Nicola Garrard

On The Edge

What if the life you were promised was taken from you? What would you do to get it back? Rhys lives in a coastal town in South Devon, where seasonal work dries up as winter storms hit, housing is hard to come by and livelihoods are threatened by distant bureaucrats. Life is much harder for Rhys and his two younger brothers than tourists can possibly know. It is only when surfing that Rhys finds solace in the beauty around him: the crashing waves, towering cliffs and sandy beaches. But when that solace is taken, his tinder-dry rage is soon ignited. Determined to defend his family from a life blighted by social neglect and poverty, Rhys is drawn to Dodo, a radical political activist inspired by the Welsh protest group, Meibion Glyndwr. Before long, Rhys' actions spiral out of control, with dire consequences for himself and those he loves. Set in a coastal town and drawing on the author's own rural childhood, this YA / crossover novel explores how young people's futures are built – and defended – on shifting and uneven ground, where tides of tourism, gentrification and second-home ownership erode the traditional ways of life and financial stability of locals. Beautifully drawn characters, lyrical depictions of the natural landscape, brotherly love, family loyalty – and surfing. A powerful and thought-provoking summer read. Garrard’s writing burns with the intensity of teenage emotions – The Observer Tender and angry, salty and sweet… a heartfelt novel shaped by powerful undercurrents – Michael Morpurgo ?