The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles is yet another book that took me entirely by surprise. I found the idea of bounty hunters for Lowlands rather fascinating. Plus, I fell in love with X and Zoe’s little brother. Actually, I fell in love with all of the characters.
The Edge of Everything is not perfect. I am not a fan of the insta-love trope in general, and Mr. Giles did nothing to sell me on the connection between Zoe and X. To make matters worse, the world-building is weak. We end the novel with as many questions about the Lowlands as we started, knowing very little about the power structure or even if the Lowlands is a stand-in for Hell.
For all its faults, I still find The Edge of Everything charming. Mr. Giles might struggle with world-building, but he does know how to establish dialog. Even better, he understands teenagers. At no point in time did I question Zoe’s voice or her interactions with her friends. To me, they sounded like my daughter and her friends.
Also, although we understand very little about the Lowlands, I want to know more. Those scenes in the Lowlands are interesting because they offer us a chance to learn more. If I were to read the sequel, it would be because I feel the sequel will show us even more information and answers about the Lowlands.
The Edge of Everything may have its issues, but I found them a non-issue. I could even forget the insta-love trope because I enjoyed the rest of their interactions so much. Two weeks after finishing the story, I find myself still thinking about the story and the unanswered questions I have, to the point where that sequel is looking more appealing every day.
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