Rapunzel Reads
  • Fiction
  • Who We Are
  • A Note to Authors
  • Books of the Year
    • 2024 Books of the Year
    • 2022 Books of the Year
    • 2021 Books of the Year
    • 2020 Books of the Year
    • 2019 Books of the Year
  • Author Interviews
  • For Older Readers
  • Audiobooks
  • Nonfiction
  • Submit a Review
  • Picture Books
  • Book Group Reads
  • Booklists

Girls at the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson (2021)

6/13/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Lina

Natasha Koskinen is going to survive. It doesn't matter that another Flood is coming, the ten mystical storms that precipitate its arrival like the tick of a clock. She's done it before--the orphaned daughter of a disgraced flyer who died too young made her way into the Royal Flyers, the elite aerial acrobat troupe considered the crowning pride of the city, then worked her way to becoming principle flyer. She has fought tooth and nail for a place in a city where she once had no one left. So when she learns that the flyers have lost their once-guaranteed place on the ships the crown is building to survive the Flood, she's aghast--but knows immediately that she'll do whatever it takes to get her and her flyers on one of those ships. Even if the only way is courting the enigmatic Prince Nikolai is himself. 

Ella Neves is going to die. (No, don't worry--she doesn't mind.) She doesn't know exactly how--a palace guard's sword? rotting in the royal dungeon?--but she knows that once she makes it into the Flyers' troupe, she'll gain close proximity to the crown prince, make a plan, and then Nikolai is going to pay, blood for blood, for the life of the girl that once meant the world to her. No matter the cost. Anyway, there'll be no one left to mourn her.

Ella's target is Natasha's only shot at survival. But as the Flood gets closer, so do the two flyers. And as the waters rise and their city begins to fracture with political conflicts and popular resistance, Ella realizes that maybe there's more to life than revenge. And Natasha begins to understand that being dead set on survival might be preventing her from ever really living at all. 

Evocative, atmospheric, and thoughtful, Girls at the Edge of the World has quickly become one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels. Bright, multifaceted characters, luminous worldbuilding, and a deft philosophical undercurrent make it a standout--at once a story of struggling, shining girls in a darkening world, a defiant queer romance, and an ode to living life to the fullest and the things that make it worth living at all. It's a fast read, the writing light but deft, and while there are familiar elements to the storyline, the plot and characters feel fresh and original, dodging clichés with unexpected twists and a distinctly witty, thoughtful narrative. It's also a piercing, contemplative look at heteropatriarchy, religion, colonialism, and how economic and class divides are displayed and exacerbated by climate change--all without being remotely preachy or contrived. I especially loved the flyers themselves, a blend of art and athletics, stardom and symbolism constantly training to bring the city together and earn their own survival; there's believable competitiveness and drive within the troupe, but also fierce loyalty and palpable caring between its members. I would highly recommend Girls at the Edge of the World to readers ages twelve and up; it's an excellent pick for book clubs as well. 

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Book Reviews By & For Teens

    Everyone knows that Rapunzel spent her early years locked up in a tower. We like to think she read plenty of books to while away the time, and that she’d appreciate our favorites.
     
    We’re two teen siblings who have been reviewing and recommending great middle-grade (MG) and young adult (YA) books since 2014 (over ten years!). We’re particularly passionate about fantasy, queer books, and any story beautifully told.
     
    Explore our site more for author interviews, favorite picture books & audiobooks, and more!


    Rapunzel Reads Profile Photo

    Follow us elsewhere!

    Follow us for book reviews and recommendations, including whenever we post a review! 


    Young Adult Reviews! 

    We're now featuring reviews for YA (ages 12+) books alongside our middle-grade reviews on our main page! (If you're not sure if a book is young adult, check the age range--if it's 12, 13, or 14+, it's YA.)

    ​Looking for more YA recommendations? Until 2022, we had a separate For Older Readers page, where we highlighted over two dozen awesome YA books. Check it out here! 


    Categories

    All
    Adventure
    Ages 10+
    Ages 11+
    Ages 12+
    Ages 13+
    Ages 14+
    Ages 15+
    Ages 16+
    Ages 5+
    Ages 6+
    Ages 7+
    Ages 8+
    Ages 9+
    Animal Stories
    ARC
    Audiobook
    Author Interviews
    Bookgroup Pick
    Booklists
    Books Of The Year
    Book Tour
    Classic
    Cover Reveals
    Dark Academia
    Diversity
    Fairy Tale Retellings
    Fairytale Retellings
    Fairy Tales
    Fairy-tales
    Family
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    Friends
    Futuristic
    Graphic Novel
    Historical Fantasy
    Historical Fiction
    Horror
    Horses
    Humorous
    Illustrated
    In Verse
    LGBTQ+
    Magic
    Magical Realism
    Middle Grade
    Monthly Round-Ups
    Mystery
    Myths & Legends
    Nonfiction
    Realistic Fiction
    Romance
    Science Fiction
    Sequels
    Series
    Short Stories
    Siblings
    Sisters
    Sports
    Standalone
    Superheroes
    Young Adult

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.