The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World [Dawson, J. R.]

Author: J. R. Dawson

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a powerful and poignant contemporary Queer fantasy perfect for fans of Hadestown and Under the Whispering Door

At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, there is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly-departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives, before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.

Nera has spent decades watching her father--the ferryman of the dead--sail across the lake, each night just like the last.

But tonight, something is wrong.

The Station's lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person--a living person--has found her way onto the boat.

Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost.

Publisher: Macmillan Publishers (MPS)
Published: 07/29/2025
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781250805584

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 03/01/2025 pg. 8

About the Author
J.R. Dawson (she/they) is the Golden Crown award-winning author of The First Bright Thing. Her shorter works can be found in places such as F&SF, Lightspeed, and Rich Horton's Year's Best. Dawson currently lives in Minnesota with her loving wife. She teaches at Drexel University's MFA program for Creative Writing, and fills her free time with keeping her three chaotic dogs out of trouble.