Reviews

The Edge of the Cloud by K.M. Peyton

ahannah123's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death

shatton72's review

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

foggy_rosamund's review

3.0

Planes rather than horses. Excellent analysis of 1910's sexism. Not as much fun as the first one.

smemmott's review

4.0

Romantic but also realistic; love doesn't solve problems.

elisabethshanahan's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

serenely's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

thenovelbook's review

4.0

Christina's romance with Will is frustrating but realistic. He loves nothing in the world as much as flying and designing airplanes, and she loves nothing as much as him. It's sad that he can't even begin to understand her fears for his safety and the way that she heroically tramps down her own feelings EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. But he's also a fascinating genius, which attracts and, at the same time, isolates. It's no wonder Christina loves him, but she has to make do with what she can get, because the skills of human interaction are always going to be a bit out of his reach. Interesting tale, and not one I would have labeled as YA fiction, but it was originally written for younger readers.

alanajane's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

binxthinx's review

1.0

Christina's whole life now is Will. She doesn't like planes and he is OBSESSED, so that's her life now too, I guess. She snipes at Mark that he only wanted a housekeeper, but it's not like Will is that great in this book. He (jokingly) calls Christina his slave girl and lavishes cutesy nicknames on his stupid plane and almost dies a bunch and doesn't give a damn about her anxieties and fears even though people are constantly dying and getting hurt INCLUDING THEIR DEAR FRIEND (not that Will seems to give a crap), and it's just so gross and AND THEN HE JOINS THE ARMY WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO HER ABOUT IT AND UGH IT'S SO BORING I MISS THE HORSES. The first book felt a bit like the Secret Garden, but with teenagers and horses. Just like in the Secret Garden, where I wanted more of Dickon and less of Colin, here I want more of Dick and less of William, who USED to be a decent guy. At least there's less Mark, and he's reasonable for once. Christina deserves better than all of this. They go riding once and have a nice time, but Christina is like "welp, I guess we're never riding horses again." LITERALLY THE ONLY THING SHE ENJOYS IN LIFE OTHER THAN OBSESSING OVER WILL.

Dorothy was whatever, it's kinda sad to see that jealously hating other women and basically calling them harlots for talking to your man has been a thing forever. Sandy was probably the only worthwhile character in this book except the aunt, but she's barely there again.


AND AFTER ALL CHRISTINA HAS BEEN THROUGH PUTTING UP WITH WILLIAM'S BS, HE HAS THE NERVE TO GIVE HER SH*T FOR WANTING A NICE CHURCH WEDDING. He's done nothing for her, the selfish twat, and can't do that one thing for her? She's given up all her free time and he can't get her an afternoon? And then the wedding is like two pages and she talks to MARK the whole time, and Will is barely mentioned, and I hate their relationship and it's not even redeemed at the end. Maybe Will will be killed off in the war and Christina can move on with her life. Maybe Dick will come back and they will train horses together and there will be entertaining horse drama again.

Ah well, I'll probably read this stupid series to the bitter end, because while KM Peyton is an annoying author with stupid plots, her writing is good, and I want something good to happen to Christina one day, because so far her life feels like something out of A Series of Unfortunate Events, without any of the clever, funny stuff and no loving siblings to give her any modicum of affection.

eupomene's review

3.0

This was my favorite of the Flambards books back when I was younger, which was odd because there are no horses in it. But I did have a thing for biplanes (still do) too. Rereading it now is an interesting experience, because the love between Christina and Will is a bit hard to understand. She adores him and puts up with everything, including his one track mind regarding flying. He never notices her fear of the machines, he doesn't seem to really see her at all. His love for her is very hard to believe.
And yet - she loves him. And she accepts her secondary spot so she can be with him.
All righty then.