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leihaj's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
readingundertheradar's review against another edition
4.0
One of those rare books that blends the literary and mystery so well that it’s compelling but still beautifully written. A thoughtful look at houselessness among youth and filled with real, flawed characters with no black and white solutions.
CW: houselessness, murder, drug and alcohol abuse, addiction, mention of sexual assault of minor (off page), general violence (not graphic but a few violence mentions throughout book)
CW: houselessness, murder, drug and alcohol abuse, addiction, mention of sexual assault of minor (off page), general violence (not graphic but a few violence mentions throughout book)
hannahwoodson's review against another edition
4.0
Pro: I give this points for telling a compelling story from a mostly overlooked POV. The story gave the people experiencing homelessness a remarkable about of agency and respect but did not romanticize their lives.
Con: the ending. It was just suddenly over at one point. So much so I thought my audiobook app had crashed until the credits came on.
Con: the ending. It was just suddenly over at one point. So much so I thought my audiobook app had crashed until the credits came on.
annmariereads's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve got to say, this book was super eye-opening about homelessness, especially in the day-to-day details we might never otherwise think about.
This book follows Maddy who is homeless, twenty-years old, and living in San Francisco. She knows the lay of the land and is able to get by. However, one day she accidentally sees another homeless boy get murdered and it changes everything. She's living in fear of the murderer finding her and to make things even more complicated, the dead boy's parents want to talk with her and bond with her in a way they were never able to with their son. In this coming-of-age story, Maddy has to make some decisions about her life - will she live it for herself or for the adults in her life?
Visiting San Francisco, one of the things that surprised me and many others that go there, is the number of the homeless population. I drew on those memories and images while reading this book. The city also makes a fascinating setting for this book, too. On one end you have the aging hippie vibes of the 60s and 70s and on the opposite end you have this terribly expensive tech yuppie lifestyle. This clash in cultures definitely affects the homeless population of the city, in good ways and bad.
Following Maddy showed so many of the parts of homelessness I'd never thought about. Where do you go during the daytime? How do you sleep outside in the rain? How can you charge a phone if you have one? How can you trust others not to steal your stuff? These and not to mention hunger, the limited space of shelters, how easy it is to have a run in with law enforcement, and hygiene needs have all been stuck in my head, even weeks after reading.
I've seen some folks talk about how jumpy and choppy this book feels as you're reading it, but that feels purposeful to me. Maddy's life is not a smooth one. It changes every day, even on a dime. Seligman's writing did a great job of conveying this. Definitely pick this one up
This book follows Maddy who is homeless, twenty-years old, and living in San Francisco. She knows the lay of the land and is able to get by. However, one day she accidentally sees another homeless boy get murdered and it changes everything. She's living in fear of the murderer finding her and to make things even more complicated, the dead boy's parents want to talk with her and bond with her in a way they were never able to with their son. In this coming-of-age story, Maddy has to make some decisions about her life - will she live it for herself or for the adults in her life?
Visiting San Francisco, one of the things that surprised me and many others that go there, is the number of the homeless population. I drew on those memories and images while reading this book. The city also makes a fascinating setting for this book, too. On one end you have the aging hippie vibes of the 60s and 70s and on the opposite end you have this terribly expensive tech yuppie lifestyle. This clash in cultures definitely affects the homeless population of the city, in good ways and bad.
Following Maddy showed so many of the parts of homelessness I'd never thought about. Where do you go during the daytime? How do you sleep outside in the rain? How can you charge a phone if you have one? How can you trust others not to steal your stuff? These and not to mention hunger, the limited space of shelters, how easy it is to have a run in with law enforcement, and hygiene needs have all been stuck in my head, even weeks after reading.
I've seen some folks talk about how jumpy and choppy this book feels as you're reading it, but that feels purposeful to me. Maddy's life is not a smooth one. It changes every day, even on a dime. Seligman's writing did a great job of conveying this. Definitely pick this one up
openmypages's review against another edition
2.0
At the Edge of the Haight follows a homeless woman after she discovers a dead body in the park. We see her threatened by the perpetrator, bullied by the cops and her homeless cohorts about the issue. We get a glimpse of life on the streets, how each of the characters came to live the life they have and how they seem to be oblivious or disinterested in any attempts to help them. The murdered boy's parents take an interest in Maddy and want to do for her what they couldn't for their son. She repeatedly shirks their help and shows us that while her life on the streets isn't perfect, she is content.
I just did not get anything out of this book. I think it was intended to help build empathy towards the homeless and their plight but I found the characters really selfish. I am happy with non-conformity to an extent and I get that's a millennial thing but being lazy and just begging for money to then buy drugs just did not endear me to these people. I think the author was trying to show often times those who are trying to help are just enabling and not truly getting to the root of the issues. But the responses of Maddy and Ash to that help was overly selfish and truly unkind. I would have preferred for this story to focus on the murder and still give us a taste of the plight of the homeless without being as meandering and pointless as it was. Generally, I do not like to give reviews that are overly negative without offering what I liked about the book but in this case, I'm struggling with that. I liked the dog and that while the people were awful to one another, they did treat their animals well. There was an attempt to try to explain the impact of mental illness on this culture but it just didn't hit the mark for me.
Thanks to Algonquin for a copy. All opinions above are my own.
I just did not get anything out of this book. I think it was intended to help build empathy towards the homeless and their plight but I found the characters really selfish. I am happy with non-conformity to an extent and I get that's a millennial thing but being lazy and just begging for money to then buy drugs just did not endear me to these people. I think the author was trying to show often times those who are trying to help are just enabling and not truly getting to the root of the issues. But the responses of Maddy and Ash to that help was overly selfish and truly unkind. I would have preferred for this story to focus on the murder and still give us a taste of the plight of the homeless without being as meandering and pointless as it was. Generally, I do not like to give reviews that are overly negative without offering what I liked about the book but in this case, I'm struggling with that. I liked the dog and that while the people were awful to one another, they did treat their animals well. There was an attempt to try to explain the impact of mental illness on this culture but it just didn't hit the mark for me.
Thanks to Algonquin for a copy. All opinions above are my own.
fallbetweenthepages's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin books for this emotional and distinctive look into the struggles of homelessness through young Maddy’s eyes. There’s a range of emotions readers go through as the events of Maddy’s everyday life on the streets is suddenly interrupt when she witnesses a murder. Originally unsure of how or even where her life if headed, 20 year old Maddy’s is thrust into the middle of a police investigation, bombarded with questions from the grieving parents, and questions her own existence as she slowly comes to realize that maybe there’s more to life than what she’s seen this far.
While there have been mixed views on the debut novel, I found Maddy’s confusion, anger, and bravery extremely compelling. Initially one would assume that the murder she witnessed would be the focal point of the story, however it becomes apparently clear that it’s Maddy’s inner struggle of discover who she is and what type of person she wants to be.
While there have been mixed views on the debut novel, I found Maddy’s confusion, anger, and bravery extremely compelling. Initially one would assume that the murder she witnessed would be the focal point of the story, however it becomes apparently clear that it’s Maddy’s inner struggle of discover who she is and what type of person she wants to be.
dinipandareads's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to Algonquin Books for including me on the blog tour for this book and providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 2.75 stars rounded up
I’m conflicted about my thoughts on this book and I’m not quite sure how to rate it.
I’m conflicted about my thoughts on this book and I’m not quite sure how to rate it.
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.
lydiaogden's review against another edition
5.0
This is a beautiful book. Through empathy it tells the story of the other side of toughness. I picked it because I like a mystery but it was a lot more about human hearts. There’s a dog and nothing bad happens to him, too, so that’s always a treat.
ashleyeller's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25