The Edge of the Earth: A Novel

Written by Christina Schwarz

Narrated by Candace Thaxton

From the author of Drowning Ruth, a haunting, atmospheric novel set at the closing of the frontier about a young wife who moves to a far-flung and forbidding lighthouse where she uncovers a life-changing secret.

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Apr 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781442366039

Christina Schwarz

Christina Schwarz is the author of five novels, including The Edge of the Earth and the Oprah Book Club selection Drowning Ruth. Born and raised in rural Wisconsin, she lives in southern California.

Reviews for The Edge of the Earth

[wlr11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[pennsylady · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A tepid 3★The summary of this tale was enticing.Sadly, I experienced little of this reviewer's enthusiasm.I'm waiting for other friends to read this and share their comments

[brokenteepee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an historical novel, yet it is more about ordinary people than about any great historical event or person. The cover truly drew me in; I know that is the worst reason to either choose or reject a book but marketers know the power of a great cover,. This one screams of mystery and of a story to be told. While the book did not wholeheartedly live up to its cover it came darn close.Trudy is young woman of the upper middle class in Wisconson at the end of the 19th century. Her parents have her life all planned out for her - whether she likes what they are planning or not! She feels there must be more out there than pleasant housewifery in a pleasant house in a pleasant neighborhood with a pleasant husband so when presented with two men she chooses the one that excites her, not the one that is....pleasant. Despite her parents' objections she runs off with Oskar to life a somewhat secluded life as a lightkeeper's wife. An assistant lightkeeper's wife actually. When she arrives she finds that it is not what she was envisioning and yet so very much more.As she settles in to the life she has now chosen she becomes the teacher to the current lightkeeper's children. They in turn teach her about the sea and the creatures that appear from it. Trudy learns that life does not always turn out as one dreams and that people often disappoint. She also learns just how strong a woman she is.I am not going to spill any secrets but know there are several that keep the reader engaged despite the fact that the book rolls along as if on a calm sea, not the raging and foggy ones that require the lighthouses. The story is a touch slow at first but picks up and really roars about midway through. Trudy is a fascinating character; neither all good nor bad but wanting more out of life than it was choosing to give her.Ms. Swarz has a very magical way with mood; you will feel as if you are there with both families tending that lighthouse, exploring the island and its caves and shoreline. Definitely a book I was glad I read.

[twopairsofglasses · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A gracefully written, vastly entertaining light read, with an incredibly evoked sense of place -- an isolated lighthouse on the California coast.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[nwieme-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Didn't like the style... maybe I'll try it again sometime.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Trudy is very smart and has a bright future ahead of her. Her family can almost hear the wedding bells ringing for Trudy. There is just one problem. They did not expect Trudy to fall for a guy like Oskar.

Trudy and Oskar move away and accept a job at a lighthouse. Trudy becomes a teacher to the Crawley children. The other family that lives at the lighthouse. Whereas Oskar is fascinated by his inventions and electricity. Oskar finds a cave and a mysterious woman living in it. He finds her intriguing.

I enjoyed the book, but think it should have had a quicker pace, and feel it took much too long for Trudy to see her husband for what he was. It didn't feel true to the character.

[theeccentriclady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[tinkerbellkk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book was well written. It involved an interesting cast of characters placed in a remote area and how they managed their lives living and tending to a light house. I loved the main character Trudy and her ability to adjust and cope with so many things that occur in her life. There was some mystery but mostly it was the story of how things that have been buried or hidden in people's lives can eventually completely unravel.

[bonnieconnelly · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good - not great. It did keep me reading and was well done, but predictable. Good entertainment, but not much to discuss.

[marysneedle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. What originally attracted me to it was the suggestion of a mystery, but in the end, there really were no unexpected twists, or mysteries being revealed. What it did have that kept and held my interest was the magical way the story was unfolded and told. I believe I will remember this book for a while. It left you with a good feeling, and makes you wonder what lies in your own personal history or heritage. The characters were really well developed and I really liked the fact that women were portrayed as strong and able to take care of themselves and not helpless creatures and still remain historically accurate for the time period written about. It also did not stray off into other directions which would have distracted from the real story. The author kept the story focused thus making it an enjoyable journey and not a frustrating one going in many different directions. In summary it was an enjoyable, quick and memorable read.

[jo3jo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a lovely story that has us following Trudy across the country to an unknown land. She leaves the comfort and safety of her family home in Milwaukee as she puts her trust and love in Oskar to lead her in the right direction. Oskar is young, full of dreams and new ideas, and feels that living near the ocean in California will help him realize his dreams that much sooner.Trudy does not expect the life that she finds in California. It is a wild savage country and her loneliness is apparent without friends and family near her. She finds herself missing the comforts of home when she enters the lighthouse they are to call home. Food is scarce and all resources must be utilized, not wasting a single drop of water.The Crawleys are basically the only neighbors Trudy has to keep her company. For the most part, Mrs. Crawley is all business most of the time, but every now and then a side of her shines, offering friendship and refuge. Thankfully, Mrs. Crawley is kind enough to show Trudy the ropes and offer advice for new tasks. Since Mrs. Crawley has a few children that are always underfoot, she suggests that Trudy start teaching them on a daily basis. The teaching lessons give Trudy something to look forward to, and even open up a new world for her.The Crawleys, Trudy, and Oskar all develop a friendship, as there are no others around to associate with. When Trudy makes a discovery through her lessons with the children, she finds that each of these friendships could shatter by the wrong move. Trudy wants to support her husband, but in the end finds she must do what her heart is telling her is right.I think Thaxton did a great job of narrating Trudy's story and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel in the audio form. My only problem with the audiobook is that I found myself confused at the beginning and end. Someone was telling Trudy's story and I'm not sure who it was in the beginning and how that person was associated with her. Had I read it in book form I could flip back and figure it out. I suppose I could just listen to the beginning on my iPod again to clarify though. With themes of dreams, hopes, secrets, and family this book has much to offer for both book clubs and personal leisure. I don't hesitate in recommending this novel.

[julie10reads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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. Summary amazon.caDon't know which appealed to me more: finding out about life in a lighthouse or a young bride not only surviving there but discovering new (then) species of marine life. Women's rights are still far in the future as Trudy struggles to find purpose within the few and narrow roles allotted to her gender in America on the brink of a new century.The Edge of the Earth might be dull for some readers; but life was dull then, particularly in an isolated lighthouse with no community but fellow lighthouse keepers and their families. More independence and meaningful work than romance here, which I enjoyed, as well as the formal style of writing and conversation true to the time and locale.8 out of 10 For readers who enjoy literary historical fiction.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an historical novel, yet it is more about ordinary people than about any great historical event or person. The cover truly drew me in; I know that is the worst reason to either choose or reject a book but marketers know the power of a great cover,. This one screams of mystery and of a story to be told. While the book did not wholeheartedly live up to its cover it came darn close.Trudy is young woman of the upper middle class in Wisconson at the end of the 19th century. Her parents have her life all planned out for her - whether she likes what they are planning or not! She feels there must be more out there than pleasant housewifery in a pleasant house in a pleasant neighborhood with a pleasant husband so when presented with two men she chooses the one that excites her, not the one that is....pleasant. Despite her parents' objections she runs off with Oskar to life a somewhat secluded life as a lightkeeper's wife. An assistant lightkeeper's wife actually. When she arrives she finds that it is not what she was envisioning and yet so very much more.As she settles in to the life she has now chosen she becomes the teacher to the current lightkeeper's children. They in turn teach her about the sea and the creatures that appear from it. Trudy learns that life does not always turn out as one dreams and that people often disappoint. She also learns just how strong a woman she is.I am not going to spill any secrets but know there are several that keep the reader engaged despite the fact that the book rolls along as if on a calm sea, not the raging and foggy ones that require the lighthouses. The story is a touch slow at first but picks up and really roars about midway through. Trudy is a fascinating character; neither all good nor bad but wanting more out of life than it was choosing to give her.Ms. Swarz has a very magical way with mood; you will feel as if you are there with both families tending that lighthouse, exploring the island and its caves and shoreline. Definitely a book I was glad I read.

[weecare-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved the way Ms Schwarz portrayed the story in this gripping novel. As I read the book, it was if I were there in that time frame (1890's). The authors description of the lighthouse, time, and place were excellent and I could close my eyes and actually "feel" like I was there. She is an excellent story teller and I will be reading any other books she writes! 5 STARRRRSSSSS!

[cariola_6 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I remembered liking Schwarz's Drowning Ruth when I read it years ago, so I was looking forward to The Edge of the Earth. Sadly, I was greatly disappointed. Perhaps it's that my reading tastes have changed . . . but I really don't think this is a very good book. The characters are stereotypes and the plot is predictable; the writing itself is rather pedestrian. I had to really push myself to plod through it, since I was writing a review for Book Browse.The novel begins and ends in the present day. An elderly woman, who apparently lived in the now-famous St. Lucia lighthouse years ago, comes to visit with her grandson. As the tourists travel up the path, she prides herself on how much more she knows than their guide, and she launches into the central story. It's 1898, and young Trudy Swann travels with her new husband, Oskar, from Milwaukee to the California coast, where he has taken a job as assistant to the lighthouse keeper. Trudy is suitably naive and, of course, has a talent for science--particularly marine life identification and drawing--that no one has appreciated. As for Oskar, what is meant to be a rebellious nature comes off rather as petulant and spoiled. The family who lives at the lighthouse is, of course, made up of cranky oddballs, but, of course, their crankiness is only there to cover deep, dark family secrets--secrets that really aren't all that surprising. The Crawleys have a hoard of children who are a bit wild but sweet and eager to learn. But they know things that Trudy does not, and they have a collection of strange 'gifts' left to them by 'the mermaid.'I won't go into this any further and spoil (if possible) the 'discoveries' for other readers. At this point, I became very irritated with the book--not just because what happens is so irritating (it is), but because it was so predictable and so obviously aimed at tugging at the reader's emotions and making a 'big statement'. (Can you feel the hammer?)Another reviewer mentioned that those who enjoy Oprah selections would probably like this book. I'm not one to automatically pan anything Oprah recommends, as some do; in fact, I've enjoyed many of her selections, including Drowning Ruth. But The Edge of the Earth certainly wasn't worth the time it took me to plod through it.

[literarylinda · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz is a book that I did enjoy. The characters are fleshed out very well with good descriptions that let us meet them but don’t let us in on their secrets. We may suspect some secrets as the story progresses, but we won’t really know what they are until they begin making themselves known in the last third of the book. I think that women who enjoy Oprah books will like this book, especially since one of the author’s books was an Oprah book. I also feel that this would be a good book club choice due to the many themes that could be discussed, like coming of age or not, families, coping with lonely places, escaping from a preordained life, and learning the true character of a new husband. Some men may enjoy the story due to the various kinds of male characters that inhabit it. The suspense gradually builds until in the last third I could hardly put the book down. It did take me about ten pages to figure out who was speaking. However, once I had that figured out, I was off and running and enjoying every minute.