Beautifully written, intriguing, and memorable. I loved the unique writing style and the setting in Alaskan landscape especially. A lovely novel.

Fabulous, The art cover is beautiful.
I have loved the writing, flawless throughout the entire book.

An excellent novel. Ivey's writing is superb, and I enjoyed the telling through diary entries.
A blend of adventure, mystery, mythology. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it, but it's stuck with me. Recommended.

I read it too long ago to write a review that does it justice, but even a little over 3 years down the line, I still remember the impression that the book left on me: a profoundly calming sense of wonder. Little did I know that I would move myself to the Arctic some months later, which made Sophie's journey extremely relatable in hindsight. I would highlight recommend it for the quality of the writing, the uniqueness of the plot and the respect for the native culture of a land where perhaps we shouldn't have gone.

At this point, I would follow Eowyn Ivey anywhere. Her books are incredibly creative and the writing is carefully considered. In To the Bright Edge of the World, there is a wonderful juxtaposition between the "new" and the "old" - a husband traveling through Alaska in one of the first parties to trespass that part of the world, and encountering a host of things that were thought to be either myth/legend or long gone as well as tribes of people whose ways have not changed in a very long time; and his wife, who is learning that she has a talent for photography, and home photography is, at this time, a new thing and extremely complicated and cutting edge. We're seeing these two people through their letters and diaries, which are being exchanged through a descendant of the couple and a man who runs a museum in the part of the Alaskan wilderness in present day, and there, too, you have that juxtaposition of "old" and "new," though reversed - it's now the Alaskan citizen who is younger and more adaptable with modern ideas, and the older man, who is resistant to change. It's a really wonderful book, made so even more by the descriptions of the Alaskan wilds, which become more than a setting to the novel, elevating itself almost to another character. The mythology vs. science was done so creatively. It's an incredible book and one I recommend to many people for many of the same reasons I recommend "The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah (for the Alaskan aspects) and the novels of Jane Harper, where the land becomes such a critical factor in the novels.

I like Eowyn Ivey's first book "Snow Girl", but I couldn't get into this book. Maybe some other time. I think the cover is odd, and a bit cluttered also.

I really, really loved The Snow Child . I think Eowyn Ivey is an enormously talented writer and so I was excited to read her next book, which I was fortunately able to get an ARC of. To the Bright Edge of the World has the same sense of gentle, quiet beauty that The Snow Child has, but the deliberate pacing can make the story seem a bit drier than many readers would like. This particular novel took me quite a while to read because it's at its best when you can sit down and really devote your time and attention to it, something I was never able to do when I went to read it. However, the times that I was able to give it my full attention, I found a story that was full of life and beauty, populated by characters that were carefully drawn and fascinating.

This book isn't going to be for everyone, but you'll find something great if you're willing to look.

Look! It’s another book by Eowyn Ivey! OMG, yay! I just could not wait for this book to come out. Loved, loved, loved The Snow Child so much!
To the Bright Edge of the World unfolds through the eyes of Joshua Sloan. As an exhibits curator at the Alpine Historical Museum in Alaska, he has been corresponding with Walter Forrester who has journals, letters and artifacts from his great-uncle Allen Forrester’s 1885 expedition across Alaska. As Joshua reads through the materials Walter shares with him, a great story in the tradition of Lewis and Clark unfolds.
Lieutenant Allen Forrester is chosen by the U.S. government to lead a reconnaissance team into Alaska and travel up the Wolverine River. His job is to map the territory, document the weather and record information about the native tribes. In addition, they are to ascertain how a military force would gain access to the region if the necessity were to arise. The last white men to attempt the Wolverine River territory were the Russians, who were killed by the Indians. Forrester is deemed the perfect man for the job as he won a medal when he led his regiment in a conflict with the Apache Indians.
Forrester is a bit reluctant to accept the offer though. He is newly married to Sophie and they are expecting their first child. His wife Sophie also does not relish the prospect of being without her husband for a long period and having the baby arrive while he is gone. Nevertheless, duty calls and Forrester does accept the mission. Between his diary and letters to and from Sophie we learn of the hardships that Forrester and his party faced on the journey through Alaska. They faced severe weather, harsh landscape, low food stores and encounters with the natives. The mystical beliefs of the natives are woven throughout the tale but with Forrester being a no-nonsense sort of man, he doesn’t buy into their superstitious ways. Meanwhile, at home Sophie is worried about her pregnancy and she also takes up an interesting new hobby.
What comes to mind when reviewing this book is that history shows us over and over that men were always exploring other countries, and oftentimes looking to conquer them. But why is it that these men always thought their way was the right way? Throughout the world, men came along and forced themselves upon an already existing culture and immediately start trying to change the things that didn’t conform to their beliefs. It’s been done time and time again. The native cultures’ belief systems often offered up new and magical ways to look at the world. Sadly enough, very little of that remains in modern times.
I was somewhat surprised at the subject matter of this book when compared to The Snow Child. But when I think about it, it seems that Ivey is just giving us another glimpse of the home that she loves. This book is set 35 years later and is yet another portrait of the beauty and wildness of Alaska. While it’s not exactly the book I anticipated when I looked forward to Eowyn Ivey’s next book so eagerly, Ivey is such a magical writer and this is a very interesting foray into the early history of Alaska. I love Ivey’s style of writing! She manages to weave a tale that is based on a real-life military expedition and sprinkle magic touches in along the way! It’s not often that you see such a mixture and this author manages to leave you with a lovely picture of the world she is writing about. Read this book, it’s definitely worth your time!
I want to thank the publisher (Little, Brown and Company) for providing me with the ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Such a beautiful novel! I can vividly picture the journey through the Alaskan wilderness after reading Ivey's story. The touch of magic realism makes it epic, and worthy to pass on to friends and book clubs.

Another wonderful story from Ms. Ivey. I enjoyed the way she weaves in history with fiction. And, since we have called Alaska home for almost 8 years, I love the setting!

This was a book sitting on my TBR and NetGalley list for awhile now. With all the hype I heard about it and seeing it non stop on Booktube, I had trepidation starting it, even knowing I would love it just based off the synopsis and cover. Once I started it, I couldn't stop reading. This was one of my favorite books of the year. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a work of fiction and not a nonfiction. The maps, photos, diary entries, and illustrations added another layer of fantastical to this story. The layout and format were amazing!
One of my favorite places is in Alaska and was extraordinary to find my way back there, in the snowy landscape, on this incredible journey that Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester and Sophie took; all while sitting here in California in over 100-degree weather.

The prose was so beautiful - and I realized that while reading this book I wanted/needed to check out more work by Ivey, and little did I know, I had another book by her on my shelf, The Snow Child. That will certainly be read this month now too. Will also need to buy this book to be on my favorites shelf at home.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley for an honest opinion. I would like to thank Eowyn Ivey and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and review this beautiful book.

Though I found the book well written and interesting in the choice of setting and time period, I just did not enjoy the format or main character.

I fell in love with this vision of Alaska. The myths and stories are all real, alive, and vaguely threatening in just the right way. The tone of the interactions between the white men explorer and the Native Americans was just right. I also enjoyed Sophie's story, the beginnings of photography as a hobby, and the dynamics of a marriage apart in such uncertain circumstances all coalesce into a lovely novel.

Eowyn Ivey has produced another brilliant novel of the Alaskan wilderness, blending history and adventure through the telling of three simultaneous stories. Typically, South American authors tend to write the best magical realism, but Ivey is just as adept at merging fantasy and reality, plus she has given us a splendid character in Sophie Forrester. One of the best of the year.

A beautifully told historical tale with just a touch of weird. I loved the characters and although it was a little slow at times the pace was perfect for the journey it was describing. The overlap of native mythology with the Old Man and Raven were perfect (and spine-tinglingly believable).

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey is a bleak tale of love and exploration in the Alaskan wilderness. This is Ivey's second book, the first the highly acclaimed and deservedly so, The Snow Child. In To The Bright Edge of the World, Ivey returns to the familiar setting of Alaska, before civilization as we call it has the chance to spoil its natural beauty and its supernatural spirits.

"...But this is all just an illusion, a dream,' he went on. 'You have been spared truth. Your Colonel and I, we know. Once seen, it cannot be unseen..."

Young Colonel Allen Forrester is given the commission of his dreams. He is to map and navigate the Wolverine River in the depths of Alaska. A land and passage not explored before by white men. It is 1885 and the rumor of gold in the wilderness of Alaska along the Wolverine river has the US Army desperate to unlock its secrets. But the native tribes, recently abused and misused by the Russians who had claimed the land before the United States, are untrusting and dangerous. Tales of cannibalism and brutality shadow the culture of these tribes.

But the orders to leave are even more difficult for Colonel Forrester as he must leave behind his young bride Sophie, who he learns is expecting their first child. For Sophie, this is to be a long year without her husband as she must stay in the military barracks awaiting her first child and the safe return of her husband. Neither of which is guaranteed.

"...Tillman protested the plan. I pointed out that it will be cooler come evening, but with the clear skies, it will remain light enough to see. This artic sun skirts below the northern horizon for only a few hours each night, so a kind of twilight remains even after sunset.
Tillman was unconvinced.
Don't you understand Colonel? Those wolverines, they live off the flesh of the dead. We're getting close to that other world the Indians talk about. We shouldn't be wandering up there at night. If there are ghosts nearby, they'll be haunting the hills.
I have no use for the occult. I said as much. To which Tillman said that while I might not have much use for spirits, they might have some unpleasant use for me..."

Colonel Forrester embarks on a journey fraught with adventure and danger. At home Sophie faces her own demons. Some in her mind and some, a strange tie between the spirits that follow the Colonel and those that chase her. In the dark and cold Alaskan wilderness can either be sure what is real and what is imagined. But both, will pay a dear price in their desire to unlock the secrets at the bright end of the world.

Eowyn Ivey is a gifted writer. Her prose and her cadence will take what might have been a weekday history lesson into a riveting tale of love, of loss, of ghosts and darkness and the trembling dangers of the unknown. And of courage. The sometimes blind and dutiful courage that made our nation at one time. The kind of courage that is lacking today.

To The Bright Edge of the World is a terrific novel of love and sacrifice and of those things we cannot map. Those things we cannot categorize, those things that defy our labels. It is a novel about men and women who either step, or are taken out of their comfort zones and yet, persevere. Colonel Forrester, a man of not only duty but of long family history and obligation takes on a mission that is almost certain to end in his death. But he pushes on, a leader to his men and a protector to those who come under his charge. Sophie must deal with the uncertainty and the dangers of childbirth in the Alaskan wilderness in the late 1800s.

For those expecting another fable like the Snow Child they will be surprised. I will not say disappointed, because this tale and the writing is far too good to be considered disappointing by any standards. But is not the Snow Child. To The Bright End of the World is something far different. It is Jack London and The Call of the Wild and I say this knowing sadly that there are far too many of you who have no idea who I just brought into the conversation. This is London, this is Kipling...this is just a damn good book.

Don't miss it!!

I loved losing myself in this adventure story based in 19th century Alaska and seeing life through the eyes of the main characters: Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester and his wife Sophie. The deftly described secondary characters - native Americans, trappers, prospectors and disillusioned soldiers - also help bring the tale alive; as does the present day correspondance between one of Forrester's great nephews and a curator in a small-town Alaskan museum. What really makes it so spell-binding, though, are the beautiful descriptions of nature and the odd touch of the supernatural which Forrester comes across on his voyage into the wilderness. One of my best reads of 2016!

Colonel Allen Forrester leaves his pregnant young wife Sophie to explore Alaska's Wolverine River. It is a wonderful commission as it will open Alaska up to the world. But he hates to leave his wife. It is a two part story as it tells everything the men encountered in 1885 plus a present day story as ancestors of the colonel find letters, journal entries, and artifacts being sent to a museum. It is a wonderful story and one I will remember for a very long time. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read and review this book. I received and ARC of this book for an honest review.

I am a member of the American Library Association Notable Books Council. This title was one of the 2017 winners

A triumph. Worth the patience and effort required. I loved this beautiful novel.