The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz is a stunning portrayal of life spent living in a lighthouse on a lonely and isolated area in the cliffs above Port Lucia, California back in 1897. I listened to the audio version of The Edge of the Earth narrated by Candace Thaxton and she did a wonderful job. She brought out the feelings of isolation and the desolation of the lighthouse much more than I think I would have gotten through reading a paper copy. I would certainly love to hear more books narrated by her in the future.
Trudy is a young woman living in 1897 Milwaukee but she doesn’t want the standard life of getting married and living a comfortable life like her parents. She wants adventure and to experience life. So when she meets Oskar it’s no wonder that she is attracted to him and his free spirit. When Oskar accepts a post at the lighthouse Trudy thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to live a very different life although even she ends up being surprised by how different.
Life at the lighthouse also includes the Crawley family and their three kids and Mrs. Crawley wastes no time in telling Trudy that life will be very different from her previously privileged existence. Trudy though has a side to her that always seems to propel her forward and it isn’t long before she’s actually enjoying her life out there. She spends time collecting marine samples, teaching the children, and investigating rumours of a mermaid. Soon enough Trudy starts to question her marriage as Oskar becomes more distant and more obsessed. Ultimately Trudy uncovers secrets that force her to make one of the biggest decisions of her life.
Christina Schwarz has very vividly described how life would have been manning a lighthouse in the 1800’s and I found it fascinating. I can’t imagine living a life of isolation like that but at the same time I’m drawn to it. With the audio version of The Edge of the Earth I felt as though I was standing on the cliffs looking out on the sea and feeling the wind whip around me. It was so well done that between the excellent storyline and the great narration I very much enjoyed the little over eight hours I spent immersed and captivated by this story!
Reading Group Guide
Buy at: Simon & Schuster, Audible, and iTunes
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Review copy provided by the Publisher. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.