CAE Reading and Use of English Part 6
You are going to read four reviews of the novel ‘The Cartographer’s Silence’ by Ernesto Rivaldi For questions 37-40, choose from the reviewers A-D. The reviewers may be chosen more than once.
The Cartographer’s Silence
Review A
Rivaldi’s latest offering, ‘The Cartographer’s Silence’, is a formidable addition to the genre of literary historical fiction. The novel’s story is brilliant: an ageing mapmaker in 18th-century Venice is commissioned to create a chart of the Republic’s territories, only to discover that the political powers demand he omit certain islands and distort coastlines to suit their expansionist narratives. Rivaldi’s prose is meticulously crafted, with every sentence full of symbolic weight. The protagonist’s internal conflict—between his artisan’s integrity and the threat of poverty or worse—is delivered with excruciating precision. However, this precision might make the novel overly ponderous. It reads deliberately slow, mirroring the painstaking work of cartography itself, which may try the patience of readers seeking a more dynamic plot. It is a book to be admired for its intellectual richness and lyrical beauty, yet one that remains at a certain emotional arm’s length, its characters serving more as vessels for its grand ideas than as flesh-and-blood beings we would care about.
Review B
The Cartographer’s Silence’ major strengths are its atmosphere and moral inquiry. Rivaldi excels in immersing the reader in the damp alleys of Venice and the claustrophobic workshop of his protagonist, Elio. The central metaphor of the novel—that maps are not records of reality but projections of power—is explored with remarkable attention to detail. We witness Elio’s gradual transformation from a naive craftsman, proud of his technical skill, into a disillusioned and complicit actor in a state-wide deception. The supporting cast, particularly a shrewd print-shop owner who becomes an unexpected ally to the protagonist, is vividly drawn and provides a much needed counterpoint to Elio’s growing isolation. While the book is certainly challenging and demands the reader’s full attention, it never feels like a chore. The tension comes not from action and drama, but from the quiet, seismic shifts in Elio’s conscience. This is a moving novel about the price of compromise and the silent spaces where truth is forced into hiding.
Review C
There is much to commend in Ernesto Rivaldi’s ‘The Cartographer’s Silence’, primarily its stunning evocation of a historical period and its core theme. Rivaldi has clearly done his research, and the details of pre-industrial mapmaking are fascinating. The novel poses urgent questions about the nature of truth and the artist’s role in a manipulative society that feel strikingly relevant to our modern era of misinformation. Yet, for all its conceptual strengths, the novel fails in the character department. Elio, the cartographer, remains an enigmatic and largely passive figure throughout. His internal struggles are told to us rather than viscerally felt, and his key decisions often seem more like plot necessities, not organic developments of his character. The novel is too busy with its grand thesis to forge a deep emotional connection. It is, in the final analysis, a beautifully constructed vessel, but one that leaves an aftertaste of emptiness.
Review D
With ‘The Cartographer’s Silence’, Ernesto Rivaldi has crafted a work of rare and haunting beauty. The novel’s greatest strength lies in its ability to make a seemingly esoteric subject—the craft of cartography—into a gripping human drama. The prose is evocative, painting pictures with words as masterfully as Elio does with ink and parchment. Unlike some reviewers, I found Elio’s journey from integrity to complicity and towards a form of redemption to be entirely compelling and emotionally resonant. His silence, as he chooses to omit a rebellious island from his map, becomes a deafening roar in one’s mind, where the more attentive readers are likely to see references to the political landscape of today. The pacing might feel slow, but it serves to build an almost unbearable psychological tension. This is a book that lingers long after the final page is turned, forcing one to think over the little silences and omissions in our own lives. It is, no doubt about it, a masterpiece of quiet intensity.
Which reviewer …
37 shares Reviewer A’s opinion about the emotional connection readers feel towards the characters?
38 expresses a similar view to Reviewer C on how true the book’s themes are to contemporary issues?
39 has a different opinion from the others on the depth of the main character’s portrayal?
40 disagrees with Reviewer A’s idea on the pace of the narrative?
For this task: Answers with explanations :: Vocabulary
