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The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World
- Author
- J. R. Dawson
- Narrator
- Mara Wilson, Lindsey Dorcus
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 31 July 2025
- Run Time
- 13 hours 37 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
With dual-narration from Mara Wilson & Lindsey Dorcus.
A powerful contemporary queer fantasy, perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune.
‘Gorgeous . . . haunting and healing’ – Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
Love doesn’t die; people do . . .
At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.
Nera has spent decades watching her father – the ferryman of the dead – sail across the lake, every night just like the last.
But tonight something is wrong.
The Station's lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person – a living person – has found her way onto the boat.
Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost.
A devastating story of magic, family and those who leave us – but who might not remain lost.
‘An earnest, heartfelt read’ – Veronica Roth, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows
Critics Review
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Gorgeous, lyrical, heartfelt and true in all the ways that matter! This is an achingly beautiful book that is as much about life as it is about death. Haunting and healing and highly recommended!
Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
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An earnest, heartfelt read set in a moody, otherworldly Chicago steeped in loss and history
Veronica Roth, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows
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Immersive and imaginative storytelling is enlivened by narrators Lindsey Dorcus and Mara Wilson . . . Dorcus gives Nera a tone of brightness as she loses her naivete through various revelations and a budding attraction to Charlie, portrayed by Wilson. As the grief-stricken and guilt-ridden Charlie searches for her late sister’s spirit, soul-devouring “Haunts” sent by the demon needle her with their raspy, creepy voices. Wilson’s performance adds vulnerability and hope to the courageous Charlie. Together, both narrators shine
AudioFile
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A stunning story . . . Absolutely one of my favorite reads this year!
Rebecca Thorne, bestselling author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
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In turns heartbreaking, haunting and hopeful, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a powerful novel about the memories that can break a spirit and the love that can heal it again. It’s a moving reminder that after great loss, it’s still possible to find love, joy, and light when lost in grief’s darkness
Heather Webber, USA Today bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Café
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In the deft hands of J.R. Dawson, death is merely a transition point. The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a poignant story of love and grief, memory and myth, and what it truly means to be alive
Rita Woods, award-winning author of The Edge of Yesterday
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A poignant novel about seeing the dead, and the business of getting them to where they need to go. But more, it's a novel for people who feel confused and lost, and who need to learn it isn't their fault. That it takes more than light to face all kinds of darkness
John Wiswell, Nebula Award-winning author of Someone You Can Build A Nest In
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Dawson writes with vivid and evocative prose, and a measured sense of pacing. She's not afraid to take her time, to dwell in both the wrenching and the absurd . . . A gorgeous book
Locus Magazine
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A soulful examination of what it means to live and love and lose and live again
The Fantasy Hive
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Sharp and wistful
Washington Post
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- J. R. Dawson
- Narrator
- Mara Wilson, Lindsey Dorcus
- Duration
- 13 hours 37 minutes
- Release Date
- 31 July 2025
- ISBN
- 9781035018284
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Dark fantasy, Urban fantasy, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: death, grief, loss, Ghosts and poltergeists
Synopsis
With dual-narration from Mara Wilson & Lindsey Dorcus.A powerful contemporary queer fantasy, perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune.‘Gorgeous . . . haunting and healing’ – Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The SpellshopLove doesn’t die; people do . . .At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.Nera has spent decades watching her father – the ferryman of the dead – sail across the lake, every night just like the last.But tonight something is wrong.The Station's lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person – a living person – has found her way onto the boat.Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost.A devastating story of magic, family and those who leave us – but who might not remain lost.‘An earnest, heartfelt read’ – Veronica Roth, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows
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