I love it when books I pick up have a map in them. In fact, I squeal and do a little dance when I see maps in the books I pick up. I have an entire goodreads shelf dedicated to young adult books with maps. (If I’m missing any on my shelf, feel free to tell me in the comments below!) To me, maps enhance the entire book – after all, not every book has a map.
However, while I was thinking about the awesomeness of maps in books today after discovering that An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir will have a map, a nagging question popped into my mind: Kelly, why are you so excited about maps in books? You don’t use the map while reading the book anyways.
Yes, that’s right, when a book has a map in it, I never use it to help me visualize places as I read. I just look at the map when I first start the book, never memorize it, and just read on. When I have to stop reading for awhile because of things called life (chores, homework, having to go to class, etc.) and pick up the book later, I don’t flip to the map again. I just read on from where I last left off, never glancing at the map. I used to reference the map every time a new place in the book was bought up or explored, but it eventually became tedious to flip the book back and forth, back and forth, until eventually, I stopped using the map altogether.
Don’t get me wrong, I love maps in books, but I just don’t use them.
Do you use the map in books, if given, while you read? Or are you like me – you love it, but never use it while you read? I want to know!
I’m definitely like you. I get extremely excited about maps in books because they make the book ten times more beautiful and I love beautiful books. I never use them or really think about them at all while reading though. Awesome post, Kelly, I can totally relate. :)
Laquesha @ We’re All Bookish Here recently posted…The Sunday Post #3: They have begun!
Wait the maps are supposed to be used? I don’t really refer to maps in books ever, but I know Bob used the one in Mosquitoland to check his progress. The last time I probably used one was when I read Lord Of The Rings, but that’s because the names are all very long and confusing. I think maps are just there for vanity for me.
Jon @ Bookish Antics recently posted…Stacking The Shelves #61
I usually don’t use them while I’m reading, but I do look at them before I start a book. I think the only exception to that was The Kiss of Deception. I just kept looking things up, especially towards the end of the book.
Erin @ The Hardcover Lover recently posted…Soundtrack Saturday (21)
I always spend a lot of time looking at the map before I read a book, so I have some idea of how the world looks and how far places are scatted from each other. But during the read I rarely look at it, only when I have a feeling I’m not sure where they are. – and when I think it matters to the story.
When I finish a book I look at it again too. I just like the idea of having something to visualize in the beginning :) it makes it easier to understand what the world-building will look like. Plus, it’s just pretty :p
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Review 218. Abigail Haas – Dangerous boys.
I feel like maybe a few months ago…maps wouldn’t matter to me because I never really read high fantasy. But when I read Throne of Glass (my first high fantasy book) I honestly had to keep referencing the maps to understand what the heck Maas was talking about! And then recently, I bought Grave Mercy and like you, I squealed when I saw it had a map!!! (I really didn’t know it had a map when I bought it.)
I never use maps ever, which makes me super sad because they are so pretty and amazing and cool looking :D! I love having maps in books, I just look at them once and live life afterwords… But they are nice :D!
Brianna @ Otakutwins Reviews recently posted…Stacking the Shelves #1
I always look at maps and get really excited when I see one in a book! I think it helps tell me a lot about the land and its people before I start so I love them! I use them every time I read a book and the characters are talking about going to a place and I want to see where it’s at, although I wish every book had a map that folded out at the end of it to make everything easier to see!
Bri @ Books and Ashes recently posted…The Hidden Library by Heather Lyons
I get super excited about maps in books! I usually study them thoroughly before I start reading, and when a new place is mentioned or the characters travel, I do flip to the map to see where they are. I prefer the maps in fantasy books as they are usually more detailed than contemporaries, such as We Were Liars.
Books/Series you’ve missed on your goodreads list:
Eragon by Christopher Paolini (the whole Inheritance Series)
The Gift (The Naming) by Alison Croggon (the whole Books of Pellinor Series)
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (the whole Study Series) … maps aren’t great but still maps ;)
:) If you haven’t read these, you definitely should! The Books of Pellinor Series is actually one of my all time faves!
Honestly, I don’t really care about maps! I’m probably in the minority here, but it just makes no difference to me whether a book has a map or not. If it does and it’s pretty, I’ll look at it a little longer, but I never study it or try to locate myself in the story using them. I just have a hard time “getting” maps. Even in real life, I use GPS almost every time I go somewhere new, but if I had to use a traditional map without the blue arrow indicating where I am, I’d just be bored and lost.
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I also love maps and study them excessively before reading. I just want to get a feeling for the world and know roughly where everything is. While reading the book, it really depends on the number of places and routes travelled whether I flip to the map or not. Sometimes I’m just confused and have to check to ease my mind.
Series to add to your map shelf:
The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan
Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn
Inkspell and Inkdeath from the Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke (at least my German copies have one)
Ellie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #24: All-Time Favourites From the Past 3 Years
Yes, we may never look at maps on books more than about 10 times but they’re beautiful. I like looking at all the places when I start the book and, as mentioned, flip to it when a new place is mentions. I don’t know, they just enhance the reading experience I guess…
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Like you, I like maps in books. I look at them at the beginning, then again at the end, but that’s normally it. Maybe it just takes to much effort, but I like to think of it as being captivated by the book and wanting to know whats going to happen!
Lakin recently posted…Week of Wonder
I love maps in books but I’m like you, I pretty much never flip back to them. I think the only recent exception I can think of is S.J.Maas’s books, because I kept getting the place names mixed up and flipped back a couple of times in an attempt to figure out what was happening! Honestly, though, if it hadn’t been distracting me from the story, I probably wouldn’t have bothered!
Lesley recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday (13)
Generally speaking, I am not a fan of maps in books. That is mainly because, like you, I don’t ever use them.
Cynthia recently posted…BOOK REVIEW: The Wild Oats Project by Robin Rinaldi
I LOVE maps in books! I’m in total agreeance here. I regularly flip back to them to double check where they’re at in the journey or whatever and to see distances in relation to each other. Very very useful.
I never use maps. I look at them, but I don’t make it a point to memorize them. I am however extremely happy when there’s a pretty map at the beginning of the book. It just makes the book seem much more special than others.
Ruby @ Ruby’s Books recently posted…Reading Blogs & Eating Popcorn #8
I love maps :) i look at them before i read the book! If i have to look at them while i’m reading, thats bad, means the author has me confused on either where they’re at or the journal they’re making doesn’t make sense!
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Yup. I’m definitely like you. The maps make me happy ; assures me thought was put into the book and they are pretty. But my utter lack of sense of anything having remotely to do with directions prevents me from understanding them.
I totally agree! I love when books have maps and I drool when I first open them and see them, but I never use them to help me while reading. I guess I just don’t remember that it’s a resource. I wonder if authors put them in because they think they are needed or because they want to enhance their book?
Emily @ Follow the Yellow Book Road
Emily @ Follow the Yellow Book Road recently posted…Adults who read YA – Bookish Discussion
I never use the maps! I only look at them when I get confused about something. They are nice to have for reference, but I definitely don’t use them very often.
Jade @ Bedtime Bookworm recently posted…I Went To The Ballet!
Amazing post Kelly :D YESSS for loving maps in books. <3 I do too! They are SO GORGEOUS :D And amazing. And perfect. But ohh. Now that I think about it, I don't think I use them either, hah :) but I'm okay with that ;p Thank you for sharing sweetie. <3
Carina Olsen recently posted…Review: Lost by S. A. Bodeen
I absolutely love maps! I find that any kind of fantasy book must have a map inside, otherwise the book just isn’t the same. Most of the time, I would start the book and I would just look at everything on the map. I’ve even got a few maps in my wallpaper album. I guess that sometimes I would go back and look at the map if I get confused or anything, but most of the time, it’s just curiosity to follow the character’s trail with my finger to see were they go in their world. Usually, if a book doesn’t have one, I don’t exactly struggle, but I do really miss having a map. I just read The Fire Sermon, and I know that it’s not going to have a map, yet it’s fantasy and after reading, it felt like it needed one. Even if having half the map was a spoiler, even just putting half of the map that wouldn’t be a spoiler in the book would be helpful to a lot of other readers. Great discussion!
Gina @ Behind the Pages recently posted…Review: Before the Fire by Sarah Butler
well i am not very particular about maps in books…i think they do enhance the world building of the story but i don’t necessarily check on it for reference…coz i am not good at reading maps anyway hehehe…i’ll just use my active imagination.
I use to be intimidated by maps in books – because if it NEEDED one, things were going to be complex. Now though, I love being able to flip back and look at it, if I need it. (which isn’t often)
tonyalee recently posted…ARC Review | The Thorn and the Sinking Stone by CJ Dushinski
Good question :) The answer is no. I mean, I do check out the maps and as I read, I mentally place the places I read about on that map, but I never go back to double-check if I’m right, lol. Still, maps are cool. I like it when they’re included in the books.
Ramona recently posted…Zen Monday: Cajoling The Sun
I love maps in books, but like you, I only look at them before I start the book and then rarely return. I really do LOVE them, though. I keep thinking I want to copy and frame a few of my favorites for above my shelves, but most of them are two page spreads, so I haven’t figured it out yet.
The exception to this is The Bone Season/The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon. While I didn’t use the maps, I DID use the chart of all the different types of powers and their corresponding aura colors/names. I would keep a bookmark in that page and just flip back and forth. I don’t think I would have been able to make it through them without the charts!
I am waaay behind in catching up with blogs (bloglovin’ issues mainly). I do like maps in books, but I only look at the map when I begin reading and then after I’ve finished the book, I go back and spend even longer reviewing it.
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