I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World, Nera has spent years working as an assistant to her father, the ferryman of the afterlife, who shepherds the recently deceased across the lake to whatever lies beyond. However, the lighthouse that stands next to the lake has started flickering lately, and Nera doesn’t want to know what will happen if it goes out. Meanwhile, in Chicago, a young woman named Charlie is struggling with her grief and guilt over the loss of her sister. Her death was sudden and unjust, and Charlie is desperate—especially since the loss, she’s been seeing ghosts all throughout the city. So when she follows one of the spirit guides (which takes the form of a dog) to the lighthouse, she meets Nera. Of course, Nera is shocked to meet a living person, and wonders what the implications will be. Intrigued, Nera agrees to help Charlie find her sister anyway, even though it might be impossible.

This is a very impressive novel, though as you might imagine, it’s a serious story. Much of this book deals with difficult topics like trauma, survivor’s guilt, grief, and mental health. Charlie’s sister Sam was killed by a shooter in a mall, and Charlie often has flashbacks to that day, which can be upsetting to read. So if any of these are topics that affect you strongly, proceed with caution if you decide to read this book.

And I do recommend this book (with the above disclaimer in place, of course). It makes for a compelling read, especially with the interesting setting of the lighthouse and the magical lake that exists partially in our world and partially in the next. I quite liked exploring the sort-of sentient lighthouse, with its magical halls and shifting attributes. Additionally, the dogs that serve as spirit guides for the dead are wonderful. They often bring some levity to the otherwise somber tone.

The protagonists Nera and Charlie are well-written, too. Their instant connection and curiosity about each other is sweet, and I liked seeing how they opened up each other’s worlds. Nera’s wonder at the mundane world was lovely, and a reminder that there are so many small good things about existence. Alternatively, Charlie’s more cynical and dark outlook on life is also presented as having merit, as there are harsher aspects to reality that need to be confronted and dealt with in order to survive. In general, I liked how the two played off each other, and their romance was well paced.

As for Nera’s father, I thought his backstory was fantastic and tragic. I wish we’d gotten to delve deeper into his character, as I feel like we barely scratched the surface, but what was there was excellent. Particularly in the present, it seemed like his characterization was somewhat lacking, and I wanted to know him better. However, the resolution to his story was touching, and tied in very well with the main plot of what’s going on with the lighthouse.

In the end, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World was a thoughtful, melancholy story that, despite its darkness, still manages to be about hope, love, and healing. It has dark themes and content at times, but the themes of family and romance, moving through grief and finding a new path made it all worth it. The characters are strong, as is the setting, and overall, I quite enjoyed this!

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World will be published on July 29th, 2025!