Eowyn Ivey is masterful at intertwining fantastical elements with the grounding of the vivid details of nature. To the Bright Edge of the World explores desperate survival, indigenous peoples' connection to the natural world, and mysterious forces at play.
There is a mythical element to our childhood, it seems, that stays with us always. When we are young, we consume the world in great gulps, and it consumes us, and everything is mysterious and alive and fills us with desire and wonder, fear, and guilt.
With the passing of the years, however, those memories become distant and malleable, and we shape them into the stories of who we are. We are brave, or we are cowardly. We are loving, or we are cruel.
To the Bright Edge of the World is a story of discovery, adventure, tedious slogging, danger, and self-revelation in the wilds of nineteenth century Alaska, interspersed with scenes from a home life on a military base in Washington Territory--and a surprisingly meaningful modern-day correspondence linked to it all.
Ivey's fantastical elements are inspired by Native American folklore and stories, and they work well here, causing the characters to broaden their views of the great unknown world, but without overshadowing the detailed, vibrant descriptions grounded in exploration and nature.
More Eowyn Ivey Love
I'm currently reading Ivey's newest novel, Black Woods, Blue Sky.
I included To the Bright Edge of the World in the Greedy Reading List Six Chilly Books to Read in the Heat of Summer.
Ivey also wrote The Snow Child, a book I listed in the Greedy Reading List Six Magical Fairy Tales Grown-Ups Will Love.
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