The Edge of Nowhere (Saratoga Woods, #1)

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The Edge of Nowhere (Saratoga Woods #1)

3.24 of 5 stars 3.24 · rating details · 911 ratings · 265 reviews

Whidbey Island may be only a ferry ride from Seattle, but it’s a world apart. When Becca King arrives there, she doesn’t suspect the island will become her home for the next four years. Put at risk by her ability to hear “whispers”—the thoughts of others—Becca is on the run from her stepfather, whose criminal activities she has discovered. Stranded and alone, Becca is soon...more

ebook, 448 pages

Published September 4th 2012 by Penguin Group (USA)

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May 14, 2013 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really enjoyed this book. When I bought it I assumed it was another Inspector Lynley (didn't bother reading the synopsis!) and when I realised it wasn't then I was a little disappointed until I started reading it. It's a young adult novel (so me!) and the key characters are teenagers which was a little bit Twilightish although I have to stress there are no vampires or werewolves anywhere to be seen. My Mum has also read it and enjoyed it so it does suit all ages.

It's very different from the Lyn...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: youngadult, anna, bekah

I came across The Edge of Nowhere as I was browsing one evening in a local bookstore. I initially pulled it off the shelf because I wondered whether this Elizabeth George was the author of the Inspector Lynley novels. I was unaware she had written a young adult novel and after reading the flap of the book, I decided this sounded right up my alley. I'm so glad her name drew me in - I particularly loved one book in the Inspector Lynley series - and this book reminded me of the things I like best a...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Linda Hunt rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A complete disappointment. I've read many of Ms. George's Inspector Lynley books and long admired her writing skills--I couldn't fathom how she could write something like this, or how her editor would even agree to print it. The only reason I finished the book was because I was intrigued by the concept (the protagonist could hear other people's thoughts). At times it seemed that Ms. George was deliberately trying to write poorly, as though somehow her target audience would relate to that better....more

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Apr 03, 2013 Bekki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Loved this book, and cannot wait for the second one. Characters were amazingly well-developed, and reading a YA book that was not dystopian or futuristic was a nice break for me.

I was unfamiliar with George, and did not go into the book with any set of expectations. I was also aware it was the first in a series and frequently read YA, much of which is horribly written. I found George to be a thoughtful and descriptive author who created sympathetic and realistic characters.

I agree that the "bi...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Tessa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Je ressors un peu déçue de cette lecture car j’ai un peu eu la sensation de survoler le livre. On ne s’ennuie pas réellement à la lecture mais il ne se passe pas grand chose et les rebondissements mettent longtemps à arriver et surtout à se dénouer.

Le prologue est en fait trompeur car on s’attend à ce que le reste du livre tourne autour de la fuite de Becca mais hormis faire connaissance avec les habitants de la ville où elle arrive, on perd un peu de vue sa fuite.
L’histoire n’est donc pas centr...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Shonna Froebel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've long been a fan of Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series, and now she has started writing for teens. This book is the first in a new series. The main character here is Becca King, aka Hannah Armstrong. Becca has an unusual ability to be able to hear other's thoughts. They come to her a bit disjointed, in snatches, and can overwhelm her, especially if she is around too many people at once. She has a device she can wear that help block these. Becca's mom Laurel doesn't always make the be...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Melliott rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm so sad to rate this "I liked it" instead of "it was amazing." I have read and loved all of Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley mysteries, and thought this would be a teen equivalent. Instead, she went with (mildly) paranormal and (mildly) suspenseful, and for me the book fell a bit flat, not to mention being surprisingly implausible in some places. Although it's mean of readers to insist that an author keep doing what they're doing instead of trying something new, I think this "something new...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013books

Whidbey Island may be only a ferry ride from Seattle, but it's a world apart. When Becca King arrives there, she doesn't suspect the island will become her home for the next four years. Put at risk by her ability to hear "whispers"--the thoughts of others--Becca is on the run from her stepfather, whose criminal activities she has discovered. Stranded and alone, Becca is soon befriended by Derric, a Ugandon orphan adopted by a local family; Seth, a kindhearted musician and high school dropout; De...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Lainy122 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Elizabeth George was a name I recognised from her extensive range of adult fiction, and though I had never read any of her previous work, when I saw she had ventured into the realm of Young Adult, I was interested enough to pick it up.

All I can say is, boy does she need an editor. The premise was interesting, and the characters likable enough to allow me to read until the end of the book, but the sentences were often clunky, meandering or just plain awkward, and it distracted me from the story....more

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Dec 30, 2012 Jill Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book breaks out of a lot of YA tropes -- not deliberately subverting them, but rather Elizabeth George writes mysteries for adults, and it shows. This is mostly good. Adults are helpful and kind; children are well-meaning and energetic if still children. The mystery is well written, well plotted and makes sense.

The problems I have are, first, the incredibly bizarrely grafted mind-reading plotline. It didn't add much to the story -- the bits where it was used could have been done another way...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Nakya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The fiction book The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George takes you a mysterious and suspenseful journey. Becca King and her mother, laurel tries to escape from the horrendous murders in San Diego, California. Jeff, Becca’s stepfather, has committed various crimes while living in San Diego. In order to keep Becca safe and out of the reach of Jeff ,Laurel leaves her daughter in a small island off the coast of Washington; however Becca’s ability of hearing “whispers” brings her more than she imagin...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Ireland613 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What I liked:
1. You could tell this book was not written by a novice author. It was just better written than most YA fiction.
2. There was a broad range of characters, as opposed to the formulaic cast usually found in YA books, and the characters were interesting and diverse.
3. Adults were portrayed as helpful & caring, if flawed. Often in this genre adults are clueless, uncaring, unimportant, which is unrealistic.

What I didn't like:
1. From the book jacket and reviews, I was anticipating Whi...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Amanda Patterson rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Save me from authors writing out of their comfort zones.
Elizabeth George is trying too hard to become a young adult author. The author who won me over with her Inspector Lynley series, has suddenly decided to try her hand at a paranormal mystery and romance.
Versatile authors like James Patterson have done this successfully. Elizabeth George has not. Her writing is too stylised for young adult fiction. Her painful attention to detail does not work here. The 496-page novel (in hard cover) is far...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Gordon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd be interested in knowing what some young people think about this book. I am 61, however, I taught teens and coached teens for thirty years so I have some idea of what they like. I suspect most would dislike this book because the basic story is too simple. There are subplots with potential but they they fade into obscurity. Becca has a hearing disability and some sort of psychic ability but these aren't explained or explored. Seth has learning disabilities, again not explored.

Derric is an ad...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Angela Oliver rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, young-adult, drama

Whilst this was one book that did keep me wanting to read more (I finished it in two days), it also left me feeling somewhat cheated. This is Elizabeth George's first delving into the teen market, and also my first George novel. The characters were interesting enough - well, Seth was interesting, anyhow, and Becca's problem - her hearing "whispers" of people's thoughts, is quite a nifty way to introduce a slightly paranormal element without going all-out weird, even if it didn't really help adva...more Whilst this was one book that did keep me wanting to read more (I finished it in two days), it also left me feeling somewhat cheated. This is Elizabeth George's first delving into the teen market, and also my first George novel. The characters were interesting enough - well, Seth was interesting, anyhow, and Becca's problem - her hearing "whispers" of people's thoughts, is quite a nifty way to introduce a slightly paranormal element without going all-out weird, even if it didn't really help advance the plot at all. The set-up could have been better and the plot was rather weak - although this is more of a story about characters, rather than an actual plot. It is, as one reviewer pointed out, a story about trust and secrets. However, because George is noted for her thrillers, it cannot help but disappoint many of her readers. This is most certainly a teen DRAMA.

Becca is on the run and has been abandoned, in the isolated Whitby Island, Washington state. The novel starts with her mother more-or-less dumping her, and then disappearing for the remainder of the plot, not a trace to be seen (I can only assume she will turn up again later in the series, because that's a pretty loose thread to leave hanging). Suposedly, Becca is supposed to be entrusted into the care of her mother's friend - who has a badly timed heart attack just as Becca arrives. Luckily, Becca makes a few new aquantinces - meeting up with firstly an older lady named Diana, and then befriending a teenage boy, Seth. Soon she has found accommodation and is enrolled in school. It's then that we veer away from what I thought was the plot - which is to say, the storyline that started in the prologue and explained WHY her mother and her were on the run, but instead Becca finds herself caught up in a sort of whodunnit.

However, for all her fear of police finding out her identity, I could not understand why Becca did not just go to them and explain the situation - she need not mention who issue with being able to hear people's thoughts - all she needed to do was explain that she had overheard her stepfather admitting to killing someone, that he'd realised she'd overheard, and that her mother had panicked and whisked her away to the middle of nowhere. Everything she did just made things more difficult for herself, and the stepfather did not even show up again until the second to last page. I expect they're saving him for the sequel.

Not a bad read, and it WILL keep you guessing - although you probably won't be too concerned about who actually DID do it, I wasn't, as there is no build up or thrilling climax, and Becca's life is never at risk - merely her identity. But oh-so definitely just a set up for more. (less)

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Sep 30, 2012 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George is not what I first envisioned the book to be about. This book kept me interested but not to the point where it will stick with me forever. I had to find out how it would end. This book ends on a cliffhanger, and even though I wanted to know how it would end I'm not so sure I will pick up the second book when it comes out. This book really didn't speak to or stick with me.

The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George is a book featured around a four-teen year o...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Marcia Ferguson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another reader said it was 'dumbed down' and I agree. The beauty of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series was its appeal to all ages ... a solid story with spectacularly inventive detail, appealing to children, tweens and teens because of the main characters, but equally appealing to adults because it wasn't 'written for children'- it was simply a spectacularly heartfelt tale. In fact, children could gallop ahead, learning new words (and new 'un'words) as they became enveloped in the world.

It's a mys...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You may be familiar with Elizabeth George since her Inspector Lynley series is quite popular. THE EDGE OF NOWHERE is her young adult debut and proves that she might have a future in the genre. (Which is good, since there is quite a bit of set up for a series.) George doesn't completely leave her roots behind - THE EDGE OF NOWHERE is something of a mystery that isn't a mystery.

Becca King used to be known as Hannah Armstrong. But she can hear whispers of other people's thoughts and she 'heard' her...more You may be familiar with Elizabeth George since her Inspector Lynley series is quite popular. THE EDGE OF NOWHERE is her young adult debut and proves that she might have a future in the genre. (Which is good, since there is quite a bit of set up for a series.) George doesn't completely leave her roots behind - THE EDGE OF NOWHERE is something of a mystery that isn't a mystery.

Becca King used to be known as Hannah Armstrong. But she can hear whispers of other people's thoughts and she 'heard' her stepfather admitting he killed his partner. She and her mother run and her mother arranges for Becca to stay with an old friend on Whidbey Island. But that old friend dies the night Becca arrives and she's left to fend for herself. She soon meets several islanders who turn out to be important when popular and athletic Derric, whom she bonded with instantly, is hurt in the woods. No one knows whether he was fell or was pushed, and the people who were in the woods with him aren't forthcoming about their reasons for being there.

There are several romances in THE EDGE OF NOWHERE, but I loved that the central boy-girl relationship is a platonic one. High-school dropout Seth Darrow turns out to be Becca's greatest ally and not the stoner the entire town thinks he is. He's hard-working and sweet, but doesn't have much direction aside from wanting to be a musician. The book sometimes slips into his point of view as well as that of his ex-girlfriend Hayley. The shifts in perspective emphasize how people make decisions about those around them based on little information.

THE EDGE OF NOWHERE is not a plot-driven book. While someone might have hurt Derric, there isn't the urgency of a murderer on the loose, and Becca's stepfather is a distant spectre. This is more of a getting to know the cast novel. Becca isn't the only person with secrets on Whidbey Island and she might not even be the only person with powers. George's novel relies on small-town atmosphere and enigmatic characters to keep the story moving. It worked for me.

Fans of claustrophobic, character-driven fiction will flock to THE EDGE OF NOWHERE. The promise of future paranormal shenanigans and the stepfather's reappearance will have readers clamoring for the sequel. I haven't read the Inspector Lynley books, so I don't know if George's adult audience will be interested in THE EDGE OF NOWHERE. But I'd tell them to give it a try.
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Sep 08, 2012 Christina (Ensconced in YA) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: librarything-wins

I received this book from the Early Reviewers Program on librarything in exchange for an honest review.

The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George is about a girl named Becca King who can hear whispers of thoughts in people's heads and because of this "talent," she is on the run from her stepfather who has done something horrible that she was never supposed to find out about. She ends up in Whidbey Island, where she is supposed to stay with her mother's friend, but quickly is met with issue after is...more I received this book from the Early Reviewers Program on librarything in exchange for an honest review.

The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George is about a girl named Becca King who can hear whispers of thoughts in people's heads and because of this "talent," she is on the run from her stepfather who has done something horrible that she was never supposed to find out about. She ends up in Whidbey Island, where she is supposed to stay with her mother's friend, but quickly is met with issue after issue and gets wrapped up in a mystery shrouding a friend's terrible accident. She doesn't know who to trust and fights to get back into some sort of normalcy.

I obviously was intrigued by the blurb I saw on librarything because I chose this book out of many others. And it seems like it could have been interesting. The first chapter seemed very promising and it's not poorly written. Soon though, the book runs into issues. I agree with several other reviewers-- the transition from writing for adults to young adults can be more difficult than one expects. There is a different mindset to young adult fiction, and I felt that this was merely an adult book that was "dumbed down" for a teenage audience. The plot drags for the middle 300 pages, and the mystery turns out not to be that interesting after all. In young adult books, we expect to see some growth of the character-- but I didn't really see any of that with Becca. We have a "mean girl" who stays mean the entire book. None of the characters seem that three dimensional to me. I wasn't thrilled with how the prose was put together and the "whispers" were more distracting than interesting. I found myself trying to read them and figure out what was being "thought." I know that we think in bits and pieces, but come on, there has to be some flow to the text. Lastly, I have to agree with the reviewer who asked "What's up with the trees??" There are so many descriptions of trees and woods and boring landscape (this probably takes up at least 100-200 pages alone) that I had to skim through those in the end.

Overall, this book could have been really interesting with a riveting mystery, but ends up failing in most aspects.(less)

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Aug 29, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In her first foray into YA fiction, Ms. George (a beloved adult suspense novelist) has hit the nail on the proverbial head with this action-packed, mysterious and somewhat ‘creepy’ novel.

Hannah Armstrong is a fourteen-year-old girl living with her mom and stepfather in San Diego. Unlike normal teens, Hannah has a gift; she can hear other people’s thoughts. In fact, Hannah has to wear a special listening device which produces static just so she can find some peace. What she didn’t expect was to h...more In her first foray into YA fiction, Ms. George (a beloved adult suspense novelist) has hit the nail on the proverbial head with this action-packed, mysterious and somewhat ‘creepy’ novel.

Hannah Armstrong is a fourteen-year-old girl living with her mom and stepfather in San Diego. Unlike normal teens, Hannah has a gift; she can hear other people’s thoughts. In fact, Hannah has to wear a special listening device which produces static just so she can find some peace. What she didn’t expect was to have to go on the run when one person’s criminal thoughts hit her square between the ears.

Her mother races Hannah to her Aunt Carol’s house located on Whidbey Island in British Columbia and uses the travel time to teach Hannah all about her new name and fake background so that she can hide there until her mom sets up a ‘safe’ place for them to live. As she boards the ferry in this new wet, cold location Hannah ceases to exist as Becca King begins her new life.

Unfortunately, the second she arrives Becca faces the fact that her Aunt Carol has passed away. With nowhere to go, she finds herself living in a room at The Cliff - a motel run by a kind woman raising her two grandchildren. Becca soon discovers that the Island plays home to many people who want to hide from the rest of the world. From a woman who somehow produces no ‘whispers’ whatsoever; to a young man named Seth who has an obsession and is literally hated by Becca’s new landlord; to an evil girl named Jenn who’s desperate to make Becca’s life anything but peaceful.

As the ‘whispers’ grow and backgrounds are revealed, Becca becomes caught in a web of lies. But it’s when she aids a young man she’s been falling for, that Becca finds herself stuck in a mess that has the local sheriff delving into her true identity.

The writing is superb from Ms. George, as always, but even though there are slight paranormal ‘happenings’ in this book, it’s the combination of great characters and relationships that truly have this novel raising the bar when it comes to today’s YA fiction.

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Jul 16, 2012 Larissa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Klappentext:
Becca King hat eine Gabe, die gleichzeitig ein Fluch ist. Sie kann die Gedanken anderer Menschen hören. Sie umgeben sie wie ein ständiges Rauschen, dem sie nicht entrinnen kann. Jetzt ist Becca auf der Flucht, weil ihr Stiefvater ihre Fähigkeiten skrupellos ausnutzen wollte. Sie hat eine neue Haarfarbe und eine neue Identität. Auf einer geheimnisvollen, abgeschiedenen Insel hofft Becca, Unterschlupf bei einer Freundin ihrer Mutter zu finden. Doch als sie dort ankommt, erfährt sie, d...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Marcia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meine Meinung:

Ich hatte wirklich bei dem Buch hohe Erwartungen, da ich Bücher schon vorher nur Gutes über das Buch gehört habe und ich wirklich Bücher mag, in denen die Protagonisten Gedanken lesen können (z.B. Sookie Stackhouse). Leider konnte das Buch nicht hundert prozentig meine Erwartungen erfüllen.

Die Geschichte:
Am Anfang hat mich die Geschichte sehr gefesselt. Becca mit ihrer außergewöhnlichen Gabe und ihrem schrecklichen Stiefvater. Ich habe mit ihr mit gefiebert, als sie sich auf ihre R...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Catrine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can't say that my expectations for this book was very high. I have read an Elizabeth George book before, which was a good read (but not a favourite), and my mother is a fan and reads all her books. But when people who normally write adult fiction try to write young adult, even more so anything paranormal... it tends to show.

There were some things I liked, which is the reason I gave the book two stars and not one. While there was significant problems with the pacing and plot, the book was hard...more I can't say that my expectations for this book was very high. I have read an Elizabeth George book before, which was a good read (but not a favourite), and my mother is a fan and reads all her books. But when people who normally write adult fiction try to write young adult, even more so anything paranormal... it tends to show.

There were some things I liked, which is the reason I gave the book two stars and not one. While there was significant problems with the pacing and plot, the book was hard to put down towards the end. People have complained about the lengthy descriptions of trees, which I frankly didn't notice - probably more due to my reading habits than the writing. I also did like some of the characters, and some of the characters and problems seemed very realistic.

That said. The problems with this book are overwhelming.

First off. What's this deal about not calling the police? She's a minor. She hasn't done what she did for her stepfather (why is it always stepfather, by the way?) because she wanted to, and why should the police not believe a girl who seems like a sweet girl to begin with, compared to the brain behind it? Her mother would be able to back them up. Frankly it seems like a lazy excuse to put her on that island, and later on to keep the plot going. Alright, so the crime wasn't committed when the book starts, but even so, preventing crime is or at least should be just as important for the police.

Secondly, everyone keeps overreacting. I'm not talking about the extremely overused italics, but the way everyone goes off the handle about everything. Particularly Jenn. I find it very hard to believe in such a completely unsympathetic character. I've known some rather unsympathetic teenage girls, particularly when I was a teenager myself, but even they had quite a few nice moments.

I won't spoil the ending, except that it was a bit of an anticlimax. Further I really, truly hate (view spoiler)

Then there's the paranormal element. I know I sound extremely grumpy in this review, but what is the point of something paranormal if it doesn't really change much in terms of the plot? Presumably it will be more important in later books, but in this book - pointless. It just makes the character more of a Mary Sue, and it doesn't add anything to the plot that could not have been accomplished by overhearing a phone call or conversation, stumbling across some notes or something like that.

Frankly the whole book feels like it's slightly half-assed. Like writing young adult is somehow easier and it's not necessary to put as much effort into it. That's quite a bit of an insult to most people I know who read young adult. It reads like an old lady who has made a checklist over what the kids seem to like, and then follows it to the letter. Paranormal elements? Check. Troubled past and/or abusive family? Check. All on their own in strange place? Check. Ability that's more of a curse? Check. And it goes on. It doesn't feel like a book that George wanted to write from a personal point of view, more like one she wrote just for the money. It doesn't feel like her heart is in it at all, and it feels patronizing.

Lastly, what's with all the drugs? Not that there is any drug use, really, but it seems to be at the forefront of everyone's mind. Like many young adult books that I have disliked it feels like the entire book is a moralistic message about "don't do this, it is BAD, and don't do this either, because it's also BAD." I don't read books to be preached to, and neither do most people.

I'll step off my high horse now... My main problem, which is reflected in everything I've written above, is that the potential is there. If she'd given it more effort, perhaps read quite a bit more YA, it could have been really good, because we know from her other books that she can write. THAT'S the most annoying thing, and the danger of writing outside your genre. Not that you should never try. (less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-school-kids-ya-books, 2012-books-read

Becca King is in hiding. She and her mother have fled from Becca's stepfather who has committed murder. Her mom has gone on to Canada while Becca is supposed to stay with her mother's friend on Whidby Island. Unfortunately the friend dies from a heart attack on the very day Becca arrives. With very little money Becca attempts to live her new life on the island without sharing any of her past. She is befriended by several people who all have secrets of their own to hide. To complicate her life, B...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Joanna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: youngreaders-ya

Meh. I tamped down my disappointment that Ms. George was once again choosing another project rather than cranking out another installment in the Inspector Lynley saga. I swallowed my misgivings about another author generally writing for adults who decided to make a foray into YA. I tried to get excited for a plucky teenaged semi-supernatural heroine struggling through a trauma. I hoped that this mysterious island would live up to whatever misty vague expectations the cover blurb indicated. I cli...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Esme rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-young-adult

Becca King kann die Gedanken anderer Menschen hören. In ihrem früheren Leben als Hannah Armstrong half sie mit dieser Gabe ihrem Stiefvater, seine Kunden zu betrügen. Bis er eines Tages seinen Geschäftspartner tötete und Hannah durch seine Gedanken zu einer unliebsamen Mitwisserin machte. Nun ist sie mit falschem Namen und verändertem Aussehen auf der Flucht. Ihre Mutter schickt sie zu ihrer Freundin auf Whidbey Island und fährt fort, um sich um eine neue Zufluchtsstätte für sie beide zu kümmern...more Becca King kann die Gedanken anderer Menschen hören. In ihrem früheren Leben als Hannah Armstrong half sie mit dieser Gabe ihrem Stiefvater, seine Kunden zu betrügen. Bis er eines Tages seinen Geschäftspartner tötete und Hannah durch seine Gedanken zu einer unliebsamen Mitwisserin machte. Nun ist sie mit falschem Namen und verändertem Aussehen auf der Flucht. Ihre Mutter schickt sie zu ihrer Freundin auf Whidbey Island und fährt fort, um sich um eine neue Zufluchtsstätte für sie beide zu kümmern. Doch die Freundin ist bei Beccas Ankunft gestorben und ihre Mutter ist auf dem Handy nicht zu erreichen. Auf der Insel leben hilfsbereite Menschen, die Becca unter ihre Fittiche nehmen, aber auch Geheimnisse hüten.

Die Inhaltsangabe von The Edge of Nowhere (Whisper Island – Sturmwarnung) von Elizabeth George klingt doch ganz vielversprechend. Leider entpuppt sich der Jugendroman als große Enttäuschung. Mit Ach und Krach habe ich mich durch die ersten hundert Seiten gekämpft und den Rest des Buches dann nur noch quer gelesen. Vieles an der Handlung ist unlogisch und bisweilen sogar haarsträubender Unfug. Zunächst einmal wird der Anlass für die Flucht gar nicht weiter verfolgt. Allerdings sind noch weitere Bände geplant und es kann ja sein, dass dieser Handlungsstrang später wieder aufgenommen wird. Hier wirkt es nur so als vorgeschobener Grund, damit Becca auf diese Insel kommt. Genauso konstruiert wirkt auch, dass sie ihre Mutter nicht mehr erreichen kann und natürlich der Tod ihrer einzigen anderen Vertrauensperson, einfach um sie zu isolieren. Becca ist erst 14 Jahre alt, anfangs ist sie noch sehr verängstigt, lebt sich aber doch recht schnell in ihre neue Umgebung ein. Klar, man kann nicht ständig wiederholen, dass sie sich Sorgen um ihre Mutter macht, aber das hätte meiner Meinung nach doch sicher auch anders gelöst werden können. Die Umstände scheinen nur so ungeschickt, das ist irgendwie billig.

Das Flüstern, also das, was die Handlung des Romans zu etwas Besonderem hätte machen können, ist auch nicht gut herausgearbeitet. Becca hört immer nur Satzfetzen und die bringen sie überhaupt nicht weiter. Das, was sie dadurch erfährt, hätte sie auch genauso gut auf anderem Wege herausbekommen können und meistens passiert auch genau das, denn diese Gedankensplitter sind nicht wirklich erhellend. Und irgendwann ging mir dieses Flüstern nur noch gewaltig auf die Nerven. Becca hat auch eine AUD-Box, ein kleines Gerät mit einem Kopfhörer, das atmosphärisches Rauschen von sich gibt, damit sie die Gedanken der anderen Menschen ausblenden kann. Und diese AUD-Box tritt auch immer nur dann in Erscheinung, wenn etwas noch eine Weile verhüllt bleiben soll. Hier auch wieder sehr unbeholfen und plump geschrieben.

Auf Whidbey Island passiert nicht so viel oder jedenfalls nichts Spektakuläres, nichts, was eigentlich die Handlung für ein ganzes Buch hergäbe. Becca geht zur Highschool, da gibt es die üblichen Loser, die Diva, mit der sie sich einen Zickenkrieg liefert etc. Der Sturz eines Jungen sorgt noch für ein bißchen Aufregung und die Paranoia von Becca führt auch zu Hektik, doch null Spannung. Die Auflösung der Hintergründe um den Sturz ist so banal, genauso wie die Geheimnisse einiger Inselbewohner. Nicht dass sie nicht tragisch wären, aber eben auch nicht mit einem Aha-Erlebnis verbunden.

Elizabeth George kannte ich bisher nur von ihren Kriminalromanen mit Lynley und Havers und ich muss mich fragen, ob dies hier wirklich von derselben Autorin geschrieben wurde. Ich kenne und schätze sie als jemanden, der Gefühle mit der Wucht eines Orkans und Verwicklungen, die einer antiken Tragödie alle Ehre machen könnten, auf den Seiten eines Buches erschaffen kann. Nichts davon findet sich in Whisper Island, das einfach nur fad und außerdem nicht sonderlich gut geschrieben ist. (less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Ingrid Fasquelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Elizabeth George, aussi surnommée la "Reine du Crime" s'engouffre dans la brèche du thriller young adult. Saratoga Woods, premier volet d'une série de quatre tome, s'adresse aux adolescents à partir de 12 ou 13 ans.

Bien que n'étant pas le coeur de cible de ce roman, c'est avec un enthousiasme non feint que j'ai commencé cette nouvelle série ! Je m'attendais non seulement à être séduite par l'atmosphère insulaire du roman mais aussi par la touche de surnaturel dont l'auteure a mâtiné son intrigue...more Elizabeth George, aussi surnommée la "Reine du Crime" s'engouffre dans la brèche du thriller young adult. Saratoga Woods, premier volet d'une série de quatre tome, s'adresse aux adolescents à partir de 12 ou 13 ans.

Bien que n'étant pas le coeur de cible de ce roman, c'est avec un enthousiasme non feint que j'ai commencé cette nouvelle série ! Je m'attendais non seulement à être séduite par l'atmosphère insulaire du roman mais aussi par la touche de surnaturel dont l'auteure a mâtiné son intrigue. Malheureusement, je ressors de cette lecture avec un sentiment plus que mitigé ! Je n'ai trouvé qu'un roman faiblard, insipide et décousu que j'ai failli abandonner plusieurs fois en cours de lecture.

L'entrée en matière avait pourtant bien commencé. En introduisant de fort belle manière sa notion de "murmure", Elizabeth George avait réussi, d'entrée de jeu, à piquer ma curiosité avec cette citation de Shakespeare himself !

"N’aie pas peur. Tout entière, cette île bruit de rumeurs,

De sons, d’airs mélodieux, qui ravissent sans faire mal."

Une promesse qui laisse bien vite place à la frustration, car loin de servir l'intrigue, de contribuer au suspense et au mystère promis par la quatrième de couverture, les murmures que perçoit Becca ne font que parasiter la lecture ! Monologues décousus, sans queue ni tête, on comprend vite que celle-ci ne maîtrise pas son don et ne peut donc absolument pas tirer profit des bribes de pensées qu'elle surprend ! C'est décevant et surtout très frustrant ! Je m'attendais plutôt à être aspirée dans les méandres d'une intrigue policière au suspense implacable, au lieu de quoi je me suis enlisée dans un marasme d'inaction et un verbiage sans intérêt ! On a connu Elizabeth George en meilleure forme et bien plus inspirée dans sa série consacrée à l'inspecteur Lynley !

Dans Saratoga Woods, elle se contente d'une histoire qui peine à décoller. Sa mise en place est laborieuse et son action délayée dans de longues descriptions inutiles ! Résultat, on s'ennuie ferme ! Et ce ne sont certainement pas le dénouement téléphoné ni le cliffhanger final qui vont persuader le lecteur de lire la suite !

Toutefois, à défaut de convaincre les amateurs de suspense et de thrillers paranormaux, Saratoga Woods pourra, je pense, arriver à séduire le lectorat ciblé. Les personnages et les situations pour le moins rocambolesques plairont sans doute aux amateurs de séries. Après tout, il y a une histoire d'amour, d'amitié, une petite touche de surnaturel, de quoi embobiner un public à partir de 12 ou 13 ans !

Une chose est sûre, Elizabeth George n'aura pas gagné son surnom de "Reine Elizabeth" grâce à Saratoga Woods ! Un roman dont on peut fort bien se dispenser ! C'est la PAL qui va être contente !(less)

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Sep 11, 2012 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-paranormal, thriller, mystery

When I received this book for review, I hadn't heard of it. I knew nothing about it, but the blurb sounded interesting so I decided to read the Prologue. Before I realised it, I'd reached the end of Chapter Two, and was totally intrigued. Plus I couldn't wait to keep reading.

Becca King--this isn't her real name--is on the run from her stepfather. A man who has been using her unusual gift, of being able to hear other people's whispers, to his business advantage. But when she hears that he murder...more When I received this book for review, I hadn't heard of it. I knew nothing about it, but the blurb sounded interesting so I decided to read the Prologue. Before I realised it, I'd reached the end of Chapter Two, and was totally intrigued. Plus I couldn't wait to keep reading.

Becca King--this isn't her real name--is on the run from her stepfather. A man who has been using her unusual gift, of being able to hear other people's whispers, to his business advantage. But when she hears that he murdered his business partner, her mother finally decides to do something about keeping her daughter safe. The idea is to get her daughter to Whidbey Island, so Becca can stay with an old childhood friend of hers before she can find another, safer place for them both to live and never be found.

It sounds simple enough, but things start going wrong for Becca as soon as she gets on the ferry and she makes an instant enemy. Then she finds out that something awful happened to the woman who was supposed to help her. So her first night turns into a total nightmare, and she has nowhere to go. However, when she runs into Seth, a guy who points her in the right direction, she meets a woman called Debbie, which leads her to a place to live as well as someone who helps her enrol into school.

She also meets Derric, an all round good guy and athlete who happens to have an instant connection with her. However, the day Derric's involved in an accident in Saratoga Woods everything turns upside down because Becca is the one who finds him and places an anonymous call to 911 on the cell phone her mother left her. Derric ends up in a coma and since his adoptive father is the Deputy Sheriff, a serious investigation begins. One that puts Seth and Becca in the thick of suspicion...

The story is told in the POV of Becca, Seth, and Seth's ex-girlfriend, Hayley. Everyone seems to have a deep, dark secret on this island, which makes it very easy for the characters to start doubting each other. I loved how most of them misunderstood each other and allowed their personal insecurities to cloud their vision, as well as project things that weren't really there in others. I also really felt for Becca, as she tries her hardest to keep her head down and remain anonymous but instead gets herself into deeper trouble without intention.

The Edge of Nowhere is an absolute page-turner. An interesting and well written story about a young girl who suffers greatly with the troubling gift--or curse--she inherited, of being able to hear other people's thoughts. It's also a very emotional story, where every single character has a purpose and you feel their emotional scars and pain. Not to mention the mystery at the heart of it all, as everyone struggles to find out what really happened to Derric. Or the paranomal touch to everything.

I really enjoyed this excellent story, and the ending was... wow! What's going to happen next? Can't wait to find out.
(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, read-in-february-2013, young-adult

Elizabeth George has not been over-rated. People have been telling me how good she is ever since she started writing. This is the first of her books I've actually read, and everybody was right.

My shelf talker says:

"It starts with murder, but Hannah doesn't have any evidence to support her knowledge.
She becomes Becca, and flees her home in San Diego, CA.
But Becca is only 14. Can she really find safety in the fog and trees of Washington State?"

Becca has the ability to read minds, or, at least to...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Cathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-book, mysteries, paranormal

Becca King has been left on her own at the ferry stop to go to Whidbey Island to live with a friend of her mother Laurel. Leaving her mother she said, " “You’ll come back,” ... “I will,” Laurel promised. “As soon as I can.” But will she? Becca, not her real name, has psychic abilities that force her to hear whispers. Her stepfather used her to listen in on his clients so that he could milk them but when she figured out that he had committed a crime he knew that she knew. Becca and her mother had...more

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About Elizabeth George

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Susan Elizabeth George is an American author of mystery novels set in Great Britain. Eleven of her novels, featuring her character Inspector Lynley, have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.

She was born in Warren, Ohio, but moved to the S...more

More about Elizabeth George...

Books by Elizabeth George

A Great Deliverance (Inspector Lynley #1)

Well-Schooled in Murder (Inspector Lynley #3)

This Body of Death (Inspector Lynley #16)

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Quotes from The Edge of Nowhere

“Grand, there’s one other thing.”
“What’s that, Seth?”
“You always call me ‘favorite male grandchild,’ and I like that. I do. But fact is, I’m your only male grandchild.”
Ralph looked at him, blue eyes sparkling. He smiled. Then he laughed out loud. “Details,” he said. “Mere details, Seth.” — 2 people liked it

“Becca took the opportunity to say good-bye to Derric by touching his hand. The heart monitor raced suddenly. She looked from it to Rhonda.
Rhonda’s expression said what her voice did not. Who are you really and why is my son reacting to the touch of your hand?” — 1 person liked it

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The Edge of Nowhere (Saratoga Woods #1)

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