In George’s debut young-adult fiction, Amy McFadden portrays Becca, a teen who is on the run from her stepfather, a con man who used her psychic powers to extract money from the elderly. McFadden seamlessly combines paranormal events with the adolescent crises of a teen who finds herself on her own. Becca is befriended by Debbie, a recovering alcoholic, and Seth, a musician who is also on the fringes of society. Plagued by a learning disability and problems with his love life, Seth sounds whiny and too young for his 17 years, but McFadden skillfully portrays the troubled Becca and the voices that haunt her. McFadden also creates strong portraits of secondary characters such as Debbie’s ebullient grandchildren. D.P.D. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
The Edge of Nowhere
Narrated by Amy McFadden
Elizabeth GeorgeUnabridged — 11 hours, 31 minutes
The Edge of Nowhere
Narrated by Amy McFadden
Elizabeth GeorgeUnabridged — 11 hours, 31 minutes
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Overview
Becca King is on the run. Her ability to hear “whispers” - the thoughts of others - has put her at risk from her stepfather, whose criminal activities she's discovered. When she arrives on Whidbey Island, beautiful, wild, and a world apart, she embarks on a life very different from her old one, with friends that include Seth, a kindhearted dropout turned gypsy jazz musician; Derric, a Ugandan boy adopted by a local family; Diana, with whom she shares psychic powers; and Debbie, who makes a habit of helping runaways. Blending strands of mystery and romance and a hint of the paranormal in a haunting setting, The Edge of Nowhere is the first in a cycle of books that will take Becca and her friends through their teenage years on the island.Elizabeth George, author of the bestselling crime novels about Inspector Lynley, brings her prodigious talents to her first book for young adults.
Editorial Reviews
09/01/2013
Gr 7 Up—When Becca King arrives on Whidbey Island, her secret is only one of many that haunt the place. She hears "whispers," the unspoken thoughts of others, and is on the run from her stepfather, whose whispers told her something terrible. Her mother has left her with a friend while she finds a safe place for them to live. Only now the friend is dead and Becca doesn't know whom to trust. The first title (Viking, 2012) in a new young adult series by George is performed by Amy McFadden, who brings the people of Whidbey Island to life. The main characters include Seth, a dropout who shows great kindness to Becca; Derric, an adopted Ugandan boy who has secrets of his own; and Debbie, a chain smoking recovering alcoholic. But even a strong narrator like McFadden can't transcend the problems with this novel. What starts as a potentially great mystery soon becomes bogged down in the small secrets of the island. There are too many intertwined and convoluted plot lines. Beyond that, Derric's skin color and the fact that Becca is a little overweight are repeatedly mentioned to the point of annoyance. George's first foray into young adult literature is less than stellar.—Ann Brownson, Ballenger's Teachers center, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
Gr 7 Up—George makes her YA debut in this series opener. Becca King and her mom are on the run from her stepfather, who has used Becca's ability to hear what other people are thinking to make illegal money. Becca is to find refuge in the home of her mother's friend on Whidbey Island, near Seattle. Meanwhile, Becca's mother is to continue on to Canada in search of safety. Things don't go as planned when no one is there to pick Becca up at the ferry. She is taken in by Debbie Grieber, a woman who runs a motel and has a strange past. She meets Derric Nyombe, a 16-year-old Ugandan orphan who was adopted by the town's deputy sheriff when he was 10. He has a secret that no one on the island knows about, and Becca thinks she is the only person who can help him. Several other characters have their own troubles. All of these issues collide when Derric has a terrible accident. The book leaves readers wondering if Becca will continue to live her life on the run. George has created an interesting set of characters and plot twists that teenagers who like adventure and mysteries will enjoy.—Shannon Seglin, Patrick Henry Library, Vienna, VA
In George’s debut young-adult fiction, Amy McFadden portrays Becca, a teen who is on the run from her stepfather, a con man who used her psychic powers to extract money from the elderly. McFadden seamlessly combines paranormal events with the adolescent crises of a teen who finds herself on her own. Becca is befriended by Debbie, a recovering alcoholic, and Seth, a musician who is also on the fringes of society. Plagued by a learning disability and problems with his love life, Seth sounds whiny and too young for his 17 years, but McFadden skillfully portrays the troubled Becca and the voices that haunt her. McFadden also creates strong portraits of secondary characters such as Debbie’s ebullient grandchildren. D.P.D. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
The bestselling author of the Inspector Lynley crime novels turns to teens with this paranormal-series opener. Fourteen-year-old Becca King finds herself stranded on Whidbey Island in Washington state, without family, friends or funds, and with an angry, murderous stepfather on her trail. Becca has the power to hear snippets of other people's thoughts, which is both a blessing and a curse. She finds a place to live, makes a few friends and starts high school, while waiting for her mother, gone to British Columbia to establish a safe home for them, to return to pick her up. Becca immediately connects with Derric, an adopted Ugandan boy who is a popular athlete and the son of the local undersheriff. Derric is injured in a fall and remains in a coma for much of the story; a police investigation into who might have pushed Derric off his hiking trail ensues. The mystery is slight and unlikely, with few clues, and the investigation and Derric's stay in the hospital drag on for too long. Derric's ethnicity is frankly exoticized, with far too many references to the "handsome black boy" and "eyes as dark as the nighttime of his skin." Lacking vampires, werewolves and a compelling mystery, this will be of most interest to persistent readers of teen sagas set in the Pacific Northwest. (Paranormal mystery. 12 & up)
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940172300516 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brilliance Audio |
| Publication date: | 06/11/2013 |
| Series: | Edge of Nowhere Series , #1 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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