At the Island’s Edge, C. I. Jerez (Review by Carli Monostra)

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

C. I. Jerez does a fantastic job at writing a story that fully fleshes out the tough emotions her characters are experiencing. Her main protagonist, Sergeant Lina LaSalle, begins the story as a devoted single mother embarking on the final mission of her second tour in Iraq. Her only focus is to fulfill the duty of healing her fellow comrades as an Army medic and to safely return home to her son young Teó; however, she is forever changed when faced with an impossible situation. The Army will call her a war hero and bestow upon her a Silver Star, but Lina constantly carries shame. This begins the downhill decent into Lina questioning her identity as a decorated soldier, a daughter expected to reach great success, and a loving mother.

Returning to her family home in Puerto Rico with her son was supposed to help them transition away from the military lifestyle, yet Lina doesn’t feel like she belongs on the island she grew up on. Old family tensions and secrets surfacing magnify her reliance on alcohol. Lina is desperately trying to get out of the hole she is digging herself before it becomes apparent to her son. Readers will deeply understand Lina’s mental state throughher inner monologue composed of internal fights against a developing addiction and “rational” reasoning behind the excuses she may ultimately make.

Lina’s dark mental state greatly contrasts the beautiful setting of Puerto Rico. Traditions and cultural values are woven throughout the book and strengthen the realness of the story. There were some plotlines that were stronger than others, in my opinion, but the well-developed characters will still make you want to read them. Even if you are not a fan of historical fiction, the author develops a valuable perspective regarding the modern influences of war and how to deal with feeling lost. I cannot believe this is Jerez’s debut novel. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.