What do readers think of The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz? Write your own review.

I was a little hesitant to request yet another "lighthouse" book, having reviewed "The Woman at the Light" fairly recently; however, I'm glad I did. "The Edge of the Earth" is an engrossing tale, so that one almost doesn't notice the education that is provided about marine flora and fauna. The female characters: Trudy, Mrs. Crawley, young Jane, and the mysterious "Helen" are well drawn and memorable. The males, on the other hand, are weak, devious, or just plain unappealing. I don't know that Christina Schwarz deliberately set out to create a feminist novel, but the book can certainly be taken that way. The story starts and ends in 1977 with the now elderly Jane, but the bulk of it is set around 1898 and is really Trudy's, and to a lesser extent, Helen's. The remote outpost of Port Lucia, California serves as the isolated setting that brings out the best and the worst in the inhabitants who tend the lighthouse. I found myself drawn into the story and hope that other readers will too.

I love historical fiction and enjoy Christina Schwarz's writing style very much. I found the book a bit hard to get into initially, but grew to like the intrigue of the story and the characters better as I read along. I have a love of lighthouses and their history, so I'm sure that spurred me along to the finish --- but others may find it too focused on details to continue. But persist! It has a logical and satisfying ending. Definitely a women's read.

This is an excellent novel that slowly brings us into the turn-of-the-century world of the west coast and almost unexplored territory. The suspense that builds as Trudy and Oskar settle into their lighthouse home and get to know the very formidable inhabitants of the area is steady and haunting. This book has magical overtones.

This was my second read by Christina Schwarz. I enjoyed Drowning Ruth very much, so I thought this would be a good fit for my reading pleasure. I was right! The scenery & historical timeline was right up my alley, but the story itself was a bit melodramatic. I couldn't stop reading tho, esp. towards the end, & that's the sign of a good book. Would definitely recommend this title.

Fans of historical fiction and literary mystery will thoroughly enjoy Christina Schwarz's new novel "The Edge of the Earth". Narrated by a young wife at the end of the 19th century, this somewhat haunting novel takes place on the blustery and foggy California coastline, in an aging lighthouse that she and her husband share with another family.
The characters are well developed, yet unpredictable, leaving us wondering who can really be trusted in this coastal setting where hidden secrets and mysteries, both scientific and familial abound. As we watch the story and the lives of these 2 families unfold, it becomes evident that the author is a superb storyteller, and knows exactly how to keep her readers guessing until the revealing, final page is turned. A haunting, yet totally enjoyable read!

I thought this novel was a bit slow in the beginning, but once it got going, The Edge of the World had me on the edge of my seat. I was definitely enthralled by some of the characters in this book, but the one character I found most intriguing was the edge of the world itself, Big Sur, California. It's beautiful and haunting, and I loved seeing how the various characters in the novel were shaped by this mysterious landscape. The Edge of the World was a wonderful story told by a master storyteller and I think it contained enough interesting topics to discuss in a book club.

I think people who will best like this book will be those who've read others by Christina Schwarz as they'll be familiar with the seemingly slow pace that gradually builds to an interesting conclusion. Those unfamiliar with her work might give up too soon, not realizing that Schwarz likes to build to an eventual surprise ending. Although those who have previously read Schwarz may wonder about the use of water and resultant drowning used again in this new book. I liked the book, I didn't love it. Like her prior works the female characters seemed more developed, more interesting than the men. My favorite of hers remains 'Drowning Ruth'. I would recommend sticking with the characters in TEOTE as the end has a nice surprise and a satisfying conclusion for the protagonist.

The writing style of this author kept me wanting to read more. How can you really know someone until after you are married. What you see is not always what you get. This story feels haunting as you read it and the ending left me wanting to say, "wait, wait". Think it would make a great read for my book club here in Lufkin, TX.