The Edge of Belonging
By Amanda Cox
Reviewed By: Ashley Davis
I’m excited to make the first fiction recommendation for Following Titus 2 today! If you’re someone that enjoys reading fiction books, you surely know finding books with quality, appropriate content is no easy task. I am always so pleased when I find a book that is a safe recommendation for fellow-Christians and that is also actually a good book. If you’ve read many books in the Christian fiction genre, you know they tend to have similar tropes and characters and corny romances. But take heart! They’re not all that bad.
The Edge of Belonging is a dual timeline story that focuses on Ivy Rose and Harvey James. This is one of those stories that kind of tells you the ending (at least in part) at the beginning and then works its way through the details as the story progresses. In present day, Ivy is returning to her hometown to settle her grandmother’s estate after she has recently passed. While there, she learns that her grandmother has left behind pieces of Ivy’s adoption story for her to wind together to discover her true roots. Twenty-some years before the death of Ivy’s grandmother, Harvey James, a homeless man living in quiet isolation, discovers a needy, fragile newborn and takes the child under his wing. Amanda Cox weaves a believable heart-warming story that unpacks ideas about the role of the church in caring for the lost and needy, what it really means to be family, and the value of human connection.
I won’t go on with any more details because no one appreciates spoilers in their fiction reading!
As a note, there is a physically and emotionally abusive relationship in this book that though not described in detail could be upsetting to some and inappropriate for young audiences.
Audience:
Women (though the book isn’t written specifically for female readers), mature teens & older.
Usefulness Rating:
This book would be great for bringing up thought-provoking questions and/or discussions about some of the more hard hitting topics it considers (homelessness, adoption, emotional/physical abuse, abandonment, family, etc.).
Entertainment Value:
I rated this book 3.5/5 stars. It was entertaining!
Good for Groups:
The Edge of Belonging would be appropriate in content and application for a Christian book club or small group. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t have group discussion questions as part of its appendix, but group discussion questions would be easy to develop.
To learn more about Amanda Cox, you can visit her website at www.amandacoxwrites.com
For more information about this book or other reading suggestions, feel free to contact me directly.
