In her debut novel, author Laura Lynn brings you a captivating story about grief, healing, and hope. By sharing the unlikely intersection of two very different lives, we see that some of the most precious things in life can come from the most difficult situations. "The Edge of Ever After" is a must-read masterpiece of literary fiction that reminds us how grief is universal in its reach, but despite that, life is filled with meaning, hope, and love.
The story opens in present day Chicago as Beth Egan travels from her home in North Carolina to celebrate her son's graduation from Northwestern. With a nearly perfect marriage to a man she adores, a talented son, and a precocious nine-year-old daughter who keeps her young even in middle age, Beth certainly recognizes her good fortune. Yet when a tragic car accident results in the death of her husband and daughter, Beth and her son return to their North Carolina home adrift in the barren world of grief.
At the same time, in a dark Florida alleyway, an African-American street magician finds two young homeless women badly beaten and left for dead. Taking them under his wing, he nurses them back to health and together they form an unconventional type of family. When circumstances bring them to North Carolina, their paths intersect in an unusual way as Beth's mental health continues to deteriorate. After she lands in the psychiatric ward of a local hospital, the characters come together to find magic hidden in the everyday, hope in the midst of tragedy, and love in the unlikeliest of places.
Over time, it becomes clear that each character must find their own path through the darkness, and, in the process, they form a unique and unconventional family. Despite their tumultuous journeys, they learn that the best way to manage the inevitable grief in life is with determination, humility, community, and laughter. Eventually, they come to understand that it is only through acknowledging and sharing our brokenness that we can discover the strength and beauty within us, and each other.
