The edge of everything by Miranda Luby

The Edge of Everything by Miranda Luby, is a young adult novel that I personally found extremely moving. It captures the rawness of grief while still offering hope, healing and possibility of new beginnings. Published in 2025, this book follows Lucy, who is a teenage girl whose life had been turned upside down by the sudden loss of her older brother, Charlie. A year later, she is still caught in the aftermath of her loss, trying to find her way around, and find a purpose again.

Everything changes when a rare, endangered bird, a plains-wanderer, collides with her bedroom window. Lucy takes this as a sign, and she becomes determined to save it. This decision leads her to a wildlife sanctuary, where she meets Ben, a boy whose kindness and love for the animals and plants begins to pull her out of her bubble of grief. As Lucy and Ben grow closer and spend more time together at the sanctuary, she is forced to face the cracks in her friendship, her strained relationship with her parents, and her own fear of moving forward without Charlie to help guide her.

One of the strengths of this novel is its honest depiction of grief. Luby avoids presenting grief as something simple or easily overcome, because let’s be honest, it never is. Instead, she shows how messy, frustrating and deeply personal it can be, and how sometimes, there’s no way to get over grief, only grow around it. Lucy’s impulsive actions and mood swings can be difficult to read about at times, but they also feel authentic for someone her age going through a pain so large. The symbolism of the plains-wanderer bird adds even more layers to the story, reflecting Lucy’s own feelings of fragility and survival, while reminding readers that caring for something else can be the first step in caring for ourselves.

The novel touches on powerful themes such as the ongoing nature of grief, the search for meaning and connection even in randomness, and the healing power of love. By tying Lucy’s personal healing journey to the conservation of an endangered bird, the story delivers more meaning then what meets the eye.

Overall, The Edge of Everything is a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that balances sadness with moments of lightness, romance, and also more importantly hope. Miranda Luby’s story feels both authentic and comforting, leaving the readers with a message that while healing is not straightforward, it is always possible. 

Themes: Grief and healing, Hope, Connection and love, Identity, Family

Hamsini C. (Student)