Girls at the Edge of the World

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Girls at the Edge of the World

Laura Brooke Robson

Set in a world on the edge of an apocryphal flood, this heart-stoppingly romantic fantasy debut is perfect for fans of Rachel Hartman and Rae Carson.

In a world bound for an epic flood, only a chosen few are guaranteed safe passage into the new world once the waters recede. The Kostrovian royal court will be saved, of course, along with their guards. But the fate of the court’s Royal Flyers, a lauded fleet of aerial silk performers, is less certain. Hell-bent on survival, Principal Flyer, Natasha Koskinen, will do anything to save the Flyers, who are the only family she’s ever known. Even if “anything” means molding herself into the type of girl who could be courted by Prince Nikolai. But unbeknownst to Natasha, her newest recruit, Ella Neves, is driven less by her desire to survive the floods than her thirst for revenge. And Ella’s mission could put everything Natasha has worked for in peril.

As the oceans rise, so too does an undeniable spark between the two flyers. With the end of the world looming, and dark secrets about the Kostrovian court coming to light, Ella and Natasha can either give in to despair . . . or find a new reason to live.

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

My Opinion

(4.5 / 5) This book is totally flying under the radar. How have I not heard about this from everyone? I requested this on a whim from Penguin Teen and I couldn’t be happier. To quote the author on Goodreads; “Climate induced peril, aerial silks, court intrigue” and more. It has a bit of everything in it!

Floods have been plaguing the Kostrovian court for some time and now and it is foreseen that an epic one is headed their way. One that will cover everything and last for one year. There are not enough boats to take everyone. The Royal Flyers are determined to be on a boat.

The Royal Flyers perform theater in aerial silks. Can you picture it? It’s totally Vegas. Multiple silks hang from the ceiling and these teens elegantly climb up and down them, acting out stories, or in other words, “fly” through the silks. It sounds amazing and I loved the uniqueness of this part of the story.

The characters are strong and carry the story well. We hear from 2 POV, Ella and Natasha. One is trying to kill the young king, the other is trying to marry him.

It is also a very well done F/F romance. It’s a slow burn for most of the story then it turns romantic and sweet. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Content Summary: Yes! Look at those numbers. Low numbers in all the content areas. I was impressed that this book kept me entertained throughout and did not have a lot of language or violence (typical in YA fantasy books). There is one F word and there is a small F/F romance. They kiss but it’s done well and it doesn’t go beyond kissing. The floods are probably the scariest part of the book and the fact that many will die.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. The book releases June 8, 2021.

Detailed Content Review

Language 

F***- 1

H***- 

S***- 6

A**- 9

B****- 2

D***-

Bas****-

Religious Cursing

J****-

Chr***-

G**-

L***-

Derogatory terms etc-

Oh seas! 

Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking

A woman drinks whiskey. 

Two men smoke. 

A young woman remembers being drunk on cider with another young woman. 

Previously, many men are drunk and forcibly give a young woman a tattoo. 

Poison was placed in food. People get very sick. 

A young woman puts poison in a drink. 

Intimacy, Sex, Immodesty

*Mild LGBTQ+ aspects included* 

A young mother is unwed.

A young unwed mother. 

A young woman kisses a young man passionately.

A young woman remembers the first time she kissed another young woman. 

Talk of menstruation. 

A young woman kisses a young woman passionately. They kiss again. They kiss again briefly. They kiss briefly. Again. Again. 

A young woman kisses a young woman. 

Violence, Weapons, Crime, Blood

Previously, a young woman was shot to death. 

Two soldiers carry a woman’s body that is bloody. It is assumed they killed her.

A young woman kicks a man in the groin. 

A young man tells of a woman in history who got her head put on a spike. 

Potentially Intense Themes

Previously, large storms caused a large flood that lasted 1 year. Large storms cause severe damage and happen within minutes. With one storm, screams are heard. People die. Many streets remain flooded, roofs are caved in. Another flood is due to come very soon. It will cover all the land and last for 1 year. 

A young mother drowns.

A woman “walked off the edge of a canal, and never came up for air.” There was no funeral. 

A young woman is tattooed/branded for being attracted to women over men. 

A plague is taking over a city. Many are sick and throwing up for days. Some die. 

**SPOILER** Two young women die.

**Any quotes from the book are taken from the advance copy and therefore may not be fully accurate or correctly compare to the final copy of the book.

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.