Kari Jones

Where to even begin with this book. I loved everything about it. The dynamic between Maddie and Ivan was perfectly balanced yet completely realistic. As they have grown up together all their life, they are best friends and there isn't any awkward tension between them. They are so close and comfortable with each other. Despite that, I really liked that Kari Jones didn't make it so that somewhere along the story Maddie and Ivan realize they have romantic feelings for each other. It isn't show more necessary especially since they find themselves facing bigger and more serious concerns.

In At The Edge Of The World, the main problem is Ivan's domestic life. Although everyone in their community is close and know their neighbors really well, no one is aware of what is really going on in Ivan's life. His dad is known to have a bit of a drinking problem, but everyone believes that is the extent of the problem because Des, Ivan's father, is good at pretending nothing is wrong.

When Maddie spots a really bad and old scar on Ivan's leg she never remembers him getting, she begins to question Ivan's facade of a normal home life. Upon discovering the truth of how Ivan is basically his fathers caretaker to keep him from burning down the house with his cigarettes, or choking on his own vomit during once of his drunken lapses she is determined to help him as much as she can.I really love her fierce loyalty. She focuses on helping Ivan with his problems while under a lot of stress from her own father Peter. She is ready to do whatever necessary to protect and take care of Ivan, whether that means going to a college she doesn't want to go to or not going altogether.

This book is gritty and realistic with the topics it touches. The characters have to have the rough patches they come across, without an easy way out. Ivan is trapped in the situation because he refuses to abandon his father like his mother did. I definitely recommend this if you are looking for a deep, realistic and emotional read. show less

At the Edge of the World by Kari Jones is a young adult novel that focuses on the relatipnship between Ivan and Maddie, told in alternating perspective. Ivan has hiding that he has been caregiver to his alcoholic father after his mother left them when he was eight. Maddie has been accepted to art school with a substantial scholarship, but isn't sure she wants to go. Maddie finds out about Ivan's home life, and struggles with whether to tell her parents until a five-year-old is forced into show more Ivan's care for more than a week.

Ivan's side of the story is relatively strong, but overall, the characters were flat and their dialogue trite and predictable. Somehow, Maddie's struggles about whether to go to art school, and the fact that her fathers are supportive emotionally and financially, of her going to school, are elevated to the same level of problem as Ivan's home life. The story ended on a hopeful note, but I was left frustrated. show less

I was slightly skeptical when I began the book because changing the point of view between characters for each chapter is very difficult to pull off successfully. I think Kari Jones does it well though and it really works for the story line and showing how events play out from different perspectives.

Although the book contains subject matter that is heavy, the book flows easily and never becomes weighed down by it. The relationships between the characters stay at the core of the book.

This was show more a fast read for me but one that could provoke a good discussion with a teen book club. show less

Ivan and Maddie have been best friends since they were little. But Ivan has a secret that even Maddie does not know about. His father, Des, is an alcoholic who cannot hold down a job, goes on binges and passes out. When Ivan arrives home, he never knows if he will find cigarettes smoldering on the carpet, beer bottles broken on the kitchen floor or Des covered in vomit. Whenever it seems like Des is on the mend, he meets up with his friend Pedro and trouble ensues. Maddie is grappling with show more her own dilemma-whether or not to attend Emily Carr University to study art. Although she does not want to, her dads, Bo and Peter, want her to enroll, especially Peter who wants to spare her the struggling artist lifestyle that he experienced. When Ivan entrusts Pedro's five year old granddaughter into Des's care and he leaves her alone, it is the last straw.

At the Edge of the World by Kari Jones describes Ivan's efforts to keep his life a secret. Since his mother left when he was eight, Ivan is his father’s sole caretaker. Love and fear of his home being broken further propels Ivan to downplay the seriousness of Des's condition. While Bo and Peter have some inkling, the situation is far worse than imagined. As reality sinks in, Maddie is unable to break through Ivan’s barrier. Maddie and Ivan's love for each other is evident. Des's ineffectual promises to change resonate. This is a strong story. show less