Rated of 5
by Pamela S. (Winnetka, CA) Life changes
The Edge of the Earth is easy to read and moves along swiftly. It was interesting to read how people would live in such an out of the way place & to learn what goes into attending a lighthouse. I found myself liking Trudy for she was interested in learning about her new environment so different from her previous & the people there. I wasn't was particularly fond of her husband Oskar. Overall I enjoyed the book.
Rated of 5
by Hazel R. (North Eastham, MA) Exciting Novel, or Tedious Anthropological Journal?
Don't judge a book by its back cover. Noted to be "gorgeously detailed, swiftly paced . . . magical", this novel is somewhat of a disappointment, little more than an isolated woman's journal of unfamiliar shore life and small family dramas. Secrets do come to life, and the pace picks up for the last quarter of the book, but you might find yourself hard pressed to justify Trudy's tolerance of her paternalistic, condescending husband, even in the historical context of a century past. The inaccessibility of the light station was well described, but the wild beauty of landscapes such as Big Sur was not captured.
This book will appeal to the reader that has patience, and is willing to meander along, quietly observing. Book clubs might consider the relationship of Trudy and Oskar, if it was consistent with the era and the locale, and if the story resonates or disappoints.
Rated of 5
by Christine P. (Salt Lake City, UT) The Edge of the Earth
I instantly liked Trudy Swann. She is a woman born in Wisconsin at the end of the 1800s. Trudy marries a dreamer, moves to "the edge of the earth", a lighthouse on the wild Central California coast. This is a life she is unprepared for, but I loved how she adjusts to this new life. Her exposure to the marine life along the coast is an awakening of sorts, a discovery of the kind of person she wants to be. This is a book about women, the power of their friendships, their shared experiences and the strength and knowledge that women take from each other to make life more bearable under harsh conditions. That's what makes this a great book for discussion groups. Once again, Christina Schwarz gives her readers an unforgettable experience.
Rated of 5
by Nikki M. (Fort Wayne, IN) Something is missing...
This was a quick read and, while parts were very interesting, I just wasn't quite vested in the characters or the story. Perhaps it was all of the "scientific research" of ocean life that was included, but I felt the author's research was over-arching to the story.
Rated of 5
by Lydia M. (Lakeview, Oregon) It filled up my senses...
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 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".
Rated of 5
by Shirin M. (Beverly Hills, CA) The Edge of the Earth
Set in the majestic Big Sur, the book provides a good sense of time and place. I thought I would be transported and become part of the story, but this never happened. There was something missing in the characters and narration. Disappointing, because I enjoyed "Drowning Ruth" by the same author.
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of 5
by Pamela S. (Winnetka, CA) 
of 5
by Hazel R. (North Eastham, MA) 
of 5
by Lydia M. (Lakeview, Oregon) 
of 5
by Shirin M. (Beverly Hills, CA) 
