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The Edge of the Earth: A Novel
In 1898, a woman forsakes the comfort of home and family for a love that takes her to a remote lighthouse on the wild coast of California. What she finds at the edge of the earth, hidden between the sea and the fog, will change her life irrevocably.
Trudy, who can argue Kant over dinner and play a respectable portion of Mozart’s Serenade in G major, has been raised to marry her childhood friend and assume a life of bourgeois comfort in Milwaukee. She knows she should be pleased, but she’s restless instead, yearning for something she lacks even the vocabulary to articulate. When she falls in love with enigmatic and ambitious Oskar, she believes she’s found her escape from the banality of her preordained life.
But escape turns out to be more fraught than Trudy had imagined. Alienated from family and friends, the couple moves across the country to take a job at a lighthouse at Point Lucia, California—an unnervingly isolated outcropping, trapped between the ocean and hundreds of miles of inaccessible wilderness. There they meet the light station’s only inhabitants—the formidable and guarded Crawleys. In this unfamiliar place, Trudy will find that nothing is as she might have predicted, especially after she discovers what hides among the rocks.
Gorgeously detailed, swiftly paced, and anchored in the dramatic geography of the remote and eternally mesmerizing Big Sur, The Edge of the Earth is a magical story of secrets and self-transformation, ruses and rebirths. Christina Schwarz, celebrated for her rich evocation of place and vivid, unpredictable characters, has spun another haunting and unforgettable tale.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 428 reviews
February 24, 2022
The edge of the earth for Trudy Swann is a lighthouse in Point Lucia, California, where she is domiciled with her new husband, Oskar, the Crawley family consisting of the chief keeper, his wife and four children, and Mrs. Crawley’s brother, Archie Johnson. She has married impetuously, without knowing much about who her husband truly is, but what might reveal itself in bits and pieces under normal circumstances, comes in a rush in such an isolated setting.
It is interesting to see Trudy develop her own interests and pursue her natural inclinations toward science. Schwarz does an excellent job of unveiling Trudy, and indeed all the other characters she invents for us. There is a “mermaid” (according to the children) on the island, living in the caves, and the mystery of this woman drives the plot. While I unraveled the main mystery well before the reveal, I still found the book riveting and was anxious to see how the truth would be exposed and how it would affect this group of lighthouse keepers. I think a secret is a hard thing to keep in such close quarters, and strangers do not remain such for long when the sounds of their living penetrate the walls between their homes.
The idea of living and caring for a lighthouse is one that has some very specific appeal for me. I cannot tell you why, but it seems it is a romantic notion that I have held onto from childhood, so there must have been a captivating lighthouse book in my youth somewhere. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and welcomed the break from heavier reading into something that was sheer pleasure first to last.
It is interesting to see Trudy develop her own interests and pursue her natural inclinations toward science. Schwarz does an excellent job of unveiling Trudy, and indeed all the other characters she invents for us. There is a “mermaid” (according to the children) on the island, living in the caves, and the mystery of this woman drives the plot. While I unraveled the main mystery well before the reveal, I still found the book riveting and was anxious to see how the truth would be exposed and how it would affect this group of lighthouse keepers. I think a secret is a hard thing to keep in such close quarters, and strangers do not remain such for long when the sounds of their living penetrate the walls between their homes.
The idea of living and caring for a lighthouse is one that has some very specific appeal for me. I cannot tell you why, but it seems it is a romantic notion that I have held onto from childhood, so there must have been a captivating lighthouse book in my youth somewhere. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and welcomed the break from heavier reading into something that was sheer pleasure first to last.
March 28, 2013
The Edge of the Earth is a difficult read. At no point is it swiftly paced to keep you interested or riveted. It plods along in a greyness with very little vibrancy. It does not elicit any real emotion from the reader until well past the 200 page mark.
Understanding when the novel takes place is important to the development of the characters and story. Trudy is likeable enough. Unhappy at home, uncertain of her choices later on. She relies on her infallible husband and stands behind his increasingly disturbing choices.
Oskar is an enthusiastic young man with more energy than he knows what to do with. Unfortunately he is flighty, selfish and dismissive, completely sure of his import over anyone else. He creates such feelings of disdain late in the books.
Neither of the primary characters are very entertaining and the supporting cast, while they play important roles, are completely mundane. The novel really made me feel nothing. No excitement or fear, no hope or anger. I rate this book on how little it brings the reader in and makes them feel a part of the story. It was far from a page turner.
I was lucky enough to have won an advanced readers copy of The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz through a Goodreads Giveaway.
Understanding when the novel takes place is important to the development of the characters and story. Trudy is likeable enough. Unhappy at home, uncertain of her choices later on. She relies on her infallible husband and stands behind his increasingly disturbing choices.
Oskar is an enthusiastic young man with more energy than he knows what to do with. Unfortunately he is flighty, selfish and dismissive, completely sure of his import over anyone else. He creates such feelings of disdain late in the books.
Neither of the primary characters are very entertaining and the supporting cast, while they play important roles, are completely mundane. The novel really made me feel nothing. No excitement or fear, no hope or anger. I rate this book on how little it brings the reader in and makes them feel a part of the story. It was far from a page turner.
I was lucky enough to have won an advanced readers copy of The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz through a Goodreads Giveaway.
June 15, 2023
The book jacket synopsis hints at danger in a remote location, not just from the elements but an unexpected presence hiding in the wilderness. But this is so much more than a thriller based on isolation and the fear of the unknown.
Trudy is a highly educated woman, able to argue philosophy (Kant, anyone?) or play a Mozart sonata. Everyone expects she’ll marry her childhood friend, Ernst, and settle down to an upper-middle class life in Milwaukee. But then she meets Ernst’s cousin, Oskar, and everything changes. Oskar is a dreamer with training as an engineer. He’s intent on inventing the next BIG thing and Trudy is caught up in his dreams. He takes a position as an assistant lighthouse keeper on a remote promontory on the California coast, thinking he’ll have plenty of time to work on his invention. So, in fall of 1898 the newlyweds set out to make their own future. Things don’t go as they expected.
Trudy is a wonderful character. She’s intelligent, but also observant and not afraid of some hard work. When the lighthouse keeper’s wife suggests (demands?) that Trudy serve as a schoolteacher for the keeper’s children, she takes on the challenge. But the children have much to teach her as well.
Oskar, on the other hand, is a real piece of work. I guess I can understand how his enthusiasm and apparent drive to make a real impact on the world could have seduced her, but how could Trudy keep forgiving him and supporting him when his true colors became evident. I saw the climactic scene coming a mile off, though I still enjoyed reading it and seeing how Schwarz would craft this denouement.
The character that most surprised me was Euphemia (Mrs. Crawley). She was a rock, a pillar of strength, and when push came to shove, she supported and helped Trudy, her children, and Helen. She loved her brother, yes, but she recognized his failings and ultimately would not make excuses for him. Brava.
Trudy is a highly educated woman, able to argue philosophy (Kant, anyone?) or play a Mozart sonata. Everyone expects she’ll marry her childhood friend, Ernst, and settle down to an upper-middle class life in Milwaukee. But then she meets Ernst’s cousin, Oskar, and everything changes. Oskar is a dreamer with training as an engineer. He’s intent on inventing the next BIG thing and Trudy is caught up in his dreams. He takes a position as an assistant lighthouse keeper on a remote promontory on the California coast, thinking he’ll have plenty of time to work on his invention. So, in fall of 1898 the newlyweds set out to make their own future. Things don’t go as they expected.
Trudy is a wonderful character. She’s intelligent, but also observant and not afraid of some hard work. When the lighthouse keeper’s wife suggests (demands?) that Trudy serve as a schoolteacher for the keeper’s children, she takes on the challenge. But the children have much to teach her as well.
Oskar, on the other hand, is a real piece of work. I guess I can understand how his enthusiasm and apparent drive to make a real impact on the world could have seduced her, but how could Trudy keep forgiving him and supporting him when his true colors became evident. I saw the climactic scene coming a mile off, though I still enjoyed reading it and seeing how Schwarz would craft this denouement.
The character that most surprised me was Euphemia (Mrs. Crawley). She was a rock, a pillar of strength, and when push came to shove, she supported and helped Trudy, her children, and Helen. She loved her brother, yes, but she recognized his failings and ultimately would not make excuses for him. Brava.
January 13, 2013
Anyone that knows my preferences in reading material would never dare suggest this book as one for me to read.
Sometimes the bad decisions we make, lead to discoveries we didn't know about ourselves.
Trudy is a young well-educated lady living in Wisconsin in 1898.
Her life is pretty well pre-planed in that she will be marying her lifetime friend Ernst in a double wedding with her best friend and she'll live happily ever after. However when Ernst's brother Oskar returns from a long absence and starts spreading his boyish adventurous and daring charms around, Trudy is swept off her feet and before you know it, she and Oskar are married. But soon, we the readers, soon realize that Oskar is not really a very responsible person. There is no doubt that his love for Trudy is real as are his "scientific" passions, but his passions do have a way of going from going on tangents.
Through all this, Trudy is transported to an isolated lighthouse where she starts discovering her personal values and matures very quickly into a very responsible woman.
I loved this story, I loved the way it was written and I loved that I got to read something which was, to me, different than what I normally would read.
Sometimes the bad decisions we make, lead to discoveries we didn't know about ourselves.
Trudy is a young well-educated lady living in Wisconsin in 1898.
Her life is pretty well pre-planed in that she will be marying her lifetime friend Ernst in a double wedding with her best friend and she'll live happily ever after. However when Ernst's brother Oskar returns from a long absence and starts spreading his boyish adventurous and daring charms around, Trudy is swept off her feet and before you know it, she and Oskar are married. But soon, we the readers, soon realize that Oskar is not really a very responsible person. There is no doubt that his love for Trudy is real as are his "scientific" passions, but his passions do have a way of going from going on tangents.
Through all this, Trudy is transported to an isolated lighthouse where she starts discovering her personal values and matures very quickly into a very responsible woman.
I loved this story, I loved the way it was written and I loved that I got to read something which was, to me, different than what I normally would read.
June 23, 2023
I hadn't read such a good historical fiction book in a long time.
January 23, 2013
I have been a fan of Christina Schwarz since reading Drowning Ruth, so I was excited to receive an Advance Reader's Copy of her upcoming novel, The Edge of the Earth. Ms. Schwarz has a flair for her vivid descriptions of her novel's locations-in this case a remote lighthouse on the California Pacific coast in the late 1890's. There, young newlywed Trudy Swann, who gave up a pampered and privledged life in Wisconsin to follow her husband west, learns unexpected truths about herself, her husband and the Crawley family who man the lighthouse. Trudy's story is really a case of "be careful of what you wish for," as she finds life in her remote outpost not at all what she expected. There are a few twists towards the novel's end (one is fairly easy to figure out earlier) that give The Edge of the Earth a darker tone. I liked this book, but I wish Ms. Schwarz had spent more time on developing the story, as it seems she brings it to a climatic end almost abruptly. The Edge of the Earth will be published in April and should appeal to her current fans and new readers as well.
April 13, 2013
The perfect book for a rainy weekend. Semi-isolation on a rocky lighthouse island with a few strange residents. Lots of foggy atmosphere. Brilliantly written. Characters that are as deep as the surrounding ocean. I LOVE this book. This was my first introduction to Christina Schwarz and now I want to read everything else she's written.
June 5, 2013
It is 1898 and Trudy is a well-educated young woman living with her parents in Milwaukee, having some doubts about her long-time planned future. Engaged to be married to Ernst Dettweiler after her graduation from Milwaukee College, her life is set up to be one of the ease, comfort, and predictability that mirrors her parents' lives. She wonders if there isn't something more exciting, more meaningful, and when she meets Oskar Swann, she falls in love with the man who she believes can give her the adventure and excitement she craves. Oskar is certain that he will make his mark on the world and takes a job as an assistant lighthouse keeper at Point Lucia, California to start them on their journey to the exceptional. As the title reveals, Point Lucia is like living at the edge of the Earth. Another couple, their children, and the woman's brother are the only other inhabitants of this island, and Trudy must adapt to leaving her loved ones behind and learning to be self-sufficient with only marginal help from the Crawleys. The Crawley children, however, are fountains of island information and direction. There is one other inhabitant known to the Crawleys and to the brother, one whom the children call the mermaid who dwells in the rocks. Trudy learns much about the tidal pool dwellers with the children, and she learns much about herself. Oskar becomes obsessed with first one thing, then another, as he tries to find the one area in which he can distinguish himself and dazzle the world. The honeymoon is over quickly, but Trudy tries to be supportive while finding her own path.
I loved the images the author creates with the description of the lighthouse and the island. The unspoiled life of the tidal pool communities was fascinating. The character of Trudy had much to admire, and I enjoyed watching her transform from the pampered society girl to the self-reliant lighthouse keeper and ocean life chronicler. Oskar was an overbearing, self-absorbed jackass. What impressed Trudy about Oskar at first, his confidence and take-charge attitude, became tiresome and ego-maniacal. The information gleaned about traveling across country and to the island was historically interesting, too. All in all, a good read and a fascinating story.
I loved the images the author creates with the description of the lighthouse and the island. The unspoiled life of the tidal pool communities was fascinating. The character of Trudy had much to admire, and I enjoyed watching her transform from the pampered society girl to the self-reliant lighthouse keeper and ocean life chronicler. Oskar was an overbearing, self-absorbed jackass. What impressed Trudy about Oskar at first, his confidence and take-charge attitude, became tiresome and ego-maniacal. The information gleaned about traveling across country and to the island was historically interesting, too. All in all, a good read and a fascinating story.
April 1, 2013
Eyiyiyiyi! At first I thought I was going to throw this over the railing of the ship myself! The switching back and forth in time was making me sea sick. The wimpyness of Trudy made me want to throttle her. But then I realized that she just did not know how to make good choices neither did Oskar, he just wanted to show off. .
Oskar was an idiot. She just couldn't see it. Neither could anyone else. He wanted fame and fortune but had no way of obtaining it. He was going to get it at any expense. Trudy loved the sea and when she ended up at the lighthouse she was terrified of it until she realized that this was where she belonged.
The family that lives there takes her under their wing and she becomes the children's teacher, or was it the other way around? Trudy seems to learn more from the children, and the wildlife than from her pompous husband.
She wanted to know everything there was to know about the island, and even takes over Oskar's job as lighthouse keeper when he stupidly goes out in the dark and falls, injuring himself. Her curiosity leads her to discover the island's deepest secrets, which she mistakenly shares with the ever scheming Oskar.
Oskar makes his own plans to become rich and famous, contacting the authorities. His ego has made him insane with powering he thinks he can do no wrong.When the Inspector and his men arrive, Trudy realizes that Oskar has betrayed everyone, and makes a last minute decision that changes the fate of even the most innocent resident on the island.
Oskar was an idiot. She just couldn't see it. Neither could anyone else. He wanted fame and fortune but had no way of obtaining it. He was going to get it at any expense. Trudy loved the sea and when she ended up at the lighthouse she was terrified of it until she realized that this was where she belonged.
The family that lives there takes her under their wing and she becomes the children's teacher, or was it the other way around? Trudy seems to learn more from the children, and the wildlife than from her pompous husband.
She wanted to know everything there was to know about the island, and even takes over Oskar's job as lighthouse keeper when he stupidly goes out in the dark and falls, injuring himself. Her curiosity leads her to discover the island's deepest secrets, which she mistakenly shares with the ever scheming Oskar.
Oskar makes his own plans to become rich and famous, contacting the authorities. His ego has made him insane with powering he thinks he can do no wrong.When the Inspector and his men arrive, Trudy realizes that Oskar has betrayed everyone, and makes a last minute decision that changes the fate of even the most innocent resident on the island.
October 5, 2012
Secrets and more secrets....
I liked this book very much. I loved the way the book opened with the youngest daughter, Jane, narrating the chapter. It was soft and appealing and served as a great springboard into the story of Trudy. Trudy's story kept me very interested throughout the entire book. As a reader, you know the author is leading into many secrets but she doesn't disclose them until she is ready. I totally disliked Trudy's husband and wanted to shake her to wake her up so she could 'see' her husband for what he really was.
I found the author's writing superb. You felt like you were in this isolated setting along with Trudy and the author kept the pace moving quite nicely. There was suspense building and when it broke, you were ready for it. All in all, a charming book, a quick read and I think book clubs would enjoy this book as the symbolism is so rich in the story.
I liked this book very much. I loved the way the book opened with the youngest daughter, Jane, narrating the chapter. It was soft and appealing and served as a great springboard into the story of Trudy. Trudy's story kept me very interested throughout the entire book. As a reader, you know the author is leading into many secrets but she doesn't disclose them until she is ready. I totally disliked Trudy's husband and wanted to shake her to wake her up so she could 'see' her husband for what he really was.
I found the author's writing superb. You felt like you were in this isolated setting along with Trudy and the author kept the pace moving quite nicely. There was suspense building and when it broke, you were ready for it. All in all, a charming book, a quick read and I think book clubs would enjoy this book as the symbolism is so rich in the story.
April 2, 2013
"2" is a bit harsh but I really found this book irritating. The heroine is annoying and her husband is worse. And then there's the lighthouse problem...this is the second lighthouse book of the season--The Light Between Oceans being the first--and it's just one too many. I get that it's bleak and isolated and weather-beaten but I need some story to go with it all. This picks up toward the end but by then I was in such a hurry to be done with these people that I didn't care.
May 20, 2014
I've visited numerous lighthouses over the years and, while exploring the light towers and the residences, always wonder what it was like to serve as keeper. Christina Schwartz gives us a beautifully crafted, finely textured story of discovery that allows us to fully enter that world. Bookended by a provocative prologue and epilogue, we follow Trudy Swann as she sheds an all too predictable life of comfort in Wisconsin to inhabit stark, lonely Point Lucia that has seemingly little more to offer than harsh natural elements and equally craggy neighbors in the form of head keeper Henry Crawley's family.
Schwartz could have failed badly with such a premise. The cast of characters is very limited and the setting is isolated; it could have been yawner. But Schwartz narrates in Trudy Swann's bright, confident voice that makes us bond with the main character immediately. And there is enough of a period inflection in the narration that we glide onto the stage of late 19th century.
Schwartz plops us onto a secluded morro then allows us to grow into that landscape with Trudy, becoming increasingly aware of the rhythms of the place: the syncopation of the tides and the demands of the lighthouse itself which, like an infant, must be constantly attended to and pampered. We explore, wide-eyed with Trudy, as we're treated to the rich detail of life on the morro, from creatures in the tide pools to the members of the Crawley family.
The drama is well paced and many of the characters are expertly drawn. In particular, Schwartz gives us a remarkable person in Euphemia Crawley. If there's a weakness in the story, it's with the male characters. She gives us the dashing and unpredictable Oskar but later seems unable to keep him fully formed. Mr. Crawley has some texture to him but never really emerges. And Euphemia's brother, Archie Johnson, seems as if he was chiseled out of stone with ill-suited tools, almost incomprehensible.
This is one of those books that you'll keep, that you'll reread. The story and its themes are enduring and cut deeply into the grain of our humanity.
Schwartz could have failed badly with such a premise. The cast of characters is very limited and the setting is isolated; it could have been yawner. But Schwartz narrates in Trudy Swann's bright, confident voice that makes us bond with the main character immediately. And there is enough of a period inflection in the narration that we glide onto the stage of late 19th century.
Schwartz plops us onto a secluded morro then allows us to grow into that landscape with Trudy, becoming increasingly aware of the rhythms of the place: the syncopation of the tides and the demands of the lighthouse itself which, like an infant, must be constantly attended to and pampered. We explore, wide-eyed with Trudy, as we're treated to the rich detail of life on the morro, from creatures in the tide pools to the members of the Crawley family.
The drama is well paced and many of the characters are expertly drawn. In particular, Schwartz gives us a remarkable person in Euphemia Crawley. If there's a weakness in the story, it's with the male characters. She gives us the dashing and unpredictable Oskar but later seems unable to keep him fully formed. Mr. Crawley has some texture to him but never really emerges. And Euphemia's brother, Archie Johnson, seems as if he was chiseled out of stone with ill-suited tools, almost incomprehensible.
This is one of those books that you'll keep, that you'll reread. The story and its themes are enduring and cut deeply into the grain of our humanity.
April 22, 2013
In "The Edge of the Earth," Christina Schwarz weaves a story around a remote island off the west coast in the very late 1800s. The inhabitants of the island are few but they are all connected. Even though there are very few people on the island, there is still an unknown entity there. I really enjoyed this fantastic historical fiction story.
This book is very much a character driven story. I enjoyed reading about the characters even if I didn't like all of them. I really liked the main character, Trudy. Trudy isn't sure that she wants the life that her parents have pretty much planned out for her. She wants something different and something more exciting. She makes a rash decision to leave it all behind and marry Oskar, who seems amazingly intriguing and adventurous. Even though they don't know each other well, Trudy follows him across the country and she has no idea just what she is getting herself into. I think we've all at some point in our life at least wondered if we were being adventurous enough. On that, I found a lot of common ground with Trudy. She's a great character and I loved seeing everything unfold on the island through her eyes.
On the other hand, I hated Oskar more and more as the story progressed. He is so stubborn and pig-headed. He has no reverence for people that he doesn't understand, such as Helen, who is different from Trudy, Oskar, and the Crawley family. He's kind of terrible but I still enjoyed reading about him.
I also have to mention the setting of this book. Oskar and Trudy come to Point Lucia to run the lighthouse on the island and for Trudy to teach and mind the Crawley children. Schwarz gives a great description of the island and its beaches and caves. You really feel like you can see the island! It's remote and beautiful.
Overall, this would be a great pick for when you want your historical fiction with a side of fascinating characters and a great setting.
This book is very much a character driven story. I enjoyed reading about the characters even if I didn't like all of them. I really liked the main character, Trudy. Trudy isn't sure that she wants the life that her parents have pretty much planned out for her. She wants something different and something more exciting. She makes a rash decision to leave it all behind and marry Oskar, who seems amazingly intriguing and adventurous. Even though they don't know each other well, Trudy follows him across the country and she has no idea just what she is getting herself into. I think we've all at some point in our life at least wondered if we were being adventurous enough. On that, I found a lot of common ground with Trudy. She's a great character and I loved seeing everything unfold on the island through her eyes.
On the other hand, I hated Oskar more and more as the story progressed. He is so stubborn and pig-headed. He has no reverence for people that he doesn't understand, such as Helen, who is different from Trudy, Oskar, and the Crawley family. He's kind of terrible but I still enjoyed reading about him.
I also have to mention the setting of this book. Oskar and Trudy come to Point Lucia to run the lighthouse on the island and for Trudy to teach and mind the Crawley children. Schwarz gives a great description of the island and its beaches and caves. You really feel like you can see the island! It's remote and beautiful.
Overall, this would be a great pick for when you want your historical fiction with a side of fascinating characters and a great setting.
July 2, 2013
Finished at beach, June 24, ’13 Christina Schwarz’s The Edge of the Earth.
Powerful story of a young woman’s effort to break the mold of convention in early 20th century, to make an adventurous new life for herself by first attaching herself to an intellectually and emotionally compelling inventor. This marriage leads her to a life tending for a lighthouse lamp with a strange family with four children, the brother of the wife and a woman living in the cave beyond the “edge of the earth.” The setting becomes a character in itself, leading the characters to discover new worlds outside and within themselves. The ending so dramatic that I had to re-read it several times to be sure I understood how all the relationships in the story seemed to break apart and reform in new ways. The tale took me to a place of self-exploration and openness to learning more about how we all interconnect with one another, to the point of true interchanges that defy categorization. I was moved by Trudy, the main character, her relationship to all the women in the novel, Mrs. Crawley, Jane, Mary and especially “Helen.” She was willing to give up her old life to live “on the edge of the earth” with her last remaining friend, protecting her and her story to the end.
I highly recommend reading this book in conjunction with The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey - there are similarities in the challenges of women living in pioneer conditions, both in unusual settings, with powerful conflict, sharply drawn characters and themes.
February 11, 2015
As I finish this novel, I think I want to cry. Yet, for sorrow or for joy, I know not which.
Each and every character in this novel is as powerful and as transforming as the next. Powerful and transforming, THE EDGED OF THE EARTH held me captivated from prologue to epilogue, right on through the acknowledgements.
A tale of love, curiosity, self-determination, and independence; yet along the way are moments of fear, ignorance, peer pressure, and social dependence.
Not quite 'historical fiction', this novel is vivid in its detailing of a time gone by; a time when men and women were sometimes called to abandon the comforts of society to stake out into the unknown. A hauntingly vivid look into a light-keeper's life.
Enjoyable throughout the novel are glimpses into late 1800's America: society, geography, transportation, and anthropology - in a sense, man's interaction with man and his environment.
Some complaints that I've read mention weakly developed characters. I don't know that I want these characters developed. There is mystery written on every page, mystery that fades when the cast is too well developed. When I close the binding for the last time and reapply the dust jacket for storage on the self, I want there to be a hint of mystery lingering in the air.
Each and every character in this novel is as powerful and as transforming as the next. Powerful and transforming, THE EDGED OF THE EARTH held me captivated from prologue to epilogue, right on through the acknowledgements.
A tale of love, curiosity, self-determination, and independence; yet along the way are moments of fear, ignorance, peer pressure, and social dependence.
Not quite 'historical fiction', this novel is vivid in its detailing of a time gone by; a time when men and women were sometimes called to abandon the comforts of society to stake out into the unknown. A hauntingly vivid look into a light-keeper's life.
Enjoyable throughout the novel are glimpses into late 1800's America: society, geography, transportation, and anthropology - in a sense, man's interaction with man and his environment.
Some complaints that I've read mention weakly developed characters. I don't know that I want these characters developed. There is mystery written on every page, mystery that fades when the cast is too well developed. When I close the binding for the last time and reapply the dust jacket for storage on the self, I want there to be a hint of mystery lingering in the air.
October 11, 2012
Trudy lives a very boring and staid life in Wisconsin. She is set to marry Ernst when she meets Oskar and is drawn to him. She decides to marry Oskar instead of Ernst because Oskar has some mystery about him. She goes off with him to a lighthouse in California where he is to work. There she finds some surprises both lovely and mysterious. Oskar is not who she thinks he is and she is disappointed in her marriage.
On the island is another family with children and Trudy becomes their teacher. She teaches them through biology and geology and the natural wildlife on the island. They even come across a mystery.
I found the book rather boring with all its geological information and I could not understand how Trudy managed to stay with Oskar. Overall, the book seemed piecemeal and never seemed cohesive and whole to me.
On the island is another family with children and Trudy becomes their teacher. She teaches them through biology and geology and the natural wildlife on the island. They even come across a mystery.
I found the book rather boring with all its geological information and I could not understand how Trudy managed to stay with Oskar. Overall, the book seemed piecemeal and never seemed cohesive and whole to me.
April 13, 2013
Beautifully written, fast paced, holds reader's attention from beginning to end. The descriptions of the geography are so detailed I could feel the mist of the fog and ocean on my face. The writing drew me in and the character development caused me to care and become emotionally attached to them.
The mystery surrounding the lighthouse, the only family there with the couple who move there to be alone. This is a great book for everyone and great for reading group discussions.
Don't read the jacket of the book or the blurbs on the back and think this not a book for you. Please be open to reading it. It will surprise you.
The mystery surrounding the lighthouse, the only family there with the couple who move there to be alone. This is a great book for everyone and great for reading group discussions.
Don't read the jacket of the book or the blurbs on the back and think this not a book for you. Please be open to reading it. It will surprise you.
February 26, 2013
I read this fast and found it entertaining, but ultimately disappointing. The whirlwind romance that takes Trudy off to a new life wasn't believable, and in fact I found the husband completely unlikeable from beginning to end. All the plot twists were pretty heavily telegraphed, and the ending was far too convenient. However, the moody, otherworldly setting (isolated lighthouse, wild sea, craggy mountains) was really well described, and I couldn't help pulling for Trudy to create a satisfying life for herself.
July 15, 2021
Most of us have had some fascination about what it would be like to live in a Light House, isolated and clinging onto the edge of the earth. The author gives us that opportunity if only the reader slows down to fully appreciate the lush writing and characters' dilemmas and conflicts. Reviewers who complained of the slow pace need to remember the time was 1899, some 120a years ago. Life was not as action-packed, noisy and hectic as today - no TV, no internet, no outside communications. I loved that the book forced me to slow down and appreciate the things the main character did and find fascination in the geography and creatures around her.
That isolation and the constant pounding of waves makes for new fears and strange emotions to take over people who live on the island. The book reminded me of one of my favorite novels: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman, set in a Light House off the coast of Australia, 100 years ago, and also about marriage relationships, trust and dark hearts.
That isolation and the constant pounding of waves makes for new fears and strange emotions to take over people who live on the island. The book reminded me of one of my favorite novels: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman, set in a Light House off the coast of Australia, 100 years ago, and also about marriage relationships, trust and dark hearts.
June 10, 2013
From a privileged childhood home to a home in a lighthouse. Quite a change from what Trudy was used to, but she loved her husband even though her parents didn't approve of her choice of her spouse. Trudy didn't see her husband as being the person he really was until later in their marriage, but she was in love and no one could tell her otherwise.
The lighthouse was isolated, and the life was lonely for her. The only company she had were the Crawley's four children whom she taught and Mr. And Mrs. Crowley, the husband and wife who were the other lighthouse keepers. Mrs Crawley was very strict and unpleasant and had an intriguing secret.
The book is slow at the beginning, but once you get to Page 80 you won't want to stop reading. The descriptions are very vivid and put you in the cove and among the waves with the characters and the strange hermit who lived and took things from the beach and the lighthouse inhabitants.
You will share Trudy's loneliness but also envy her for being in this interesting, inspiring place. You will learn about sea creatures as well as the life of folks during that time period and how they had to wait for months in their remote home for letters and food.
It wasn't a riveting, action-packed book, but the appealing characters, the detailed descriptions of the lives of the characters and their surroundings, the different, very engaging storyline,and the work done by Trudy will definitely keep you interested.
Perhaps as I did you will re-read the beginning pages to truly understand what those pages actually meant and how they were connected to the rest of the story. Re-reading helped to give more meaning to the book's premise.
Despite the slow start, I thoroughly enjoyed THE EDGE OF THE EARTH. The cover itself will draw you in. 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without any compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
The lighthouse was isolated, and the life was lonely for her. The only company she had were the Crawley's four children whom she taught and Mr. And Mrs. Crowley, the husband and wife who were the other lighthouse keepers. Mrs Crawley was very strict and unpleasant and had an intriguing secret.
The book is slow at the beginning, but once you get to Page 80 you won't want to stop reading. The descriptions are very vivid and put you in the cove and among the waves with the characters and the strange hermit who lived and took things from the beach and the lighthouse inhabitants.
You will share Trudy's loneliness but also envy her for being in this interesting, inspiring place. You will learn about sea creatures as well as the life of folks during that time period and how they had to wait for months in their remote home for letters and food.
It wasn't a riveting, action-packed book, but the appealing characters, the detailed descriptions of the lives of the characters and their surroundings, the different, very engaging storyline,and the work done by Trudy will definitely keep you interested.
Perhaps as I did you will re-read the beginning pages to truly understand what those pages actually meant and how they were connected to the rest of the story. Re-reading helped to give more meaning to the book's premise.
Despite the slow start, I thoroughly enjoyed THE EDGE OF THE EARTH. The cover itself will draw you in. 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without any compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
February 1, 2013
I won this novel via the First Reads giveaway from Goodreads and truly appreciate the opportunity to have read The Edge of the Earth. This is the second novel that I have read of Christina Schwarz, being a huge fan of Drowning Ruth with fond memories of that novel which remain with me to this day. The Edge of the Earth takes us into a rare glimpse of what it would be like to be members living in a lighthouse community and the struggles and freedoms that they endured. The author describes the scenery of the little isle so to the truth that I can hear the crash of the waves, feel the wind off the harbor and the see the thick fog that looms. The pace of the novel kept my interest and I was eager to keep turning the pages. Mystery and suspense throughout. I appreciate the amount of research that the author had to have endured to share the knowledge of all the mysterious sea life described within. To consider that one could feel so alone with the lighthouse and yet be surrounded by hundreds upon hundreds of living creatures to which most humans will never have an chance to explore. The weaving of relationships is powerful and takes you intently into the emotional ties that bind between them. The innocence of the children within the novel, their world so far removed, so vastly different than expected. The respect and power given to the lighthouse and for it's sole purpose but to save the lives of those who dare ride the treacherous seas. I adore the character Trudy for all of her intelligence, compassion and naivety. A story teller within a five star story!
February 7, 2015
I picked this up on a daily deal because it sounded intriguing; I generally enjoy books about lighthouses. But I wasn't dying to read it or anything. I just thought "well, this will go nicely with my tsundoku problem" and so I bought it. Then last night, burned out on my usual reading fare I decided to read the first few pages of this book to see if it suited my mood.
I didn't stop reading until I finished it three and a half hours later.
I'll be honest and say that I've read better books; certain narrative tricks and story pacing issues kept this from being a full 5 stars, although I'd say it's a good, solid 4.5. That being said, it's also _fun_ to read. The main characters are interesting and the way they tell the story is straightforward yet intriguing. I wanted to know what happened next because I genuinely wanted to know what happened to Trudy, Jane and Oskar.
I'm not sure why this author is so compelled to write books along this same theme. She's the author of _Drowning Ruth_ and I think she must have a thing for books where people on islands drown in mysterious circumstances. This book was far more enjoyable to me than the maudlin, dismal Oprah-selected _Drowning Ruth_, however. I'd encourage you to give this a try even if you found her previous book about women's rights and mysterious drownings to be a bit logey.
I didn't stop reading until I finished it three and a half hours later.
I'll be honest and say that I've read better books; certain narrative tricks and story pacing issues kept this from being a full 5 stars, although I'd say it's a good, solid 4.5. That being said, it's also _fun_ to read. The main characters are interesting and the way they tell the story is straightforward yet intriguing. I wanted to know what happened next because I genuinely wanted to know what happened to Trudy, Jane and Oskar.
I'm not sure why this author is so compelled to write books along this same theme. She's the author of _Drowning Ruth_ and I think she must have a thing for books where people on islands drown in mysterious circumstances. This book was far more enjoyable to me than the maudlin, dismal Oprah-selected _Drowning Ruth_, however. I'd encourage you to give this a try even if you found her previous book about women's rights and mysterious drownings to be a bit logey.
February 6, 2013
Trudy had a sheltered and loving childhood in Wisconsin, her life planned out for her from an early age. She would finish college then marry her childhood sweetheart Ernst. As the date for graduation nears she feels stifled, longing for something different makes her vulnerable to Ernst’s cousin Oskar. She abandons her pre-ordained, safe life for adventure with Oskar. Trudy is hopelessly young, sheltered and naïve. Life with Oskar will be different than her placid childhood, but perhaps not in the way she imagined. They move across country to work as the assistant lighthouse keeper in remote Point Lucia. The landscape is wild, untamable, and forbidding, the lighthouse perched on a rock above the turbulent sea with mountains to the back cutting them off from everyone. There only companions are the lighthouse keeper and his family. In this lonely place Trudy comes of age. Haunting and beautifully told, it is the story of a woman living a very different sort of life set in the rugged beauty of the Big Sur coastline. Historic fiction at its best, it shows how remote and alone Trudy was during the early 1900s while also showing how she adapted to the changing circumstances of her life.
June 15, 2022
I couldn't decide whether to rate this book 2 stars or 3 stars. I ultimately went with 3 stars because the book I attempted to read before this one (The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones) was one I DNF. I only got to chapter 2 with that one before giving up, whereas with The Edge of the Earth I was at least able to finish it.
At times I thought there wasn't a real plot or conflict. It's at the end, page 200 of a 275 page book, that the story gets going and conflict is introduced.
I also thought from the plot description that it'd be a creepy tale with ghosts and/or sinister side characters, and land that slowly drove the main character mad, yet it's really about a woman coming into her own, gaining confidence, and getting rid of her crap husband, which isn't a bad plot, it just takes a long while to get there.
At times I thought there wasn't a real plot or conflict. It's at the end, page 200 of a 275 page book, that the story gets going and conflict is introduced.
I also thought from the plot description that it'd be a creepy tale with ghosts and/or sinister side characters, and land that slowly drove the main character mad, yet it's really about a woman coming into her own, gaining confidence, and getting rid of her crap husband, which isn't a bad plot, it just takes a long while to get there.
May 18, 2013
Rate 5/5 This was an incredibly good book. I loved the author's first book "Drowning Ruth" but this was even better. In 1898 a young woman living a comfortable and well-appointed life leaves the comfort of her life and family to for a love that takes her to 'the edge of the earth' a remote lighthouse on the west coast of California.
This was a very character driven story, which I like. I will always love the main character Trudy, for her strength and tenacity. I did not care for the husband that she married. His lack of concern for anyone but himself and his pipe dreams force her to be the strong woman she becomes.
This book is so rich in detail, fast paced and full of secrets and transformations and unpredictable is haunting!
This was a very character driven story, which I like. I will always love the main character Trudy, for her strength and tenacity. I did not care for the husband that she married. His lack of concern for anyone but himself and his pipe dreams force her to be the strong woman she becomes.
This book is so rich in detail, fast paced and full of secrets and transformations and unpredictable is haunting!
June 9, 2021
Good, but not great, atmospheric story about a bunch of people living at and tending an island lighthouse off the California coast, around the start of the 20th century. The narrator is a young woman, Trudy, married to a bombastic and ambitious but misguided man, Oskar, who is hellbent on making a dazzling scientific discovery, but who instead just makes life difficult for all who surround him. There are several plot twists involving a hermit-like Native American woman and a dead baby, all interesting, but to me not particularly riveting. I can’t say I learned or felt anything new or deep here, so it was just okay to me.
April 16, 2013
Actually rating this 3.5 stars. Okay, first let me say that I enjoyed Christina Schwarz's writing style. I really liked the descriptions of Milwaukee in the late 1800's. Being that I am from Milwaukee, she mentions street names and landmarks familiar to me, this helped me to envision my local history here. I also enjoyed the story leading up to Trudy's departure to a new life. But, my only thing about this book that had me not rate it 4 or even 5 stars was it seemed like I was still waiting for this to give me more storyline and it did, but towards the end.
April 25, 2013
Read my full review: http://bit.ly/YdRi1c
My opinion: I must admit that I expected more from this book. Given the premise of the storyline, I really expected a dark, atmospheric, twisted story but it ended up being a bit too light, dry and fluffy for me. Although I enjoyed the overall story line, I just couldn't help but lose interest at significant moments in the book that bored me due to what just seemed like overwriting. This book just couldn't get over my threshold requirements to increase the number of stars.
My opinion: I must admit that I expected more from this book. Given the premise of the storyline, I really expected a dark, atmospheric, twisted story but it ended up being a bit too light, dry and fluffy for me. Although I enjoyed the overall story line, I just couldn't help but lose interest at significant moments in the book that bored me due to what just seemed like overwriting. This book just couldn't get over my threshold requirements to increase the number of stars.
February 19, 2015
I have just finished this wonderful book. It grabbed me from the first and I had read it when ever I had a free moment. The story continues to unfold and engross you till you can't stop reading because you can't wait to see where Christina is going to take you next. You think you know but Oh no you don't. I enjoyed everything about this book! I especially loved the way she brought the entire story together at the end. A very satisfying read!
March 29, 2015
growing up in a remote lighthouse.
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