finneas's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
caliesha's review against another edition
5.0
Originally read Feb 2017. Reread Feb 2021 for nostalgia's sake.
dananoel's review against another edition
4.0
Not as good as We Are the Ants, but still depressing as hell. They had the same vibe, though this didn’t make me bawl my eyes out for two weeks. SDH is such an emotional writer and I just get so sucked into the narrative that I can’t stop, thus finishing a 500 page book in 12 hours. No regrets
kendrix10's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting story with a unique framing device and a lot of emotional plot points. It takes on some heavy themes from the viewpoints of teenagers without being too heavy-handed. This book is very character driven and at various points, you’ll fall in love with different characters, which is the main charm of the book. I don’t particularly like how it ended - I feel like it’s setting up for a big conclusion but cop out at the last minute - nevertheless, I think it works in the context of the story. The writing in this book is beautiful. Like break-your-heart beautiful. This book makes you remember your first crush, your first exploration into love, how heartbreaking it was when it didn’t work out, how amazing it felt when it did. I love it. I love the author and I’ll be falling him closely from now on.
marymanor's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed in this book. It had an interesting concept - that the universe had erased Ozzie's BF and was shrinking - but it played out too awkwardly.
benjaminvr's review against another edition
4.0
Full review posted!
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All my life, I have been living at the edge of the Universe. Unfortunately, it took 19 years and a book for me to realize.
At The Edge of the Universe follows the story of Ozzie, a boy who is living in a world in which nobody but him remembers his boyfriend Tommy ever existed. History has been rewritten, the universe is shrinking, and it seems as Ozzie’s duty to understand what’s happening so he can save the universe before it's too late.
If I had to astrophysically explain what this book is about, I couldn’t do it because I don’t know anything related astrophysics. However, I can tell you once you have finished this book your mind will be a cluster of emotions and crazy theories fighting against each other.
I know a book is good when it follows the Powerpuff Books’ formula: a wide range of representation, science, and humor.
The author has done an incredible job by catching the reader’s attention from the very first chapter to the last sentence of the book. Hutchison writing style is capable of stealing your soul so it can later get mixed with the story, and you can truly live each part of it. On the other side, even though there are some paragraphs explaining physic theories, they never became tedious or difficult to understand, as a matter of fact, they worked perfectly to disguise and transform the story’s meaning into something that left for the reader’s judgment.
Each character’s personality is so well developed, and they are all so unique that it results impossible not to love them all.
Ozzie’s determination to prove his boyfriend’s existence and to find him while trying to help Calvin overcome his demons was so emotive that I even heard the sound ice breaking inside my chest. (If you are planning to read this book, I recommend you pay close attention to Ozzie’s attitudes).
Calvin, my sweet cinnamon roll, was for me the character with more personality, and the one who deserved more leadership than what was given to him. The message sent by the author through him made me remember how fragile and exposed we are as human beings and how our craving for feeling love can lead us to the wrong path.
Lua is the non-binary character we all needed in this book. They’re Ozzie’s best friend and a talented musician who are trying to find that sense of purpose in their life. If you ever wonder what true friendship is like, you will find it written in this book. I stan Lua for the rest of my life.
The themes the author approached through Tommy, the handsome and smart guy who makes the impossible became possible, are delicate and not always easy to write about. However, he managed to do it as well as he did with Calvin before. I wish with all my heart that David Hutchinson gets to write a story starring Tommy, I did not have enough.
David Hutchinson has created a fast-paced story, full of intrigue, memorable characters and life teachings that will make you want to lay on the floor and think on the vast existence of the universe and its future possibilities.
P.S: I’m still trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat.
(I even made a playlist for those who want to check it out here).
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All my life, I have been living at the edge of the Universe. Unfortunately, it took 19 years and a book for me to realize.
“We've all got things about ourselves we hate and these dark places inside of us we're terrified to show people. We live in constant fear that someone is going to discover the rotting corpses we keep buried in those dark places, and that when they do, they'll despise us for them.”
At The Edge of the Universe follows the story of Ozzie, a boy who is living in a world in which nobody but him remembers his boyfriend Tommy ever existed. History has been rewritten, the universe is shrinking, and it seems as Ozzie’s duty to understand what’s happening so he can save the universe before it's too late.
If I had to astrophysically explain what this book is about, I couldn’t do it because I don’t know anything related astrophysics. However, I can tell you once you have finished this book your mind will be a cluster of emotions and crazy theories fighting against each other.
I know a book is good when it follows the Powerpuff Books’ formula: a wide range of representation, science, and humor.
The author has done an incredible job by catching the reader’s attention from the very first chapter to the last sentence of the book. Hutchison writing style is capable of stealing your soul so it can later get mixed with the story, and you can truly live each part of it. On the other side, even though there are some paragraphs explaining physic theories, they never became tedious or difficult to understand, as a matter of fact, they worked perfectly to disguise and transform the story’s meaning into something that left for the reader’s judgment.
Each character’s personality is so well developed, and they are all so unique that it results impossible not to love them all.
Ozzie’s determination to prove his boyfriend’s existence and to find him while trying to help Calvin overcome his demons was so emotive that I even heard the sound ice breaking inside my chest. (If you are planning to read this book, I recommend you pay close attention to Ozzie’s attitudes).
“Sometimes I wish I'd find a zipper on the back of my head so I could unzip my skin and find the real me underneath.”
Calvin, my sweet cinnamon roll, was for me the character with more personality, and the one who deserved more leadership than what was given to him. The message sent by the author through him made me remember how fragile and exposed we are as human beings and how our craving for feeling love can lead us to the wrong path.
Lua is the non-binary character we all needed in this book. They’re Ozzie’s best friend and a talented musician who are trying to find that sense of purpose in their life. If you ever wonder what true friendship is like, you will find it written in this book. I stan Lua for the rest of my life.
The themes the author approached through Tommy, the handsome and smart guy who makes the impossible became possible, are delicate and not always easy to write about. However, he managed to do it as well as he did with Calvin before. I wish with all my heart that David Hutchinson gets to write a story starring Tommy, I did not have enough.
David Hutchinson has created a fast-paced story, full of intrigue, memorable characters and life teachings that will make you want to lay on the floor and think on the vast existence of the universe and its future possibilities.
P.S: I’m still trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat.
(I even made a playlist for those who want to check it out here).
starsarehealing's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ssjonoyoung's review against another edition
5.0
There are simply no words to describe this book; but I'll give it a go. Heartbreaking, heartwarming, amusing, mysterious, astounding, tear-jerking. All that and more. I couldn't have predicted the ending and the way Hutchinson formed the relationships and how they worked with the universe collapsing was just so perfectly balanced that I cried. It's just majestic. There is nothing else to it. Hutchinson spins comedy and love and drama and angst together to make a contemporary novel with a twist. And actually I needed this book. It fell perfectly with what was happening in my life. And I've never been so grateful to be reminded that the universe is infinite and there is always more out there. You just have to look past the bits that are holding you back.
Also Ozzie is best. And Calvin is the true heartbreaker. Lua is the strongest person ever. Tommy is the mysterious guy you wanna know more about. And everyone else in this book is incredible. That's all I have to say on the matter.
Also Ozzie is best. And Calvin is the true heartbreaker. Lua is the strongest person ever. Tommy is the mysterious guy you wanna know more about. And everyone else in this book is incredible. That's all I have to say on the matter.