Think Twilight, then subtract the vampires, insert a couple hundred supernatural hounds and various forms of magic, and make the writing five times better. Throw in a Voldemort-like antagonist and you’ve got yourself On the Edge by Ilona Andrews. Taking place in three different realms, the novel follows Rose Drayton and her two brothers, Jack and Georgie, as intruders shake up their lives. Declan and Casshorn, the intruders, both come from the Weird, the magical realm. As a contrast, Rose and her brothers live in the Edge, which lies between the Weird and the mortal realm of the Broken. But, despite the comparison to Twilight, this book is well written and has a much darker and more interesting plot.
The most striking similarities to Twilight are the female narrator and the insane descriptions of Declan. Not only does he have almost ten titles, Andrews is always describing him as overwhelmingly handsome. It reminded me immediately of how Robert Pattinson reiterated Stephenie Meyers’ descriptions of Edward Cullen in her books. All male protagonists have to be so sexy that the female protagonist just wets herself whenever they see each other. The main difference here is that Rose Drayton is a better character than Bella Swan. She’s written better, for one. She is a strong character who can hold her own and doesn’t trip over dust particles.
On the Edge is dark, but it isn’t without its humor. The banter between Rose and Declan is often sufficiently amusing, especially in the latter chapters when the main plot is darkest. Their interactions have a gradual arc; instead of forming an immediate obsession with each other, Rose starts out wanting nothing to do with Declan. Another amusing character is that of Elsie Moore, an obviously senile old lady who has tea parties with her teddy bears. Not only are her bears named after celebrities, but her interactions with and reactions to Declan are also arguably the funniest part of the novel. I only wish we saw more of her.
Andrews’ novel is an entertaining piece of science-fiction romance, with a good mix of magical elements from opposing sides of the spectrum and characterization. The plot is driven both by character’s interactions and the evil forces that grip the characters’ lives, and neither aspect overpowers the other. Plenty of twists and turns along the way hold the reader’s attention, even if the plot does drag a bit in the middle. Andrews’ characters and creations all vary from repulsive to hysterical, with a bit of everything in between as well. None of them are unnecessary, even though it may seem that way for a short while. And though the ending is a slight cliffhanger, it gives us enough to satisfy our expectations and even leaves room for a possible sequel, should the author choose to write one.
Final Verdict (out of 5):
