Book Reviews
"Jane Hamilton has removed all doubt that she belongs among the major writers of our time."
— San Francisco Chronicle

"Like a lot of books singled out for praise, A Map of the World can be described as a page-turner. But in this case, the pages are turned with trembling hands."
— People

"This beautifully written story follows the form and function of all great literature: it assembles a gripping cast of sinner, sufferers, and opportunists, then gives them the settings and self-perceptions to hang or redeem themselves."
— Glamour

"Few writers have the courage to attempt a truly adult novel or the skill to produce one. Thankfully, Jane Hamilton is among them. A daring writer."
— New York Daily News

"The book is exquisite in its individual passages, compelling as a whole." —
Women's Review of Books

"Unforgettably, beat by beat, Hamilton maps the best and worst of the human heart and all the mysterious, uncharted country in between."
— Kirkus Reviews

"Hamilton's special genius lies in blending the quotidian and the mythic."
— U.S. News & World Report

"A beautifully developed and written story reminiscent of the work of Sue Miller and Jane Smiley... one wants to read this power novel at one sitting."
— Publisher's Weekly

"Stunning prose and unforgettable characters... an enthralling tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying ways our lives can spin out of control.
A+" — Entertainment Weekly

"It takes a writer of rare power and discipline to carry off an achievement like A Map of the World. Hamilton proves here that she is one of our best."
— Newsweek

"Ms. Hamilton has done a nimble job of showing us how precarious the illusion of safety and security really is."
— New York Times

"Hamilton's chillingly accurate prose keeps her fine novel buoyant. She is superb in her observation of the natural world and in her examination of psychological nuance."
— Washington Post