The Mapmaker's Opera - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312364660 ISBN 13: 9780312364663

Synopsis

Inspired by the magnificent images in John James Audubon's Birds of America, Diego Clemente dreams of journeying to the New World to see such creatures for himself and gets his chance when his joins American naturalist Edward Nelson to create a guide to the birds of the Yucatan, in a turbulent Mexico on the eve of revolution. 15,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

Béa Gonzalez was born in Vigo, Spain. She holds her M.A. from the University of London and is an avid nature lover and opera fanatic. She lives in Toronto with her family.

From the Inside Flap

IN A TOWN IN THE HEART OF LA MANCHA, home to Don Quijote and his windmills, the Clemente family lived for centuries, their fortunes tied to those of a plant

So begins the grand tale that is The Mapmaker s Opera. Born in Seville, Spain to a dishonored governess, a young Diego Clemente finds solace in the world of books, in particular John James Audubon s Birds of America. Mesmerized by the wondrous images in Audobon's magnificent volume, he longs to travel to the New World to find his destiny and see these amazing creatures for himself.

When renowned American naturalist Edward Nelson enlists him by chance to create a guide to Yucatan's birds, Diego's dream comes true. Arriving on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on the eve of the Mexican Revolution, Diego finds himself in a world that is as precarious as it is beautiful, where opulent henequen plantations are built on the backs of slave labor and the social order is on the brink of imploding. And there, Diego falls for the young Sofia, a woman who longs to be as free as the birds she also loves. He tries with all his might to win her and, with Nelson's help, to save the last pair of passenger pigeons in existence.

A mesmerizing tale of star-crossed passions, a pair of mysterious birds, and a young man s quest to honor both his passions, The Mapmaker s Opera transports its audience with stunning vistas, magical storytelling, and a universal story of love.

Canadian praise for Béa Gonzalez and her writing:

Fascinating. Rich in historical and cultural details. The themes that drive the plot and motivate the characters are the concerns of a writer with her feet firmly planted in the fertile ground of contemporary literature. The Globe and Mail

[Told] with the emotion of Isabel Allende and the imagery of Gabriel García Márquez. A delight of a book that will stir up palpable images of Spain and Mexico, two lands of startling beauty. Books in Canada

Gonzalez enlivens the page with the color and richness of a theatrical production . THE MAPMAKER'S OPERA is nothing less than a sheer pleasure to read, and an oratorio that transports the reader. Calgary Herald

"Great story, delicious prose... a splendid piece of literature...perfection lies in the details and Gonzalez gets it so right that her imagery provokes bursts of delighted laughter." --Vancouver Sun

"In THE MAPMAKER'S OPERA, Béa Gonzalez has created a world bursting at the seams with images and ideas, social history, revolutionary fervor. A wonderfully vibrant tapestry, enveloping the reader with its richness." --Quill & Quire

Edition details

• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0312364660
• ISBN 13: 9780312364663
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 277