A Map For Wrecked Girls

A Map For Wrecked Girls was an interesting read and I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand it's a dual narrative tale telling the story of Henri and Em, two sisters who are on the outs, set both before and after they are marooned on a tiny island somewhere off Puerto Rico. Their companion is Alex, a guy with his own secrets which are slowly revealed over the course of the book. It's also a look at sisters and the dynamic between them, and what happens when a traumatic event drives them apart. 

The central theme here is forgiveness- can certain things be unforgivable? Henri and Em are at odds because of something Em did. Em isn't sure if Henri will ever forgive her, and the story alternates between what happened in the months leading up to their time in Puerto Rico, and the present day being stranded with no food or water. The experiences on the island are pretty harrowing, including having to deal with starvation, exposure and even wildlife. Perhaps even more harrowing however are the flashbacks to what happened before.  

Henri is a wild child, loves to party, and always has a guy. Em is much more reserved but is totally defined by Henri, as she is well aware- Henri seems to be her whole world, everything she does is eclipsed or validated by her older sister. I'm not sure their relationship is a healthy one, and cracks start to appear when their dad leaves their mom. There's also the boy across the street- Jesse- who Em has been pining for, but unfortunately he only has eyes for Henri. 

There's another elephant in the room and between that and Jesse their relationship is shattered. Accompanying their mother to Puerto Rico, they take up with some guys and end up stranded. When Em and Alex begin to have feelings for each other, it makes it that much more difficult for Em and her sister to reconcile. 

My mixed feelings come from the characters. I didn't care much for Henri. She seems vain and hurtful, but beneath it all she has real pain and by the end of the book I felt for her. Alex is a character I was never sure about, to be honest- at times I thought he was playing games, and at other times thought he was genuine. His secret is potentially bigger, and one of the problems I had was when the big reveal happens I thought it a bit anti- climactic. Also, the flashback chapters start several months ago, but by the time the reveal happens it's only a short time before their trip, and the long- simmering resentments that I thought were months in the making seemed diminished.  

I think some readers may prefer the survival story, and others the sister drama. Some might like both. I thought the ending was wrapped up a little too cozily. This would be a great book for a book discussion, as several decisions made by the three of them are just begging to be debated!