Reviews

"An epic adventure story that seems heir to the tradition of Melville's own sweeping and ambitious literary approach to the age-old struggle of humans versus nature . . . An absorbing and high-stakes read." – Kathleen Rooney, Chicago Tribune

“Ivey’s characters, without exception, are skillfully wrought and pull the narrative forward with little effort. She does not stoop to blanket depictions of tribal life or Victorian women, and instead has created a novel with all of the fine details that make historical fiction such an adventure to read. Fans of “The Snow Child” will not be disappointed.”
Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“Lustrous…Ivey’s writing is assured and deftly paced. She presents a pleasing chorus of voices and writing styles in an amalgam of journals, letters, newspaper clippings, greeting cards, official reports and more….The couple’s moving love story binds the multilayered narrative together….Ivey’s first novel, “The Snow Child,” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and her follow-up act is certain to garner its own accolades as readers discover its many unfolding pleasures.”
Seattle Times

“To the Bright Edge of the World moves seamlessly through different times and different voices to depict an often harrowing journey that leads the central characters to question all that they ‘have known as real & true.’ Ivey’s novel is a dazzling depiction of love, endurance, courage, and wonder, and a worthy successor to The Snow Child.”
Ron Rash, author of Serena

“To the Bright Edge of the World is a glorious feast of American mythology. In it, Eowyn Ivey’s Alaska blooms vast and untouchable, bulging with mystery and wonder, and lit by an uneasy midnight sun. On this haunted stage, the lines between man and beast are blurred, and Ivey has etched her most compelling characters: the incorruptible, determined Sophie Forrester, who wrestles with the rules of men and polite society; and her husband, the explorer Allen Forrester, who struggles mightily against the uncivilized Alaskan wilderness with its ragged teeth. Gorgeously written, utterly un-put-downable, To the Bright Edge of the World sweeps its reader to the very brink of known territory, and presents that bright edge in stark relief: gleaming, serrated, unforgiving. As with The Snow Child, Eowyn Ivey has once again written a magical, breathtaking novel that I just cannot put out of my mind.”
Jason Gurley, author of Eleanor

“An exceptionally well-turned adventure tale…Heartfelt, rip-snorting storytelling.”
Kirkus (Starred Review)

“A stunning and intriguing novel combining the epic adventurous sweep of Alaska with minutely beautifully observed details–the reader finishes it wiser and richer.”
Rosamund Lupton, author of Sister and The Quality of Silence

“All the pleasures of a great novel are here–the well-crafted sentence, the deft pacing, the compelling plot, and characters that we care passionately about. Add to those already significant achievements a few eerie hints of the supernatural, some nail-biting mystery/thriller drama, the understanding that’s gained from historically accurate details, and the endorphin rush of a love story. And then consider that the novel’s construction provides yet another pleasure, the pleasure of the puzzle, as the reader gets to participate in the assemblage of journal entry, letter, drawing, and artifact, therefore co-creating this epic Alaskan adventure. How can one novel contain such richness? Eowyn Ivey is a wonder.”
Tom Franklin, author of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

“An entrancing, occasionally chilling, depiction of turn-of-the-century Alaska…In this splendid adventure novel, Ivey captures Alaska’s beauty and brutality, not just preserving history, but keeping it alive.”
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Ivey deftly draws the reader into the perils of the journey…a compelling historical saga of survival.”
Booklist (Starred Review)

“Ivey’s first novel, The Snow Child (a lovely retelling of an old Russian folk tale), was a runaway hit, an international best seller, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her second work is even better!…This reviewer has never cared for epistolary novels, but Ivey not only makes it work, she makes it work magnificently. The personal nature, the immediacy of the writing puts the reader in the heart of the story, allowing one to become a participant rather than a mere observer.”
Library Journal, (Starred Review)