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Edges
Luke left his old life—his dead mother, his alcoholic father—behind in New York City when he came to Moab, Utah, eight months ago. Seventeen years old and technically a runaway, he found work and a new home at a youth hostel nestled in the red sandstone valley. Now, he has reinvented himself as a guy who lives for the present, and it seems to be working—particularly when it comes to his relationship with his beautiful co-worker, Tangerine.
Back in New York, nineteen-year-old Ava is struggling through her own transformation—from drunk to recovering alcoholic. How could she have gotten so out of control? Almost sixty days sober, she’s not sure she can keep it up. But someone she meets at an AA meeting changes her mind, and a strange coincidence—or is it more than that?—brings Ava west to Moab as well.
Living on the edge, caught between the pain of the past and the possibilities of the future, Luke and Ava both discover that in this mysterious world, hope sometimes comes from the most unlikely places.
Back in New York, nineteen-year-old Ava is struggling through her own transformation—from drunk to recovering alcoholic. How could she have gotten so out of control? Almost sixty days sober, she’s not sure she can keep it up. But someone she meets at an AA meeting changes her mind, and a strange coincidence—or is it more than that?—brings Ava west to Moab as well.
Living on the edge, caught between the pain of the past and the possibilities of the future, Luke and Ava both discover that in this mysterious world, hope sometimes comes from the most unlikely places.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2010
2 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Léna Roy
7 books133 followersLéna Roy is a creative writing teacher, and an author of fiction and creative non-fiction, as well as being Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter. She has written a biography of her grandmother, Becoming Madeleine with her sister, Charlotte Jones Voiklis, coming out in February 2018. Léna is a Regional Manager for Writopia Lab in the suburbs of New York City. Writopia Lab’s mission is to foster joy, literacy, and critical thinking in kids and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing. Since 2014, Léna has been recognized by the Scholastic Awards "as an outstanding educator whose dedication, commitment, and guidance are represented by student work selected for national honors." Mentoring has long been the connective tissue in Léna's life, whether through her work with at-risk adolescents in Utah, California, and New York; or through her own writing discipline, as fostered by her late grandmother. It was her grandmother who taught Léna to transform the solitary nature of writing into a sacred sense of community, where her art and the art of others can flourish.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 4, 2010
Okay, I'm biased! EDGES took years of simmering, brewing and taste-testing, making the characters as real to me as I hope they are to the reader.
September 19, 2010
Since I read it several weeks ago, Edges has been seeping into me, like maple syrup on a breakfast plate, finding its way onto a piece of potato or bacon and surprising me with unexpected deliciousness. I’m not sure about the effectiveness of that comparison, but I do know that I loved all of the layers and weavings Léna Roy created in this book, powerfully conveying all of the connections between people and creatures and landscapes—between and among everything!
Our protagonists Luke and Ava lead a whole cast of characters I’d like to be friends with, and each character, in his or her own poignant struggle with relationship, loss, addiction, and growing up, finds moments to be both student and teacher.
Also, magical moments of insight and spontaneous ritual are like the chocolate chips in this book cookie. I’m not sure why the food imagery is coming up in this review so much, but I suspect it’s because Roy has laid out for her reader a tasty meal, with a subtle elegance that continues to dawn on you after you’ve consumed it.
Ultimately, Edges is a story with all of the things I love best—grief and laughter and hope and redemption and a kiss of magic. Which happen to be the ingredients I love in the writing of one of my most beloved authors of all time. While Roy is clearly her own writer, with this debut novel, she definitely pays homage to her grandmother’s legacy.
Our protagonists Luke and Ava lead a whole cast of characters I’d like to be friends with, and each character, in his or her own poignant struggle with relationship, loss, addiction, and growing up, finds moments to be both student and teacher.
Also, magical moments of insight and spontaneous ritual are like the chocolate chips in this book cookie. I’m not sure why the food imagery is coming up in this review so much, but I suspect it’s because Roy has laid out for her reader a tasty meal, with a subtle elegance that continues to dawn on you after you’ve consumed it.
Ultimately, Edges is a story with all of the things I love best—grief and laughter and hope and redemption and a kiss of magic. Which happen to be the ingredients I love in the writing of one of my most beloved authors of all time. While Roy is clearly her own writer, with this debut novel, she definitely pays homage to her grandmother’s legacy.
January 28, 2011
Edges is a beautiful book. I inhaled it. Then I savored it. I am reading it for the third time since I got it for Christmas. I love how the narratives intertwine. Everyone is connected--thus everyone is important. The characters are too real at times, reminding me of friends in real life. Ava and Luke are just trying to figure out who they are and what they should become. Aren't we all? I love the bold discussion of addiction and recovery. The description isn't trite or too simple. Mostly I love that each character is trying to find a community, a family, a place in the world. Speaking of places--New York City and Moab are so richly described that the places become characters themselves. We all have an AA meeting and a Moonflower Motel in our lives. Places we go to engage with reality and to commune with identity. Critics have questions the use of mysticism in the book--don't be discouraged. The treatment is not heavy handed. It is beautiful--all embroidered into the rich tapestry of the narrative. Cinnamon Sprite and her lucid dreams are some of the richest and brightest parts of the book. Go read it. I loved it!
March 9, 2011
Edges opens with seventeen-year-old Luke settling into a trailer outside the Moonflower Motel in Moab, Utah, his home since he fled New York City and his alcoholic father. He moved west alone and cobbled together a family headed by Clare and Jim, the Moonflower’s owners. The story shifts between Luke’s present, New York in the past when Frank and Luke cope with the death of Luke’s mother, and New York in the present when Jim and Clare’s daughter Ava, a shiny new college student, attends Alcoholics Anonymous and meets Frank. A journey of forgiveness and redemption brings the characters together, but the novel never feels contrived. I believed it was possible for lives to intertwine and become stronger together.
I admired Léna’s unflinching portrayal of addiction. In college, a dear friend attended Alcoholics Anonymous and told me the most difficult thing about being sober was that she no longer had something to orient her day. Though she was about Ava’s age, drinking had been the objective of each day, and it was difficult to get through without another. I see that struggle truthfully and painfully portrayed in Ava, and I loved Ava for her strength and selflessness, even when it would be easy to focus only on her own recovery. Families torn by alcoholism are stitched back together, but Edges doesn’t ignore the scars that will remain, an awareness that makes the novel more moving.
Addiction I was okay with, but I’ll admit, at first I was hesitant about the mystical elements in the book. There was never once a reason to roll my eyes; instead, I respected the beliefs and storyline because I respected the characters. Léna, unlike many authors I’ve read, did not use mystic events to add drama and mystery to the plot. Her novel focuses on characters the reader can love, and because the mysticism is part of the characters’ lives, I don’t doubt the novel’s sincerity.
Lastly, the setting. There are books that make you want to pack your bags and travel. And there are books that bring the setting to you. Edges is both.
“Luke let Tangerine climb up the cable first. He was panting by the time he got to the top. The sun’s angle on the earth deepened the color of the rocks to a dark watermelon. The drop into the canyons was spellbinding. The world was vast, unknowable.”
The Utah landscape, both dangerous and comforting, is an apt canvas for the novel’s relationships. Few first novels find that delicate symbiosis.
I enthusiastically recommend Edges, an able debut of an author who, I know, will give us many years of enjoyable stories.
I admired Léna’s unflinching portrayal of addiction. In college, a dear friend attended Alcoholics Anonymous and told me the most difficult thing about being sober was that she no longer had something to orient her day. Though she was about Ava’s age, drinking had been the objective of each day, and it was difficult to get through without another. I see that struggle truthfully and painfully portrayed in Ava, and I loved Ava for her strength and selflessness, even when it would be easy to focus only on her own recovery. Families torn by alcoholism are stitched back together, but Edges doesn’t ignore the scars that will remain, an awareness that makes the novel more moving.
Addiction I was okay with, but I’ll admit, at first I was hesitant about the mystical elements in the book. There was never once a reason to roll my eyes; instead, I respected the beliefs and storyline because I respected the characters. Léna, unlike many authors I’ve read, did not use mystic events to add drama and mystery to the plot. Her novel focuses on characters the reader can love, and because the mysticism is part of the characters’ lives, I don’t doubt the novel’s sincerity.
Lastly, the setting. There are books that make you want to pack your bags and travel. And there are books that bring the setting to you. Edges is both.
“Luke let Tangerine climb up the cable first. He was panting by the time he got to the top. The sun’s angle on the earth deepened the color of the rocks to a dark watermelon. The drop into the canyons was spellbinding. The world was vast, unknowable.”
The Utah landscape, both dangerous and comforting, is an apt canvas for the novel’s relationships. Few first novels find that delicate symbiosis.
I enthusiastically recommend Edges, an able debut of an author who, I know, will give us many years of enjoyable stories.
August 15, 2011
Unusual and involving novel about two teens resolving family issues about grief, independence and alcoholism. 16-year-old Luke left New York to escape his father's spiral back into alcoholism after his wife's death in a car accident. Luke has come to Moab, Utah--it's a place his family had visited in happier times--and is working at a youth hostel there. The hostel's new owners, Jim and Clare, bought the place to start their lives over after Clare's mom's death. In alternating chapters, their 19-year-old daughter Ava, a college student in New York, struggles with her own grief over her grandmother's death, and with her desire to stop the drinking she started during her grandmother's illness. She had insisted to her parents that she was fine, and they believed her--but she's mad that they seemed not to care much about her--not enough to see that she had a drinking problem. The link between the two teens is her AA sponsor, Charlie, who was once sponsored by Luke's dad, Frank. Eventually the link is discovered, and rather than being too much of a coincidence, it's explained as "serendipity" or the actions of a higher power. Luke is also exploring the powers of shamans, spirit guides and other Native American beliefs, so this all feels like it makes enough sense. They all end up in Moab, and at first Luke is furious that his very ill father has come to invade his new-found sense of purpose and balance, while Ava is jealous that her parents seem have found themselves, and helped their young guests (especially Luke) at her expense. They each gradually find a tentative peace, with the beauty of the desert to help them. Both gritty and hopeful, a tough combination to pull off.
For kids whose family members struggle with addiction, or who may have their own problems with it, this book may be reassuring, or at least let them know they're not alone. And for kids weighing the idea of independence versus parental involvement, there is a lot to think about here.
NB Westchester County, NY author.
For kids whose family members struggle with addiction, or who may have their own problems with it, this book may be reassuring, or at least let them know they're not alone. And for kids weighing the idea of independence versus parental involvement, there is a lot to think about here.
NB Westchester County, NY author.
January 23, 2011
As a huge fan of Madeline L'Engle I was so excited to read Edges by Ms. Roy. While I certainly did not expect them to be the same writer, she is after all her own person, I was hopeful that I would find another writer with a unique voice and the realistic optimism I always found in Ms. L'Engle's work from the time I was in 5th grade.
I was NOT disappointed. The voice that Ms. Roy employs in the novel is very unique but contains the mysticism and optimism that reminds me that all of life is not unbearable, while maintaining the realism necessary to speak to young adults. She does not write a happy happy book that smacks of saccharine sweetness. Instead, she writes an inspired and complex novel that intertwines two sets of lives on opposite ends of the country who, unbeknown to them, are inextricably linked. The main characters struggle with dark and realistic demons that threaten to rip apart not only their own lives, but the lives of those they love. Yet, throughout, Ms. Roy maintains an undercurrent of optimism that allows the reader and the characters to believe that there MIGHT be something better on the other side, if they can but find it.
As a high school English teacher, I spend my days trying to convince many of my teenagers the very same thing. I work with many youths who battle demons daily, either of their own creation or of the creation of the adults in their lives. These amazing kids deal daily with the choices of life and death. That might seem heavy to many people out there, but more of our young adults ages 12-21 struggle with life and death situations than most people realize, or care to contemplate. This is shown clearly through the narrative in Edges.
Ms. Roy has written a novel that will speak to those students I most worry about and, I can hope, give them hope for another day.
Bravo Ms. Roy! I look forward to your next work!
I was NOT disappointed. The voice that Ms. Roy employs in the novel is very unique but contains the mysticism and optimism that reminds me that all of life is not unbearable, while maintaining the realism necessary to speak to young adults. She does not write a happy happy book that smacks of saccharine sweetness. Instead, she writes an inspired and complex novel that intertwines two sets of lives on opposite ends of the country who, unbeknown to them, are inextricably linked. The main characters struggle with dark and realistic demons that threaten to rip apart not only their own lives, but the lives of those they love. Yet, throughout, Ms. Roy maintains an undercurrent of optimism that allows the reader and the characters to believe that there MIGHT be something better on the other side, if they can but find it.
As a high school English teacher, I spend my days trying to convince many of my teenagers the very same thing. I work with many youths who battle demons daily, either of their own creation or of the creation of the adults in their lives. These amazing kids deal daily with the choices of life and death. That might seem heavy to many people out there, but more of our young adults ages 12-21 struggle with life and death situations than most people realize, or care to contemplate. This is shown clearly through the narrative in Edges.
Ms. Roy has written a novel that will speak to those students I most worry about and, I can hope, give them hope for another day.
Bravo Ms. Roy! I look forward to your next work!
September 24, 2017
couldn't get into this one... try again another time...
September 24, 2019
A bit too weird and occasionally abstract for my taste. I never connected with any of the characters. And the audiobook narrators weren't my favourite either.
March 3, 2011
Lena Roy’s debut novel EDGES tells the story of Luke and Ava, two teen narrators sliding down a slippery slope of drug and alcohol abuse. They’ve made mistakes–many that embarrass them, haunt them–and they’re ready for change.
But bad habits are hard to break, especially with all the triggers around them: bars, jobs, jobs at bars, family genes, peer pressure, city life, their dropout status. Everywhere Luke and Ava turn, they face another roadblock. How do they keep crossing them? Is it even worth crossing them? These are questions that Luke and Ava must answer–soon, for 18 year-olds aren’t supposed to wait tables full-time and live at youth hostels.
Roy crafts two vibrant settings in Utah and New York City, while skillfully intertwines the two narrators’ stories. In the spirit of the Oscars, I must report that while Luke is strong, Ava steals the show(and deserves an award for, well, let's call it the Coolest, Most Sympathetic Character in YA Literature Award). Her visits to AA meetings, where she’s surrounded my men twice her age, are especially poignant. They strongly resonate with her sense that she’s alone, that nobody is like her, or likes her, and that it’ll take a miracle to survive the day. But kinship is found in the most unexpected of places. And for Ava, it can’t come soon enough.
EDGES is a bold and honest story that will undoubtedly relate to scores of teenage readers. Most teens know someone dealing with substance abuse–and every teen, at one time or another, feels like they’re drowning. This book will keep them afloat.
But bad habits are hard to break, especially with all the triggers around them: bars, jobs, jobs at bars, family genes, peer pressure, city life, their dropout status. Everywhere Luke and Ava turn, they face another roadblock. How do they keep crossing them? Is it even worth crossing them? These are questions that Luke and Ava must answer–soon, for 18 year-olds aren’t supposed to wait tables full-time and live at youth hostels.
Roy crafts two vibrant settings in Utah and New York City, while skillfully intertwines the two narrators’ stories. In the spirit of the Oscars, I must report that while Luke is strong, Ava steals the show(and deserves an award for, well, let's call it the Coolest, Most Sympathetic Character in YA Literature Award). Her visits to AA meetings, where she’s surrounded my men twice her age, are especially poignant. They strongly resonate with her sense that she’s alone, that nobody is like her, or likes her, and that it’ll take a miracle to survive the day. But kinship is found in the most unexpected of places. And for Ava, it can’t come soon enough.
EDGES is a bold and honest story that will undoubtedly relate to scores of teenage readers. Most teens know someone dealing with substance abuse–and every teen, at one time or another, feels like they’re drowning. This book will keep them afloat.
January 29, 2011
I have been savoring this book since I started it a few weeks ago, and while I thought about the characters and the story when I wasn't reading, I tried to allow myself only small indulgences to make it last longer. Finishing today was bittersweet; I love the possibilities the open-ended finish allows, but I am sad to end the life-changing journey I'd been on with Luke and Ava for 160+ pages.
Roy beautifully and masterfully weaves together the stories of Luke and Ava, each struggling with their own coming-of age, their own family difficulties, their own understanding of the world. The issues are not light ones: addiction, recovery, isolation, family, God, nature, connection with the earth. It's amazing that this is a debut novel, as Roy deftly handles this serious subject matter with seemingly effortless skill. The characters are colorful, fully realized, and realistic. Their journey toward understanding, wellness, and each other is inspiring. I was immediately drawn in by the story, and the setting is spectacular (and a wonderful escape from the snowy wonderland here in the northeast).
Léna Roy has written a gem in this wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. I look forward to the opportunity to share it with others, both personally and professionally!
Roy beautifully and masterfully weaves together the stories of Luke and Ava, each struggling with their own coming-of age, their own family difficulties, their own understanding of the world. The issues are not light ones: addiction, recovery, isolation, family, God, nature, connection with the earth. It's amazing that this is a debut novel, as Roy deftly handles this serious subject matter with seemingly effortless skill. The characters are colorful, fully realized, and realistic. Their journey toward understanding, wellness, and each other is inspiring. I was immediately drawn in by the story, and the setting is spectacular (and a wonderful escape from the snowy wonderland here in the northeast).
Léna Roy has written a gem in this wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. I look forward to the opportunity to share it with others, both personally and professionally!
March 6, 2014
There's a place for books about interesting characters in remarkable places encountering the complex and spiritual mysteries of life. "Edges" makes a strong attempt for that place, but doesn't make it. The basic premise is simple: Luke is living in Moab after quasi-running away from his NYC home. While he mopes in Utah, Eva struggles with her sobriety in Manhattan. Moab is beautiful but all is not well at the Moonflower Inn; a cast of characters can't obscure Luke's past. All is not well in the Big Apple; Eva can't feel comfortable without drinking.
So far, so good. Roy then alters between characters and takes the story into spiritual questions, as well as more Alcoholics Anonymous chatter than is good for fiction. What could have been a taught, sharp look at young adults feels more like problem-novel YA that has sat on a shelf too close to Carlos Casteneda. Devotes of the Canyon Lands area who crave AA fictions will like this, but the audience for it isn't wide.
So far, so good. Roy then alters between characters and takes the story into spiritual questions, as well as more Alcoholics Anonymous chatter than is good for fiction. What could have been a taught, sharp look at young adults feels more like problem-novel YA that has sat on a shelf too close to Carlos Casteneda. Devotes of the Canyon Lands area who crave AA fictions will like this, but the audience for it isn't wide.
August 31, 2011
It took me awhile to get into this story, which starts slowly, but, once I did, I was absolutely hooked. Ms. Roy deals in deep emotions and shades of grey, and treats her characters honestly. Luke, 17, is in essence a teenage runaway, fed up with dealing with his father's plunge back into alcoholism after his mother's death. Ava, two years older, is brilliant and has been accepted at Barnard college, but has herself become an alcoholic in response to her grandmother's death and what she perceives as her parents' abandonment. How these two young people meet and help heal each other and their relationships is the story. To summarize the plot might make it seem heavy handed and too full of coincidences. It's not. And that's because (though at first I thought I was drowning in names), every character we meet comes through as a complex human being with strengths and weaknesses. Ms. Roy's description of the Moonflower hostel and the Utah landscape are also fine. An enjoyable read.
February 15, 2011
I didn't like this one very much. Maybe it was because I listened to the audiobook and didn't like the voice of the female reader, or perhaps it's because I'm in a relationship with someone whose past was a little too close to the main male protagonist's. This reminded me a lot of Downriver. There was some mystical element, maybe like magical realism or something? It didn't go over well for me.
I'm not sure I would really recommend this to anyone I know, but I suppose it was written for teens facing peer pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol.
As such, the warning would be: It deals with death, alcoholism, illegal drug use, truancy, and running away from home. The F word was thrown in there a few times, and some of the flashbacks of the female protagonist's and some of the things she said got a little sexual in nature- not in a healthy way at all.
I'm not sure I would really recommend this to anyone I know, but I suppose it was written for teens facing peer pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol.
As such, the warning would be: It deals with death, alcoholism, illegal drug use, truancy, and running away from home. The F word was thrown in there a few times, and some of the flashbacks of the female protagonist's and some of the things she said got a little sexual in nature- not in a healthy way at all.
March 5, 2012
Edges was recommended to me. I didn't know what to expect, as a book about young adults struggling with identify, parental relationships, and substance abuse issues is heavy fare compared to my usual light snacking on fantasy and science fiction. But I am happy to report that my dining experience was an enjoyable one. I quickly felt drawn to the characters and found myself hoping things would work out. The author intertwines more than one storyline very effectively. Her descriptions of the stunning Moab landscapes make me want to visit. The book succeeds in bringing us in and caring about the lives of the characters. I didn't want to put the book down. It is a meal for the mind made of an unexpected combination of ingredients that work well together. I can't wait for the second course.
June 11, 2017
A short (162 pg.) but engrossing novel. The way in which Luke's and Ava's stories tied together was very interesting to see -- it reminded me of Carol Higgins Clark's books, and how her main character's story is always tied to the villain's. All of the characters are likeable, and Léna's writing really pulls you in from the start. As YA authors go, she's not her grandmother, but I'd rank her well above Rick Riordan and about on a par with Maureen Johnson (both of whose books I really enjoy).
Addendum 7/1/16: It's really such a shame that Léna was dropped by her publisher after Edges flopped and that she hasn't been able to publish anything since. She's a talented author and I'd have loved to see more from her.
Addendum 7/1/16: It's really such a shame that Léna was dropped by her publisher after Edges flopped and that she hasn't been able to publish anything since. She's a talented author and I'd have loved to see more from her.
January 7, 2016
This book is well written, making it captivating to read. The writing especially shines in the descriptions of the natural beauty and personality of Moab. The book also has wonderful characters who are intriguing and easily lovable. For me the book fell apart in its spiritual themes and messages of a higher power. I just couldn't make the leap and would have liked to see something more concrete, whether that be a better carried out metaphor (i'm talking about the use of bears) or a different message altogether I'm not sure. Probably, this just shows that I missed the point of the book completely. Either way, I'd recommend this book as a quick, interesting, and sometimes thought-provoking read that perhaps people less stubborn than I can find great meaning in.
October 22, 2011
Lena Roy has definitely got the storytelling ability of her grandmother, Madeline L'Engle. While Luke is the main character, there are important female characters too. The story deals with teen and adult substance abuse. Lots of AA references and attitudes but living one day at a time and being aware of each moment does not have to apply to just users. The setting is Moab, Utah and New York, two areas Roy knows well. In fact, Roy is honest that she too used alcohol excessively as a teen. The story has lots of lines that are simply tied up in the end...it is a good read. Despite some occasional rough language, this would be a good book for teens.
February 24, 2012
I originally started Edges by listening to the audio book which I won through a blog contest. It was initially hard for me to engage but I think that was primarily due to the recording and the voices that read it. About 1/3 of the way through I picked up a written copy and was immediately hooked. The characters were fleshed out nicely and I loved the contrast between the adolescents and the adults as far as their perceptions and reactions to challenges that came while still keeping the all perspectives real and honest. And I have to say, while I've always been intrigued with New York I now have a new desire to visit Moab, Utah!
December 9, 2012
I just finished "reading" this by audio book. Sometimes audiobooks can take away from the story itself based on the voices reading, and unfortunately this is what happened in my experience. The story however was interesting, it was very slow to start, but once it became more interesting I was engaged with it. It was predicable for me, how the 2 separate story lines were coming together, but the author paints a good imagery to keep you interested. I liked the mystical side of it with the unique characters and experiences in Moab - definitely my favorite part of the book.
January 6, 2011
I wasn't sure about this book at first. It made me confront demons I hadn't thought I would have to until my father was gone. I come from a long line of alcoholics and this book hit VERY close to home. Anyone struggling with a past of addiction this read offers incite and hope for the future. There is hope. There is a light at the end of the tumble. Keep faith. "Changes in perceptions" happen everyday.
February 13, 2011
Awesome! I think anyone who enjoys YAlit will enjoy this book.
Two main characters-- male, one female--struggle to grow up and figure out who they are. They both have love for their families, but they also aren't sure how they fit into their families. This is a quick read. I'd recommend this to a male or female reader--anyone who enjoys adventure and who can relate to families in distress. Also, there's a focus on dealing with alcoholism through AA.
Two main characters-- male, one female--struggle to grow up and figure out who they are. They both have love for their families, but they also aren't sure how they fit into their families. This is a quick read. I'd recommend this to a male or female reader--anyone who enjoys adventure and who can relate to families in distress. Also, there's a focus on dealing with alcoholism through AA.
February 26, 2012
First book that I read on my Kindle. that in itself makes this book interesting - letting go of my insistance that a book must be paper and ink to truly be enjoyed.
I did enjoy this book. Very real characters feeling real emotions and reacting in real ways. The main character is a teenager, and this is classified as adolescent lit, but the themes are relatable to teens and adults.
A good first novel from Roy. Looking forward to more.
I did enjoy this book. Very real characters feeling real emotions and reacting in real ways. The main character is a teenager, and this is classified as adolescent lit, but the themes are relatable to teens and adults.
A good first novel from Roy. Looking forward to more.
February 20, 2012
I zipped through this book -- the first fiction I've read on my new tablet. Really loved the characters, the relationships, the description of Moab (where I've never been) and the description of upper Manhattan (where I lived once upon my time). I also loved the magical realism and the ideas about spirituality, creativity, and recovery from addiction. This is my favorite kind of fiction: a picture of lives in progress. Can't wait to read what Lena Roy does next.
October 26, 2015
Edges is a very enjoyable book. The author treats each character with compassion, and as a result you want to read more, and root for each character. I picked this up to read for two reasons, because at the time I was contemplating a move to Moab and was hoping for more of a taste of the area, and because I love Madeleine L'Engle's work, Ms. Roy's grandmother. This author has her own work and own stories to tell and I can't wait to see more of her work!
May 28, 2023
This is the story of a teenager dealing with not only his mother's death, but his father's destructive alcoholism. It's a good, quick, but insightful story. Some of the mysticism is a bit odd, but it makes sense within the story, which is also about moving through tough times and being open to a better life. It's geared toward teens, but I enjoyed it as an adult. I would recommend it to anyone going through a difficult time.
September 24, 2010
Ms. Roy has created a gorgeous work that does not talk down to her target audience. It deals with the toughness that life can bring, but packed inside the murkiness of it all, there's a glimmer of hope. Its what made me keep reading, devouring every chapter. We need more YA authors like Roy, and we need more great books like EDGES.
October 4, 2010
This book holds so much-- the need to escape, the need to be found, the way distances between parents and children expand and contract, the way grief can swallow will, the way redemption comes in fragile and faltering steps. Lena Roy handles the parallel narratives like a pro; the characters are so true they make your heart hurt.
June 14, 2011
I never read a book that dealt with sobriety and teenagers like this. And to make these characters breathe with such life in such an unusual place takes guts and a great writer. Loved it! We need more books that address addiction like this for younger readers, books that are elegant, engaging and inspire spirituality. A winner!
November 21, 2011
This was an unremarkable novel with a predictable story line. It wasn't bad; it was just undeveloped. Although it is written for a high school audience, it read more like a book for elementary aged readers. It has a very simple plot without much real character development. I felt like I was reading more of an outline than a novel.
May 28, 2012
Great story. A young adult novel. Lots of AA language. Narration switches between two characters. Boy - left NY when dad started drinking again after mom killed in car accident. Ended up in Utah at youth hostel. Girl - left for school in NY and became alcoholic. 60 days sober. They connect - her parents run the youth hostel. Neat read. Recommended to Emily Hanson.
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