILE AND THE MAPMAKER
by Emma Musty
Theo, an aging Parisian cartographer, is desperately searching for the woman he once loved before Alzheimer’s takes his memories of her.
Elise, his estranged daughter, moves in to take care of him. She still blames him for the tragic loss of her mother and is struggling with this new forced intimacy.
Nebay, an Eritrean refugee, becomes Theo’s carer and friend. Unbeknownst to Elise, Nebay does not have a visa for France and is working illegally in order to support his sister.
Each one is living a life of questions and secrets in a world where Nebay’s very presence in the France of Theo’s maps is steeped in uncertainty.
An important novel that is as compassionate as it is eye-opening, The Exile and the Mapmaker is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit.
‘The characters are brilliantly done… it is very difficult not to fall in love with everyone. Being whisked away to Paris was a joy. An emotional and eye-opening reading experience and I would definitely recommend you give it a try.' @stories_with_hope
‘A heart-warming story that sensitively captures a plethora of timely issues. Emma Musty has crafted an enlightening and charming novel that kept me engrossed to the very end. Truly worth reading!’ @bibliobushra
‘A historical but at times oh so present novel, full of thought changing anecdotes and meaningful quotes, with a heartbreaking culturally evil story surrounding such words… A beautifully written story’ @lost_in_her_bookland
‘Thought provoking and emotional, this story opens your eyes and enthrals you with the beautiful story that is written between the pages.’ @SecretWorldOfaBook
ISBN (Paperback): 9781800319431 ISBN (Ebook): 9781800319448
Price: £8.99 (Paperback) £4.99 (Ebook) Extent: 288 pages
Format: 198x129mm
Rights Held: World
Translation Rights: Yes
Emma Musty was born in England and grew up in Scotland. She spent her childhood crossing the border between two countries and two cultures.
In 2009 she went to Calais for the first time and met some of the many people living in ‘the jungle’ as they struggled to reach the UK. Following this she began to write about borders and migration, starting work on what later became The Exile and the Mapmaker.
She is an editor and writer with the Are You Syrious? Daily Digest, which chronicles news from the ground regarding the refugee situation in Europe, and a long term member of Khora Community Centre which works with marginalised groups in Athens. She is also a freelance consultant for Refugee Rights Europe. Emma's second novel will be published by Legend Press in 2022.
Twitter: @EmmaMusty
Instagram: @emmamusty_author