Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies

A poignant exploration of love, loss, and family dynamics

Maddie Mortimer author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pan Macmillan

Published:30th Mar '23

Should be back in stock very soon

Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies cover

This poignant debut novel explores a mother's struggle with terminal illness and her relationship with her creative daughter, Iris, in Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies.

In Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies, the narrative unfolds around a family grappling with the profound loss of a mother. The story is infused with an intricate blend of humor and poignancy, making it a daring debut that explores themes of motherhood, anatomy, and the inherent darkness that resides within us all. It is a tale that is both heart-wrenching and insightful, offering a unique perspective on the relationship between a mother and her daughter, as well as the complexities of life and death.

At the center of the story is Lia, a mother to her imaginative and creative daughter, Iris. As Iris navigates the tumultuous terrain of her teenage years, Lia finds herself facing a battle within her own body, which threatens to alter their lives forever. The narrative artfully weaves together memories of Lia's past, including her own childhood and a passionate love affair, as she confronts the possibility of her own mortality. Through this journey, buried secrets and family fears rise to the surface, forcing the characters to confront their emotions and desires.

Ultimately, Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies is a celebration of love, hope, and the desire for more time. As Lia seeks to cherish the moments she has left with Iris, the story becomes a symphonic exploration of life’s fragility and the bonds that tie us together, even in the face of inevitable loss.

Remarkable . . . A tearjerker, but it's hopeful too . . . Brave, inventive and mature * Sunday Times *
Here is a book to dance and sing about. An extraordinary, kaleidoscopic dive into language -- Daisy Johnson, Man Booker-shortlisted author of Everything, Under
Compelling and uplifting . . . undeniably impressive: Mortimer is clearly a talent to watch * Telegraph *
An original and memorable novel written in shimmering prose. The characters stayed with me long after I’d finished reading -- Sarah Moss, Women's Prize-shortlisted author of Ghost Wall and Summerwater
Brave, inventive and mature . . . a remarkable debut * The Times, The best paperbacks of 2023 *
Lyrical and beautiful, this is a novel unlike anything else * Stylist *
Both expansive and intimate, Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies is an intricate portrait of a life hurtling towards the inevitable. An extraordinary debut. -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mercies
Striking . . . formally inventive . . . Sadness is not allowed to crowd out wit and joy * New Yorker *
A beautiful novel about death that feels completely alive, pulsing with tenderness and wit -- Megan Hunter, author of The End We Start From and The Harpy
An extraordinary debut, unlike anything I've read. Wildly inventive, poetic and poignant, this is a rare gem of a novel that took my imagination to new places and touched my heart. -- Emma Stonex, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamplighters

Technically dazzling . . . Mortimer has the same felicity with language as Jon McGregor, combining an incantatory prose style with imagery so acute it almost burns

* Daily Mail *
Ambitious, sprawling . . . brings to mind Eimear McBride's A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing . . . restlessly inventive . . . delicate and persuasive . . . sharply funny * Guardian *
It may move between different styles and moods, but underpinning it all is the book’s bursting energy and, in the face of death, its verve for life * i newspaper *
This is a touching, eye-opening perspective on life and illness like you've never read before * Good Housekeeping *
Using word placement, font, and shape to create images on the page, Mortimer deepens the reader’s engagement with the story and characters . . . Through breathtaking attention to detail, Mortimer crafts a stunning novel that touches on the expanses one life can contain * Booklist (starred) *
Maddie Mortimer's dazzling debut novel about a woman with breast cancer is a life-affirming read - all the more so because of its proximity to death . . . While there are many books that explore these themes, it is rare to find one that does so in such an immersive and harrowing way * Straits Times *

  • Short-listed for Desmond Elliott Prize 2022 (UK)
  • Short-listed for The Goldsmiths Prize 2022 (UK)
  • Long-listed for The Booker Prize 2022 (UK)

ISBN: 9781529069389

Dimensions: 197mm x 130mm x 30mm

Weight: 321g

448 pages