Edgeland

By: Jake Halpern, Peter Kujawinski

Narrated by: Karissa Vacker

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

An upper-middle grade thriller by the New York Times best-selling Nightfall authors - perfect for fans of James Dashner's Maze Runner books.

Thousands of miles south of the island of Bliss, day and night last for 72 hours. Here is one of the natural wonders of this world: a whirlpool 30 miles wide and 100 miles around. This is the Drain. Anything sucked into its frothing, turbulent waters is never seen again.

Wren has spent most of her life on Edgeland, a nearby island where people bring their dead to be blessed and prepared for the afterlife. There the dead are loaded into boats with treasure and sent over the cliff, and into the Drain. Orphaned and alone, Wren dreams of escaping Edgeland, and her chance finally comes when furriers from the Polar north arrive with their dead - and treasure for their dead.

With the help of her friend Alec, Wren plans to loot one of the boats before it enters the Drain. But the boat - with Alec and Wren onboard - is sucked into the whirlpool. What they discover beyond the abyss is beyond what anyone could have imagined.

Includes an original song written and performed by Celia Rose.

©2017 Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski (P)2017 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Halpern and Kujawinksi have constructed a refreshing, original fantasy that thoughtfully probes the subjects of class, religion, and morality.... Compellingly written, this otherworldly adventure is a unique offering that deserves attention." (Booklist, starred review)

"An imaginative adventure/fantasy exploring the afterlife. Edgeland is a place more for the living than for the dead.... Recommended for fans of James Dashner’s 'Maze Runner' series, this is a solid addition to collections serving upper middle grade and middle school readers." (School Library Journal)

"Give this compelling look at life-after-death to young readers looking for a mystery, a friendship that spans worlds, and those interested in a unique world with a totally different look at life beyond life." (VOYA)

Great story, literally sucks you in

I read Nightfall and loved it and is book was the next big I almost didn’t get it due to someone saying the ending was bad.

It starts off slowly while building our main characters but once it gets going I was hooked on the characters and the story.

So forget the boring last part, it’s hard to say without spoilers but the ending doesn’t take anything away from the rest of the story.

My second book from this duo and listening to it made me walk further😁

Exciting Fantasy Story!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this book, as it was recommended to me. Although the book was meant for younger readers, I think it is a very intriguing read or audiobook listen for all ages.

What did you like best about this story?

The story of Wren and her friend Alex, both 12 years of age, started off slowly, but in no time took off in a whirlwind of of twists and turns. Circumstances of being separated from parents and having to fend for themselves, quickly becomes a story of survival, dependency on one another, trust, and loyalty for these two friends when they encounter another dimension, that of the afterlife.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when Wren and Alex, defying all odds, muster the strength and determination to find Wren's deceased mother, who they bring back to life for a while, and Wren receives the information she desperately needs to know.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Actually, both. The plot was always so intriguing, wanting the reader/listener to find out more. It really brought out an array of emotions. The book was so well written with such fascinating depth, making the unreal almost seem real.

Any additional comments?

I so think the narrator deserves a lot of credit for her delivery of this suspenseful, all enveloping, thought challenging fantasy. Ms Vacker truly made the story come to life with the various emotions and voices of the characters involved. Her voice was so pleasant, and flowed as she interpreted the story, made it so easy to imagine the plot as it unfolded. I also loved the beautiful song at the end of the book. The young lady had a beautiful voice, and the song was the perfect ending to this fantasy adventure.

This was the strangest audio book I've ever heard.

The story was really great until the last few chapters, then it fell over the edge and went into the drain, literally. The ending was bizarre...actually the entire subject matter was bizarre, but I still enjoyed most of it. These two authors must have been high when they wrote this thing. it really was a mess at the end.

A descent story

It was bound to happen. Someone was bound to write a children's story about going to hell and setting things right, but first purgatory. We learn on this journey that religious explanations are bogus, in fact sinister. And our youthful heroes can march right in and set things right (that old colonial idea). Along the way they learn moral lessons about not snitching and about cooperating, and about how mastering the local technical design is the key to setting things right. In navigating confusing situations, it is important to note that villains growl and evil girls purr. There is a lot of shouting; and "we gotta go" kind of sums up the storyline.