A review by jillie
The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes

5.0

“You’re the canyon. And your healing is like the water carving you. It takes time. It’s a never-ending process. But as you heal and grow, something beautiful and layered and solid and lasting is formed.”

Wow was this book a surprise. I started it before bed and stayed up until I finished it. The majority of it is written in verse and while each poem moves the narrative forward, many of them were also good on their own. I wanted to highlight most of the pages. This deals heavily with PTSD, anxiety, and trauma. There’s also more blood mentioned than I had anticipated. It isn’t your average middle-grade book. 

I loved the MC and going on this survival journey with her while she deals with her past. The descriptions of the canyons were beautiful and reminded me of my time in Arizona. I got teary many times as more of the story was unraveled and I grew to care for Nora. 

I can’t recommend this enough. It’s an easy, fast read that will certainly be staying with me for a long time. I’m already looking forward to my reread.

3/10/22