The Edge of Heaven (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

by Marita Golden

Book Overview

Fiercely intelligent...a powerful story.' - The Washington Post The Singletary family seem destined to achieve the American Dream. The father is an inspired artist, the mother a respected accountant.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345431723
• ISBN13: 9780345431721
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: One World/Ballantine
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.8" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Beautifully rendered story

This story was so good, I hated to see it come to an end. The language was so evocative and the characters so vividly drawn with plotting that was wonderfully paced ... I felt under a spell until the very last page.

Wonderful story

I really enjoyed reading The Edge of Heaven.It is a wonderfully told story basically in the first person as Theresa expresses her emotions once her mother has been released rom prision.Its a good read about how an incident can destroy a family and yet how the same incident can bring them back together. Theresa has to lea learn some hard lessons but the story ends in a beautiful and realistic manner. The author's description of even the prision is reala dn provides dignity to the characters.It was good reading a book about financially succesful African Americans. The book is also integenerational and a salute to African American females. I have read the authors Migrations of the Heart and A Woman's Place-both of which i enjoyed and look forward to reading Long Distance Life.Marita Golden is a gifted writer.

So Realistic!

This book was recommended to me and I had never heard of Marita Golden. I thought the book was really good and really real. She didn't glorify the tale of every character and I respect her as an author for NOT doing that. I think the only thing that could have been emphasized a little more for me was the grief of Lena for the loss of her child. It was evident that Ryland grieved for the loss of Kenya and realized that he is just as much responsible, but I didn't really see the grief process of Lena or Ma Adele. Is this to say that women hide their emotions better than me or that we deal with it better? I don't think so, but that may be the case with these characters. Hats off to Marita Golden, and Ms. Golden if you read this we would love to have you come discuss your novel at our book club in Alexandria, VA! Thanks.

An absolute pleasure!

I really enjoyed The Edge of Heaven. I could not put it down. I am a big Marita Golden fan - I've read all of her novels. This book presents very intense human pain and suffering in a manner that is full of elegance and grace. Ms. Golden is able to deliver this subject matter, which is dead serious and quite harsh, as pleasurable reading. Quite a skill. Having recently read quite a few contemporary authors who seem to be only able to present characters in terms of detailed physical descriptions - complexion, hairdo, clothes, it was striking that there was no mention of what these people looked like, yet I felt like I knew them. I highly reccommend this book.

This Book Really Made you Think

This was one of the most thought provoking books I have ever read. I felt so deeply for all of the characters because they were all going through so much. I could relate to the struggles of all of the characters. I had never read any of Ms. Golden's work but I am certainly a die hard fan after reading "The Edge of Heaven." I highly recommend this book. It was so deep.