To the Bright Edge of the World

A Novel

By: Eowyn Ivey

Narrated by: John Glouchevitch, Christine Lakin, Kiff Vandenheuvel

From the best-selling author of The Snow Child, a thrilling tale of historical adventure set in the Alaskan wilderness.

In the winter of 1885, Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester sets out with his men on an expedition into the newly acquired territory of Alaska. Their objective: to travel up the ferocious Wolverine River, mapping the interior and gathering information on the region's potentially dangerous native tribes. With a young and newly pregnant wife at home, Forrester is anxious to complete the journey with all possible speed and return to her. But once the crew passes beyond the edge of the known world, there's no telling what awaits them.

With gorgeous descriptions of the Alaskan wilds and a vivid cast of characters - including Forrester; his wife, Sophie; a mysterious Eyak guide; and a Native American woman who joins the expedition - To the Bright Edge of the World is an epic tale of one of America's last frontiers, combining myth, history, romance, and adventure.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 Eowyn Ivey (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Worth going back to even after I missed the "book club deadline." 😉

Great book! Living in Alaska, I recognized some of the characteristics of the town of Alpine. And I have spent time near the area described in the story. I didn't find the PDF of maps with the audible book that was mentioned in another review, but a google search revealed the map from the book as drawn by the author's friend. It was fun to match up the areas geographically, then by my memories of traveling /exploring in that area.
Well written and well read. It kept me interested the whole time. This was our book club book, and I had only listened to a little over 2 hours by the time our book club met. It is not like me to finish the book after I missed the "book club deadline," because it is time to move to the next book. However, I was intrigued so I listened every night thereafter until I finished.

Great writing, history, and storytelling

Would you consider the audio edition of To the Bright Edge of the World to be better than the print version?

no.

What other book might you compare To the Bright Edge of the World to and why?

"to the edge of the world," by harry thompson

Which scene was your favorite?

in the Native encampment in spring/summer

If you could rename To the Bright Edge of the World, what would you call it?

The Shaman and the Colonel

Any additional comments?

Beautifully written; superb integration of history; descriptions of Native culture; and taking one back in time to a key point of American and Alaskan history.

Interesting.

This was an enjoyable book, though it left me wondering what the point was.
I enjoyed all the different perspectives and having the museum curator also a part of the story. I think it would’ve been a little bit better if something had happened, instead of just a bunch of little things. Maybe I am the one missing the point.
The performance was good, however the main male character did sound, or remind me a little bit of Hannibal Lecter. LOL

Charlotte Bronte meets James Michener

Just ok, and definitely not as good or original as her first book, The Snow Child. This one feels like non-fiction, but in the dull, predictable way. If you are convinced Alaska is a special magical place, then this book may mean more to you. For the rest of us, it's an adventure story without any excitement, not nearly as interesting or page-turning as Shackleton, Lewis and Clark, or John Wesley Powell.

surprisingly beautiful

It started slow and it's written in an usual way but I just couldn't help but love the characters especially Sophie and Alan. The story is full of poetry and wonder and it was not at all what I expected. Pleasantly surprised!

Good for Historical Fiction Lovers

Thee and a half-ish years ago I got back into reading after over a half decade long hiatus for college, and slowly but surely, I’m starting to learn what I’m really interested in. Sadly, it isn’t historical fiction. If it were, I’m sure this would have been a book I loved, but unfortunately, I just wasn’t totally grabbed by it. The setting, in the Alaskan wilderness in the late 1800’s, was beautifully well done, and her characterization was good, but I’m just not compelled by stories like this. If you love historical fiction, add this to your list. If not, maybe skip it.

6/10

If you loved The Snow Child

If you loved THE SNOW CHILD, you'll find this deeper, fuller, and rich in factual detail. The mysterious "otherness" of wilderness, of Alaska, has been written and voiced (excellent performances) even more convincingly than in Eowyn Ivey's preceding novel. Put on a good wool sweater, then read this journey.

What a story!

I was thoroughly engrossed in this story, with its rich characters, complex relationships, vivid descriptions of Alaskan landscapes and parallel journeys taken by husband and wife, Allen & Sophie Forrester in the late 1880s. I liked the way the author tells the parallel stories from various viewpoints. Portrayals of Alaska are well written and vivid. I highly recommend this title

Loved this book!

Loved this book! Narrator was great. Story engaging. Couldn't wait to listen.

Brilliant !

Very intriguing and intelligently written story of 1890 era exploration of wild native Alaska , Oregon, photography, military and women's issues. Loved it!

The readers were amazing too. Really brought them in to my living room.