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jesseonyoutube's review against another edition
3.0
Centering the realities of the unsheltered with candor, At the Edge of the Haight uses a young girl named Maddy to set a spotlight on homeless folk in San Francisco. The novel's selling point is that Maddy stumbles upon a boy just moments after his murder and is thrown into a police investigation while the boy's bereft parents attempt to use forced proximity to her to settle their own grief. Marketed as a literary thriller, I was pleasantly surprised to find the book focused MUCH less on the 'mystery thriller' aspect and more heavily on centering homelessness.
Desperately, I wanted to love the story much more than I did. The audiobook made the writing (which I believe was in need of editing), far more enjoyable; the narrator had the absolute perfect voice to bend Maddy's perspective into Life. However, I am certain I'd have discontinued my read had I been consuming Haight in a physical format.
Still, I deeply suggest this book for anyone who has not experienced homeless, especially those of you who "don't believe in giving money to the homeless" and have never consumed a single written perspective on the unsheltered. Ideally though, read a work from a formerly (or currently) homeless individual in order to put their perspectives first.
Desperately, I wanted to love the story much more than I did. The audiobook made the writing (which I believe was in need of editing), far more enjoyable; the narrator had the absolute perfect voice to bend Maddy's perspective into Life. However, I am certain I'd have discontinued my read had I been consuming Haight in a physical format.
Still, I deeply suggest this book for anyone who has not experienced homeless, especially those of you who "don't believe in giving money to the homeless" and have never consumed a single written perspective on the unsheltered. Ideally though, read a work from a formerly (or currently) homeless individual in order to put their perspectives first.
booksaremypeople's review against another edition
5.0
Katherine Seligman’s At The Edge of the Haight, is a beautifully written novel about a young adult experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. When Maddy Donaldo witnesses a murder in Golden Gate Park, she becomes tangled in a complicated web that includes the killer, the police and the victim’s parents. This is a novel about what it means to be a family and how it can come in many different shapes and sizes. And who doesn’t love a novel with a dog? Maddy’s dog, Root, will not disappoint.
marilynw's review against another edition
3.0
At the Edge of the Haight by Katherine Seligman
At the Edge of the Haight follows twenty year old homeless Maddy Donaldo as she comes across a dying young man, while the murderer is still standing near his body. Homeless life is fraught with perils and being seen by a murderer just adds to Maddy's fears and worries. Yet for as dangerous, unpredictable, and uncomfortable as being homeless in the area of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park must be, life for Maddy, her friends and her acquaintances, almost comes across as truant teenagers/young adults spending too much time loafing around a mall, waiting to be chased off by the security guards who make their rounds each shift.
Maddy and her friends are very intelligent and creative but as this story relates their lives, they have a chance to take advantage of a myriad of resources, safety nets, and handouts that are designed to bring them in off the streets and start on a more independent path to life, and they seem to take advantage of those things when it's convenient or when they make an effort to be in the right place at the right time . These young people seem to see their homelessness as being independent and not allowing others to tell them what to do but don't face that really living in a way that allows you take care of yourself (and maybe take care of a family, in the future) comes with rules and guidelines that are best followed, to achieve true independence from handouts and a life of never knowing where your next meal will come from, where you will sleep/squat for the night.
The writing of this story is very good and I cared about, not only Maddy and her friends, but for those who try to help Maddy and the other homeless people. There are people trying so hard to change Maddy's life for the better but it seems almost impossible when Maddy and those she spends time with, reject the opportunities that are offered, over and over. There is so much more going on with the plight of homelessness but this story makes it seem less dire than the real life situation. It seems that this book is aimed more at young teens/young adults and that could be why it's written in a less gritty manner than reality might dictate, but I think it's a disservice to the real thing when it seems to almost be glamorized.
Publication date: January 19, 2021
Thank you to Algonquin Books/Workman and Edelweiss for this ARC.
At the Edge of the Haight follows twenty year old homeless Maddy Donaldo as she comes across a dying young man, while the murderer is still standing near his body. Homeless life is fraught with perils and being seen by a murderer just adds to Maddy's fears and worries. Yet for as dangerous, unpredictable, and uncomfortable as being homeless in the area of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park must be, life for Maddy, her friends and her acquaintances, almost comes across as truant teenagers/young adults spending too much time loafing around a mall, waiting to be chased off by the security guards who make their rounds each shift.
Maddy and her friends are very intelligent and creative but as this story relates their lives, they have a chance to take advantage of a myriad of resources, safety nets, and handouts that are designed to bring them in off the streets and start on a more independent path to life, and they seem to take advantage of those things when it's convenient or when they make an effort to be in the right place at the right time . These young people seem to see their homelessness as being independent and not allowing others to tell them what to do but don't face that really living in a way that allows you take care of yourself (and maybe take care of a family, in the future) comes with rules and guidelines that are best followed, to achieve true independence from handouts and a life of never knowing where your next meal will come from, where you will sleep/squat for the night.
The writing of this story is very good and I cared about, not only Maddy and her friends, but for those who try to help Maddy and the other homeless people. There are people trying so hard to change Maddy's life for the better but it seems almost impossible when Maddy and those she spends time with, reject the opportunities that are offered, over and over. There is so much more going on with the plight of homelessness but this story makes it seem less dire than the real life situation. It seems that this book is aimed more at young teens/young adults and that could be why it's written in a less gritty manner than reality might dictate, but I think it's a disservice to the real thing when it seems to almost be glamorized.
Publication date: January 19, 2021
Thank you to Algonquin Books/Workman and Edelweiss for this ARC.
cyee44's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting story. It did not go exactly where I thought it would, but it was an interesting insight into homeless lives.
bridget_h's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this much more than I did. It was a rough story and could have revealed a lot about the unhomed in SF... the author's notes indicate research was performed but it just seems like a story that can't or shouldn't be told from this perspective unless it's more autobiographical. I get that fiction is fiction but there was just something about this one that didn't work for me.
sbojo32's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I wasn't invested in Maddy's story because it was hard to root for someone who was offered opportunities for success and repeatedly turned them down. Maddy is homeless, 20 years old, and living in the park in San Francisco. She and her small friend group spend their days looking out for each other, getting food when they can, getting showers when they can, and getting drugs.
The best character in this book was Root, Maddy's dog. I wish this book could have been told from his perspective.
The "drama" in the book starts when Maddy (and Root) find a boy (age unclear but probably late teens/early 20s) bleeding out in the park. They see a man nearby who may or may not have been his killer. Maddy is scared of the man and tries to hide from him. The dead boy's parents find her and want information. They try to take her in as one of their own and give her anything she might need. She refuses and runs away, back to her old life.
I feel like there was just something missing in this one. The stories weren't woven together well and it seemed a bit repetitve at times. I wanted to feel bad for Maddy, but it was difficult.
The best character in this book was Root, Maddy's dog. I wish this book could have been told from his perspective.
The "drama" in the book starts when Maddy (and Root) find a boy (age unclear but probably late teens/early 20s) bleeding out in the park. They see a man nearby who may or may not have been his killer. Maddy is scared of the man and tries to hide from him. The dead boy's parents find her and want information. They try to take her in as one of their own and give her anything she might need. She refuses and runs away, back to her old life.
I feel like there was just something missing in this one. The stories weren't woven together well and it seemed a bit repetitve at times. I wanted to feel bad for Maddy, but it was difficult.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
2.0
Well written and interesting in the first half. The second half just started to lose my interest.
lovesworldofbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I really struggle with story. I understand homeless is one of the big problems in the US however, it was hard to gain empathy for this character. This is what I got from this story. The people who were homeless were perfectly happy and would whether getting high. When they are offered help or a job they turn it down. Bookending with unresolved murder plus a cliffhanger regarding Maddy and her mother.
greenan26's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Police brutality, and Mental illness