Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Publishes
Jan 9, 2024
336 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
"A complete knockout. Readers will be thinking of this story long after they finish the final page." —Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of Belladonna
Atlas has lost her way.
In a last-ditch effort to pull her life together, she's working on a community service program rehabbing trails in the Western Sierras. The only plus is that the days are so exhausting that Atlas might just be tired enough to forget that this was one of her dad's favorite places in the world. Before cancer stole him from her life, that is.
Using real names is forbidden on the trail. So Atlas becomes Maps, and with her team—Books, Sugar, Junior, and King—she heads into the wilderness. As she sheds the lies she's built up as walls to protect herself, she realizes that four strangers might know her better than anyone has before. And with the end of the trail racing to meet them, Maps is left counting down the days until she returns to her old life—without her new family, and without King, who's become more than just a friend.
"Beautifully written. Gripping and authentic in the ways it portrays grief and shows how moving forward means having to let go." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Dwyer crafts stirring and organic character interactions via Atlas and her trail mates' good-humored banter, as well as her electric chemistry with King. Combined with the lushly depicted wilderness setting, Atlas's fledgling relationships emphasize how connection can bloom unexpectedly—and powerfully—even amid grief." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Readers will desperately root for Ellis and Easton in this unforgettable romance. A perfectly emotional read for fans of Nicola Yoon and Becky Albertalli, this coming-of-age romance is one not to miss." —School Library Journal (starred review)
"A raw, unflinching examination of grief and the way it changes us. Wrapped in Dwyer's signature wit and gorgeous prose, The Atlas of Us takes readers on a journey of found family and intense love, set against the beauty and stillness of nature. Utterly compelling and impossible to put down, Dwyer's sophomore novel is stunning from beginning to end." —Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of Bring Me Your Midnight
"Kristin Dwyer's emotional, one-of-a-kind storytelling shines in this poignant book about grief, found family, and heart aching romance. The Atlas of Us pulls at the heart strings in a way that only Dwyer can do." —Adrienne Young, New York Times and International bestselling author.
"Achingly romantic, The Atlas of Us is a love letter to finding the beauty in nature and finding yourself. Maps' journey to figure out what being "bad" means, how to cope with loss and how to find her people will have you turning the pages and wishing to swim in the rivers with her." —Rachel Simon, Youth Librarian at Newton Free Library, Newton, MA
"I've never read a book that felt so much like picking up pieces of a broken heart —powerful, poignant, and true." —Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and XOXO
"Part summer daydream, part secret whisper, The Atlas of Us is beautiful and aching and deeply romantic. A love story for anyone who has ever told a lie, made a mistake, or dared to hope for something just out of reach." —#1 New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon A Broken Heart, Stephanie Garber
This information about The Atlas of Us was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kristin Dwyer grew up under the California sun and prayed every day for a cloudy sky. Now Kristin and her spouse are currently raising their mischief-makers in the hills of North Carolina, where there is just the right amount of clouds. When she's not writing books about people kissing, Kristin is a part-time hair model and full-time TSA PreCheck. One time a credible news outlet asked for her opinion on K-pop (it was the best day of her life). Please do not talk to her about your fandom; she will try to join.
This Is Salvaged
by Vauhini Vara
Stories of uncanny originality from Vauhini Vara, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
Alfie and Me
by Carl Safina
A moving account of raising, then freeing, an orphaned screech owl. Three starred reviews!
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some to be chewed on and digested.
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
