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kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars, rounded up
Twenty years old and living on the streets and in the parks of the Haight district of San Francisco, Maddy and her dog Root stumble across the dead body of a teenage boy, Shane and the man who is standing nearby with blood on his face. Suddenly, everyone wants a piece of her. The police want her help with the investigation, the boy's parents want to put together all of the pieces of what happened to their son. And all Maddy wants is to forget the sight of the teenage kid's face burned into her brain.
Maddy is reluctant to accept help from Shane's parents. There were times while reading this that I was asking myself why she wasn't more eager to accept their help when she had so very little to depend on. But the more I got to know Maddy's character, I understood that she doesn't WANT to rely on people. And I can respect that. You can only help those receptive to help.
After appearing in court to formally finger, Jeremiah, the man who killed Shane, she is compelled to learn more about him... and Shane as well. Using the resources she has available to her in public records, she tracks Jeremiah's criminal history and speaks to people in his past. She then begins her own quasi investigation into Shane's life by canvasing places he could have frequented and asking anyone she comes across if they recognize Shane's face. She ends up learning enough to wonder if Shane was even more of a mess than she is.
I didn't connect with Maddy as much as I would have hoped. I respected her in a way, but I never really connected with her character. And I didn't feel strong emotions for the story so much as the facts surrounding it. But, it was a very interesting read and definitely got my interest piqued.
Twenty years old and living on the streets and in the parks of the Haight district of San Francisco, Maddy and her dog Root stumble across the dead body of a teenage boy, Shane and the man who is standing nearby with blood on his face. Suddenly, everyone wants a piece of her. The police want her help with the investigation, the boy's parents want to put together all of the pieces of what happened to their son. And all Maddy wants is to forget the sight of the teenage kid's face burned into her brain.
Maddy is reluctant to accept help from Shane's parents. There were times while reading this that I was asking myself why she wasn't more eager to accept their help when she had so very little to depend on. But the more I got to know Maddy's character, I understood that she doesn't WANT to rely on people. And I can respect that. You can only help those receptive to help.
After appearing in court to formally finger, Jeremiah, the man who killed Shane, she is compelled to learn more about him... and Shane as well. Using the resources she has available to her in public records, she tracks Jeremiah's criminal history and speaks to people in his past. She then begins her own quasi investigation into Shane's life by canvasing places he could have frequented and asking anyone she comes across if they recognize Shane's face. She ends up learning enough to wonder if Shane was even more of a mess than she is.
I didn't connect with Maddy as much as I would have hoped. I respected her in a way, but I never really connected with her character. And I didn't feel strong emotions for the story so much as the facts surrounding it. But, it was a very interesting read and definitely got my interest piqued.
estonereads's review against another edition
4.0
At the Edge of the Haight first intrigued me because it is a story of homelessness in San Francisco, which is something I was a witness to for the year I lived there. I think often we believe that homelessness is caused by addiction or mental health downfalls. However, sometimes it is just a matter of circumstance. In this case, Maddy became a participant in the foster system with no reliable family members. She makes her way to San Francisco and finds a group that some might consider her family. When she witnesses another a boy dying in Golden Gate Park, her world begins to shift. This is a brilliant debut from Katherine Seligman. It's a coming of age story about Maddy learning what home and family means to her. Maddy's character development was beautiful to watch and the way she found kinship made me see a different side to homelessness. Obviously, this is single story out of millions and a piece of fiction, but I like to think there's some truth that comes out of it. I hope this novel opens the eyes of readers who have yet bear witness to this pandemic.
literarygadd's review against another edition
3.0
The summer of love is long gone but some people hope to prolong the “glory days”, some are searching for something, some are hiding, and some are just hoping to make it another day. This honest look at life on the streets details the daily routines of seeking shelter, food, money, and purpose. Follow Maddy while she navigates Golden Gate Park, investigating a crime that just won’t let her alone, and battles a past that simultaneously haunts her and keeps her going when times are tough.
Reading this elicited feelings of frustration regarding the state of things; the lack of help and the unwillingness to receive help when offered. The general attitudes of law enforcement and people towards homeless, and the attitudes of the homeless towards law enforcement and other people. Spotlighting the many issues that those who do not have permanent housing face while not glossing over the many reasons why.
I am thankful for the honest perspective I received by reading this book.
Thanks to @algonquinbooks and @kr.seligman for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Reading this elicited feelings of frustration regarding the state of things; the lack of help and the unwillingness to receive help when offered. The general attitudes of law enforcement and people towards homeless, and the attitudes of the homeless towards law enforcement and other people. Spotlighting the many issues that those who do not have permanent housing face while not glossing over the many reasons why.
I am thankful for the honest perspective I received by reading this book.
Thanks to @algonquinbooks and @kr.seligman for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
bookstobechill's review against another edition
1.0
This book was a hard, hard no for me. I have lots more to say but don’t even know that it’s worth it.
booktherapyphilly's review against another edition
2.0
At the Edge of the Haight by Katherine Seligman takes a look at San Francisco’s homeless youth, following a fictional young woman in her early 20s navigating living in Golden Gate Park with her pup.
Seligman does an empathetic job of explaining and therefore humanizing to the reader how her main character became street homeless, as well as gives insight into the logic behind the mindset of someone who is hesitant to accept tangible help when it is offered, despite accepting the help seeming to be the obvious/smartest choice.
The book is YA and the writing style very much leans in this direction. Initially, I found it to be choppy and not my style and was irritated that such a promising topic (humanizing people experiencing homelessness) was not written as strongly as it could be, but then I realized that the purpose of the book is for a teenager to grasp this topic, not a 30 something year old social worker, and when I accepted that I saw the book exactly as what it is intended to be: an empathy building tool for young adults, which it accomplishes perfectly.
Seligman does an empathetic job of explaining and therefore humanizing to the reader how her main character became street homeless, as well as gives insight into the logic behind the mindset of someone who is hesitant to accept tangible help when it is offered, despite accepting the help seeming to be the obvious/smartest choice.
The book is YA and the writing style very much leans in this direction. Initially, I found it to be choppy and not my style and was irritated that such a promising topic (humanizing people experiencing homelessness) was not written as strongly as it could be, but then I realized that the purpose of the book is for a teenager to grasp this topic, not a 30 something year old social worker, and when I accepted that I saw the book exactly as what it is intended to be: an empathy building tool for young adults, which it accomplishes perfectly.
auntie_em's review against another edition
4.0
A worthy and important read, well researched, heartbreakingly real. I appreciate the author’s efforts to lead readers toward a better, more empathetic understanding of our unsheltered population.
pawstoodream's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
I have mixed feelings about this book. Wanted to like it a lot but not sure I couldn’t get into the story for some reason.
The story shows the life of homeless teenagers their struggles, bonds, challenges etc...
Thank you! @algonquinbooks @kr.seligman for this e-arc advance read for an honest review
I have mixed feelings about this book. Wanted to like it a lot but not sure I couldn’t get into the story for some reason.
The story shows the life of homeless teenagers their struggles, bonds, challenges etc...
Thank you! @algonquinbooks @kr.seligman for this e-arc advance read for an honest review
lulukubo's review against another edition
3.0
I found the character of Maddy to be extremely frustrating. It must be impossible for me to put myself into the mind of a homeless-by-choice teen.
letstalkaboutbooksbaybee's review against another edition
4.0
3.75⭐️
Thank you Algonquin Books for a free copy to review.
Maddy is a homeless young woman living in the San Francisco area when she stumbles across the body of a young man, and his murderer is nearby. She runs away and tries to kind her own business, but somehow she gets wrapped up in the homicide investigation and the young man’s parents find her and ask her to testify. All she wants to do is get back to being on her own with her dog and her small group of trusted friends.
I’ll be honest, this was a quieter book. Nothing much outside of the synopsis happens but I thoroughly enjoyed the slower pace and how the author really crafted the setting of this book. I’m not sure how accurate the homeless aspects in this book are to real life, but to an outsider it felt pretty believable. The writing drew me in from the first page and I devoured this book in one night.
My only drawback is I’m not entirely sure what the overall point of this book was, but sometimes a book exists to just tell a story and I think that’s what happened here.
If you like literary fiction, I definitely think this one is for you.
Thank you Algonquin Books for a free copy to review.
Maddy is a homeless young woman living in the San Francisco area when she stumbles across the body of a young man, and his murderer is nearby. She runs away and tries to kind her own business, but somehow she gets wrapped up in the homicide investigation and the young man’s parents find her and ask her to testify. All she wants to do is get back to being on her own with her dog and her small group of trusted friends.
I’ll be honest, this was a quieter book. Nothing much outside of the synopsis happens but I thoroughly enjoyed the slower pace and how the author really crafted the setting of this book. I’m not sure how accurate the homeless aspects in this book are to real life, but to an outsider it felt pretty believable. The writing drew me in from the first page and I devoured this book in one night.
My only drawback is I’m not entirely sure what the overall point of this book was, but sometimes a book exists to just tell a story and I think that’s what happened here.
If you like literary fiction, I definitely think this one is for you.