The Edge of Heaven

The death of a young child can devastate a family. When a parent is responsible for the death, there is very little hope the remaining unit will survive. As The Edge of Heaven begins, Teresa, twenty, is waiting with dread for the return of her mother who has just been released from jail. Twelve years earlier, her little sister fell down a flight of stairs and died--the result of an angry, but wholly unintentional push by her mother.

Teresa is on the cusp of adulthood. Her unresolved feelings toward her mother, her life with her grandmother who is now her guardian in the wake of her father's inability to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and assume responsibility, her concerns about her boyfriend, and her worries about her future conspire to push Teresa toward a new and frightening place.

With a deceptively simple style, Marita Golden once again uses her considerable talents--"her supple prose, convincing dialogue and brisk pacing" (Cleveland Plain Dealer)--to grab your heart and put you in the middle of this almost insupportable scenario. As Teresa comes to terms with the realities of the complexities of life, her inner strength and rapidly growing maturity assure us that her future will be a full one.


Genre: Literary Fiction