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Rosemary K. (Saginaw, MI)
a book indeed with an edge
Christina Schwarz's exquisite The Edge of the Earth relates the story of Trudy Swann, who travels to a remote California lighthouse in the very late 1800's. As Trudy assists her not-particularly-likable husband Oskar with the operation of the lighthouse, she also begins teaching the local (rather incorrigible) children.
The plot includes a grim mystery: the tangled tale has some elements of fantasy. The author's skillful storytelling keeps the reader enthralled. I read slowly, savoring.
A particular bonus of this book is its wondrous descriptions of sea animals and plants that Trudy finds as she explores the
…more terrain of her new surroundings. (This puts me in mind of Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures, a book I also treasure.)
The Edge of the Earth is unique and gripping; I highly recommend it. (less)"Like countless others before us, we believed that we alone understood the dictates of love." This quote from "The Edge of the Earth" describes beautifully young Trudy and Oskar Swann as they travel to their new married life at a remote lighthouse off the coast of California, eager to escape the restrictions of a complacent life in Milwaukee. i think the readers will relate to their early romantic illusions as to what life will be like when they are free to live without conventions, while knowingly understanding that young love is sometimes not all that is needed to survive and endure. The secrets revealed
…more slowly over the pages keeps one enthralled and dying to know what is really going on on that lonely island. (less)This novel taps into all sensory receptors. One can "feel" the sting of the ocean sprays and the driving rain. "Taste" the salt ever present in the air. The sweep of the powerful light searching the ocean for ships can be "seen" in the mind's eye. It also evokes emotions ranging from joy in the sense of adventure and early bonds formed from a fledgling relationship and anger unfairness felt from the dismissal of a woman's intelligence and her sense of right and wrong.
I can honestly say that this story resonated in me so powerfully that it will take a place in my "inner library" that few novels have found a
…more permanent home within. I walked with the character "Trudy" as she sought to find a home physically, emotionally and intellectually among the rocks and ever present dangers in her Point Lucia lighthouse home. I felt apprehension so acute as the final pages approached that it became almost impossible to continue.
I now stand and offer my applause and admiration to Christina Schwarz for giving me this unforgettable opportunity within these pages to travel to "The Edge of the Earth". (less)When an old woman returns to the place of her birth, she reminisces about the past, about the delights of childhood and the challenges of living on a peninsula off the northern California Coast. in Christinia Schwarz' novel "THE EDGE OF THE EARTH", an inherited manuscript takes the reader to the 1890's through the eyes of Gertrude Swann, early marine biologist and lighthouse-keeper. When Trudy breaks ties with her family to marry young visionary Oskar, she cannot foresee her future. The difficulties of Mother Nature in the form of cold, wind, rain, ice, relentless waves, isolation and rocky cliffs parallel the
…more challenges of human nature as Trudy and Oskar struggle to find balance in their marriage. The addition of an unexpected family on the premises when they arrive at Santa Lucia and a strange figure at a distance will keep the reader engaged in the well-detailed plot and enchanted by the beautiful imagery. (less)In 1890, Trudy Swann and her husband leave Milwaukee and travel to California's Big Sur country to tend to the Point Lucia Lighthouse.
The author writes this realistic story with such vivid details, that you feel you are experiencing the isolation, trials , and adventures with the characters.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical and adventure fiction.
Besides the adventures, the characters' interactions and the geographical setting would be perfect for a bookclub discussions.
Maribeth K. (Highland Mills, NY)
The Edge of the Earth
A wonderful walk back in time on a deserted, harsh coastline with twists and turns that concludes with a delightful ending. Jane begins the story of Trudy Swan, an adventurous young woman, who marries a kindred spirit and embarks on a lifetime of wonder and discovery in ways that will surprise and warm the reader's heart.
Mary S. (Pinson, AL)
The Edge of the Earth
This was another excellent book by Christina Schwarz. I loved the imagery, I could almost hear the waves crashing against the rocks and feel the cold wind blowing off the ocean. This story is filled with secrets and surprises that will keep you reading late into the night.
Lorraine R. (Southampton, NY)
Haunting and magical
THE EDGE OF THE EARTH is another winner by author Christina Schwawrz. Set in the 1890's, a well educated young woman,Trudy, leaves her home to journey with her new husband, Oscar, to a remote lighthouse on the west coast. They live and work with a family, the Crawley's who have many dark secrets. The language of this novel is what draws the reader in. The author's language is beautifully lyrical as she describes a land that is isolated but dramatically wonderous. For example, "That night the rain began to fall so thickly and heavily, it seemed as thought the bowl of the ocean had risen into the sky and upended
…more itself." The weather and magical beauty of the Pacific coast are the backdrop of Trudy's new world. She falls in love with it as the reader will fall in love with this haunting tale. (less)
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