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A review by blogginboutbooks
On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis
4.0
I quite liked this YA dystopian/sci-fi novel set in a near-future Amsterdam. It's tense, atmospheric, and compelling. The story's gripping enough that I wanted to keep reading I cared about the main character and wanted to know what was going to happen to her and her family.
A book blogger (I REALLY wish I could remember which one!) mentioned ON THE EDGE OF GONE in a post, saying that she liked it because its depiction of autism is so spot-on. I'm not autistic nor do I live with anyone who is, but the portrayal of autism in the novel does feel very authentic to me (in my limited experience). It gave me insight and empathy into how those I know with autism see the world and cope with stimuli that is sometimes too much for them. Denise's desire to prove herself useful and worthy of saving, in spite of the fact that she's not like other people, makes her sympathetic. While her forthrightness can be off-putting, her constant efforts to fit in and help people understand her, even though it's a struggle, make her relatable. She may not be the warmest, fuzziest of heroines, but she's likable in her compassion, determination, and courage. As I said, I came to care about her and her desperate plight.
Like many novels of this kind, ON THE EDGE OF GONE asks important questions. In a life-or-death situation, who is worth saving? What determines someone's worth? Are those with health and behavioral challenges as valuable as those without? If you were blasting off into an unknown future on another planet, who would YOU want to be on board? And how does one make such judgments, especially when being left behind means almost certain death? Definitely some good food for thought that would make for interesting discussion in a book club.
A book blogger (I REALLY wish I could remember which one!) mentioned ON THE EDGE OF GONE in a post, saying that she liked it because its depiction of autism is so spot-on. I'm not autistic nor do I live with anyone who is, but the portrayal of autism in the novel does feel very authentic to me (in my limited experience). It gave me insight and empathy into how those I know with autism see the world and cope with stimuli that is sometimes too much for them. Denise's desire to prove herself useful and worthy of saving, in spite of the fact that she's not like other people, makes her sympathetic. While her forthrightness can be off-putting, her constant efforts to fit in and help people understand her, even though it's a struggle, make her relatable. She may not be the warmest, fuzziest of heroines, but she's likable in her compassion, determination, and courage. As I said, I came to care about her and her desperate plight.
Like many novels of this kind, ON THE EDGE OF GONE asks important questions. In a life-or-death situation, who is worth saving? What determines someone's worth? Are those with health and behavioral challenges as valuable as those without? If you were blasting off into an unknown future on another planet, who would YOU want to be on board? And how does one make such judgments, especially when being left behind means almost certain death? Definitely some good food for thought that would make for interesting discussion in a book club.