To The Bright Edge of the World

2018 Longlist

Set in the Alaskan landscape, Eowyn Ivey’s To The Bright Edge of the World is a breathtaking story of discovery set at the end of the nineteenth century, sure to appeal to fans of A Place Called Winter.

Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester receives the commission of a lifetime when he is charged to navigate Alaska’s hitherto impassable Wolverine River, with only a small group of men. The Wolverine is the key to opening up Alaska and its rich natural resources to the outside world, but previous attempts have ended in tragedy.

Forrester leaves behind his young wife, Sophie, newly pregnant with the child he had never expected to have. Adventurous in spirit, Sophie does not relish the prospect of a year in a military barracks while her husband carves a path through the wilderness. What she does not anticipate is that their year apart will demand every ounce of courage and fortitude of her that it does of her husband.

About the author

Eowyn Ivey’s debut novel, The Snow Child, was published in twenty-six languages, and became an international bestseller. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize 2013, and Eowyn won the International Author of the Year category at the 2012 National Book Awards. A former bookseller, Eowyn lives in Palmer, Alaska, with her family.

(from the publisher)

Librarian’s comments

In this novel about an exploration into the Alaskan interior, the landscape discovered is both brutal and magical. Beautiful language and insights into the past and present of Alaska make this an immersive reading experience.