The Edge of Always
by JA Redmerski
Book Two of the Edge of Never Series
5 stars
This is a review for The Edge of Always. But before that, I want to say something about the prequel, The Edge of Never.
Once in a while, you come across a story that just leaves a mark on you and it stays in your head for months and even a year or so later, and it becomes the standard for which you match all other books you read thereafter. That book for me was The Edge of Never.
A bus ride is like being in another world.Everybody knows that when they get on, they're gonna be here for a while. A long while.
It's curious because I was never one for road trip stories or even movies, and yet I fell completely in love with that book. I didn't even like everything about Camryn or Andrew. Some of their decisions didn't sit well with me. I'm not a huge fan of spontaneity and always believed that planning is the key for a good and secure future. The thought of just taking off, leaving work without leave and spending days on the road and staying in hotels with a stranger terrifies me.
But still I loved, loved, loved the book.
It made me reflect about my own life. There would be days when I would just suddenly remember the book and think, "Oh I want to do a Camryn and just walk away from everything!" or, "I wish there'll be an Andrew who can make me go out there and really experience life." I could probably go on and write a thesis about this all, but don't worry I'll spare you the lecture!
So now, we have The Edge of Always. I finished close to midnight because I didn't want to put it down halfway through the story. I just sat in front of my laptop, wanting to start typing right away when everything is still fresh in my mind, but it was too difficult because my brain was buzzing so much.
Well what can I say, I fell just as much in love with it as I did with the first book! =)
The Edge of Always is absolutely beautiful. I have to warn those who haven't read it yet though, you just HAVE to read the first one in order to fully appreciate this story.
I am truly impressed with JA Redmerski. She made me a fan for life. Her way with words is just really beautiful. You can tell that they came from someone who has also experienced life, or at least has a very clear idea of what she wants from it.
"I guess sometimes the greatest memories are made in the most unlikely of places, further proof that spontaneity is more rewarding than a meticulously planned life. A meticulously planned anything."
Again, this is such a weird thing for me because I still don't completely agree with everything Camryn and Andrew does or believe in, but I just can't help but root for them all the way. I completely understood why they decided on the things they decided... and it just felt like I was sitting with them in that road trip to find themselves.
"You think we're lost?"I tilt my head back a little and look up at the stars behind her and say, "In society, maybe. But together, no. I think we're right where we need to be."
Unlike in TEoN though, this trip had a purpose. Something heartbreaking had happened to Camryn and Andrew, and unfortunately Camryn is not coping well. She was teetering dangerously towards depression and it started to become unhealthy for her. So Andrew, for the first time, planned a trip (or at least the beginning and the general direction of it) to help Camryn heal, not just for the recent tragedy that fell on them, but also for all the other hurts and pains she experienced in her life but never got to grieve properly for.
What follows is another eye-opening trip, not just for both characters but also for the reader--or at least that was how it was for me. =) I got so much from this book, and I'm not talking about quotes and funny lines. It's just... reading The Edge of Always was yet another learning experience for me. Everything seemed so real. It was like I was there when Camryn broke down, I was there when Andrew just lost it and took his anger out on a tree, I felt their disappointments, excitement, sadness and happiness.
I have so many favorite scenes here, and to say them without spoiling you! My favorite though is not just one scene, but something that happens all throughout the book: Camryn and Andrew giving each other promises. This culminates in one beautiful scene near the end of the story, and at this point I was just all smiles.
"We can't control death. There's nothing either of us can do to avoid it or to hold it off. All we can control is how we live our lives before it comes for us. So, let's promise each other things that we can hold true to no matter what."
You know how it felt like at the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King when the bad guys had fallen, and you know everything is going to be generally ok from then on? The tale is not yet done, but you have this feeling of contentment, peace and satisfaction deep inside. That's how the last 25% of the book felt like to me.
It was really a trip, a wonderful and beautiful trip, and one that will continue to inspire me. It is my wish that one day I can be just like Andrew and just stuff clothes in a duffel and live in the now. I want to be like Camryn who's vulnerable, but is still so willing to love someone with all her heart.
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