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Brilliant. The description of front line action in the trenches is impressively real, and the ending blessedly free from sentimentality. Altogether a remarkable debut. --Simon Mawer, author of Trapeze and The Glass Room Never once while reading The Cartographer of No Man's Land did I doubt Duffy's authority. From the docks of Snag Harbor to the trenches of WWI France, she moves the story between continents and I was all too eager to follow. To call this novel a coming-of-age story is not nearly enough; every character in this beautiful novel--young or old--is faced with a rapidly changing world and the task of finding firm-footing within it. Never sentimental, Duffy knows where to find the humanity at the heart of even the smallest gestures. By the end I was so immersed in this story that I swear I could hear water lapping the pilings. --Mary Beth Keane, author of Fever Cutting deftly between a father at war and a son at home, The Cartographer of No Man's Land is a graceful, dignified look at all the ways in which war is endured: from the stories people tell to keep themselves alive at the front, to the fault lines that threaten the home-front bond. This is a moving and memorable debut. --Jessica Francis Kane, author of The Report Duffy's first novel explores the circles of hell opened up by war, both on the actual war front and at home.... Physical and emotional geography are beautifully rendered, and Duffy's vivid descriptions illuminate war's transformative effect in fresh ways. Well-nuanced characters and carefully choreographed (but still surprising) situations make this a strong debut. Duffy's astounding first novel depicts terrifyingly real battle scenes, rich in subtle details, displaying the intimacies shared among soldiers and the memories that haunt them. VERDICT... Essential reading for historical fiction lovers and war story fans alike; very highly recommended. The Cartographer of No Man's Land is less of a book about maps and World War I than it is about boys becoming men, men discovering who they are, and the connections between fathers and sons. The book travels from the mud and blood of the front to a fishing village in Nova Scotia, all the while showing how the shifting landscape of war can both divide a family and bring it together. P.S. Duffy spent many years writing this remarkable debut; The Cartographer of No Man's Land was worth the wait. --Alexi Zentner, author of Touch [T]hanks to Duffy's full realization--each character, however minor, is a distinct personality; the action is grounded in closely observed details of fishing life and trench warfare; and her patience in developing the cast of characters makes for an unusually rich novel. In addition, the world of shipping and the uncertainty of the uncharted front line provide poignant metaphors for the characters' navigation of conflict, loss, and change, as well as their journey back to each other--and to themselves. Less of a book about maps and World War I than it is about boys becoming men, men discovering who they are, and the connections between fathers and sons. . . . P.S. Duffy spent many years writing this remarkable debut; The Cartographer of No Man's Land was worth the wait. --Alexi Zentner, author of Touch Duffy s astounding first novel depicts terrifyingly real battle scenes, rich in subtle details, displaying the intimacies shared among soldiers and the memories that haunt them. VERDICT Essential reading for historical fiction lovers and war story fans alike; very highly recommended. [T]hanks to Duffy s full realization each character, however minor, is a distinct personality; the action is grounded in closely observed details of fishing life and trench warfare; and her patience in developing the cast of characters makes for an unusually rich novel. In addition, the world of shipping and the uncertainty of the uncharted front line provide poignant metaphors for the characters navigation of conflict, loss, and change, as well as their journey back to each other and to themselves. A graceful, dignified look at all the ways in which war is endured: from the stories people tell to keep themselves alive at the front, to the fault lines that threaten the home-front bond. This is a moving and memorable debut.--Jessica Francis Kane, author of The Report A haunting meditation on family, friendship, and sacrifice. . . . A powerful debut.--Amy Brill, author of The Movement of Stars Physical and emotional geography are beautifully rendered, and Duffy's vivid descriptions illuminate war's transformative effect in fresh ways. Well-nuanced characters and carefully choreographed (but still surprising) situations make this a strong debut. To call this novel a coming-of-age story is not nearly enough; every character in this beautiful novel--young or old--is faced with a rapidly changing world and the task of finding firm-footing within it. Never sentimental, Duffy knows where to find the humanity at the heart of even the smallest gestures. By the end I was so immersed in this story that I swear I could hear water lapping the pilings.--Mary Beth Keane, author of Fever Compelling...Turning the final page, I wanted to go back to the beginning, if only to contemplate a writer who has such a broad and compassionate understanding of the human condition.--Frances Itani Debut author P.S. Duffy captures the brutal intensity of the war in her delicate, atmospheric prose (star shells light the sky with a cascading trail of sparks ), but it's the parallel story of how Hettie and Angus's 14-year-old son survive in his absence--while protecting an innocent German school teacher--that keeps you riveted. Duffy's well-researched account of bloody 1917 battle of Vimy Ridge should satisfy even the most die-hard of WWI buffs. Essential reading for historical fiction lovers and war story fans alike; very highly recommended. Both settings come to life thanks to Duffy's full realization--each character, however minor, is a distinct personality...her patience in developing the cast of characters makes for an unusually rich novel.

Both settings come to life thanks to Duffy's full realization--each character, however minor, is a distinct personality...her patience in developing the cast of characters makes for an unusually rich novel. Compelling...Turning the final page, I wanted to go back to the beginning, if only to contemplate a writer who has such a broad and compassionate understanding of the human condition.--Frances Itani Debut author P.S. Duffy captures the brutal intensity of the war in her delicate, atmospheric prose (star shells light the sky with a cascading trail of sparks ), but it's the parallel story of how Hettie and Angus's 14-year-old son survive in his absence--while protecting an innocent German school teacher--that keeps you riveted. Duffy's well-researched account of bloody 1917 battle of Vimy Ridge should satisfy even the most die-hard of WWI buffs. Essential reading for historical fiction lovers and war story fans alike; very highly recommended. Physical and emotional geography are beautifully rendered, and Duffy's vivid descriptions illuminate war's transformative effect in fresh ways. Well-nuanced characters and carefully choreographed (but still surprising) situations make this a strong debut. To call this novel a coming-of-age story is not nearly enough; every character in this beautiful novel--young or old--is faced with a rapidly changing world and the task of finding firm-footing within it. Never sentimental, Duffy knows where to find the humanity at the heart of even the smallest gestures. By the end I was so immersed in this story that I swear I could hear water lapping the pilings.--Mary Beth Keane, author of Fever [T]hanks to Duffy s full realization each character, however minor, is a distinct personality; the action is grounded in closely observed details of fishing life and trench warfare; and her patience in developing the cast of characters makes for an unusually rich novel. In addition, the world of shipping and the uncertainty of the uncharted front line provide poignant metaphors for the characters navigation of conflict, loss, and change, as well as their journey back to each other and to themselves. A graceful, dignified look at all the ways in which war is endured: from the stories people tell to keep themselves alive at the front, to the fault lines that threaten the home-front bond. This is a moving and memorable debut.--Jessica Francis Kane, author of The Report A haunting meditation on family, friendship, and sacrifice. . . . A powerful debut.--Amy Brill, author of The Movement of Stars Duffy s astounding first novel depicts terrifyingly real battle scenes, rich in subtle details, displaying the intimacies shared among soldiers and the memories that haunt them. VERDICT Essential reading for historical fiction lovers and war story fans alike; very highly recommended. Less of a book about maps and World War I than it is about boys becoming men, men discovering who they are, and the connections between fathers and sons. . . . P.S. Duffy spent many years writing this remarkable debut; The Cartographer of No Man's Land was worth the wait. --Alexi Zentner, author of Touch [T]hanks to Duffy's full realization--each character, however minor, is a distinct personality; the action is grounded in closely observed details of fishing life and trench warfare; and her patience in developing the cast of characters makes for an unusually rich novel. In addition, the world of shipping and the uncertainty of the uncharted front line provide poignant metaphors for the characters' navigation of conflict, loss, and change, as well as their journey back to each other--and to themselves. The Cartographer of No Man's Land is less of a book about maps and World War I than it is about boys becoming men, men discovering who they are, and the connections between fathers and sons. The book travels from the mud and blood of the front to a fishing village in Nova Scotia, all the while showing how the shifting landscape of war can both divide a family and bring it together. P.S. Duffy spent many years writing this remarkable debut; The Cartographer of No Man's Land was worth the wait. --Alexi Zentner, author of Touch Duffy's astounding first novel depicts terrifyingly real battle scenes, rich in subtle details, displaying the intimacies shared among soldiers and the memories that haunt them. VERDICT... Essential reading for historical fiction lovers and war story fans alike; very highly recommended. Duffy's first novel explores the circles of hell opened up by war, both on the actual war front and at home.... Physical and emotional geography are beautifully rendered, and Duffy's vivid descriptions illuminate war's transformative effect in fresh ways. Well-nuanced characters and carefully choreographed (but still surprising) situations make this a strong debut. Cutting deftly between a father at war and a son at home, The Cartographer of No Man's Land is a graceful, dignified look at all the ways in which war is endured: from the stories people tell to keep themselves alive at the front, to the fault lines that threaten the home-front bond. This is a moving and memorable debut. --Jessica Francis Kane, author of The Report Brilliant. The description of front line action in the trenches is impressively real, and the ending blessedly free from sentimentality. Altogether a remarkable debut. --Simon Mawer, author of Trapeze and The Glass Room Never once while reading The Cartographer of No Man's Land did I doubt Duffy's authority. From the docks of Snag Harbor to the trenches of WWI France, she moves the story between continents and I was all too eager to follow. To call this novel a coming-of-age story is not nearly enough; every character in this beautiful novel--young or old--is faced with a rapidly changing world and the task of finding firm-footing within it. Never sentimental, Duffy knows where to find the humanity at the heart of even the smallest gestures. By the end I was so immersed in this story that I swear I could hear water lapping the pilings. --Mary Beth Keane, author of Fever

Author Information

P.S. Duffy grew up in Baltimore, but spent many summers sailing in Nova Scotia, which she regards as her second home. She is a science writer for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota, where she lives with her husband. The Cartographer of No Man's Land is her first novel. As a US citizen, conscious of the status of Vimy Ridge as an icon of Canadian history, she approached her subject with some trepidation until an 'old salt' from the town of Mahone Bay told her: 'You do it. You write about Vimy. These young fellers forget. Don't you be afraid to write of it.' And so, humbled as she felt by the prospect, she did.

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