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.

"Gorgeous, lyrical, heartfelt, and true in all the ways that matter! This is an achingly beautiful book that is as much about life as it is about death."—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

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Praise for this book

"Gorgeous, lyrical, heartfelt, and true in all the ways that matter! This is an achingly beautiful book that is as much about life as it is about death. Haunting and healing and highly recommended!"—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

"An earnest, heartfelt read set in a moody, otherworldly Chicago steeped in loss and history."—Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows

“Dawson’s writing is both sharp and wistful, reminiscent of V.E. Schwab at her best. She balances the story’s focus on death with a celebration of the sensations that a living body can experience: among them hot pizza, crowded trains and music. . . . The result is a valuable addition to the recent canon of books on grief, and a lovely read in its own right.”—The Washington Post

“Greek myth, Jewish tradition, and slow-burning queer romance gracefully intertwine in this melancholy treasure. . . immersive, bittersweet, and wonderfully original.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“I love J.R. Dawson’s writing, and with The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World, her magic is on full display—creating a world that is hopeless, broken, even brutal, yet with so much depth and understanding that the story becomes a lighthouse of its own.”—Ryka Aoki, USA Today bestselling author of Light from Uncommon Stars

“In turns heartbreaking, haunting, and hopeful, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a powerful novel about the memories that can break a spirit and the love that can heal it again. It’s a moving reminder that after great loss, it’s still possible to find love, joy, and light when lost in grief’s darkness.”—Heather Webber, USA Today bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Café

"Gripping. . . a heartwrenching story that shines a beacon of hope."—Booklist

“The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a stunning story focused around grief, life, and death, and I couldn’t be more impressed with how these tough topics are handled. For a book about death, it’s so full of life and love! This book made me laugh, cry, and laugh some more. Absolutely one of my favorite reads this year!”—Rebecca Thorne, USA Today bestselling author of Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea

“The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World cuts to the deep, powerful meaning of the story of Orpheus: it’s about loss and letting go, the people we love—and the dogs that love us. J.R. Dawson laces kindness into every page, in a moving 'I see you' kind of way. You will cry, but also feel hopeful that there is joy in living and all the simple things that come along with it: pizza, pups, music, and yes, even a brutal winter in Chicago if it means you can have spring. Read this book!”—Yume Kitasei, author of Saltcrop and The Deep Sky

“Vivid and evocative . . . This is a novel that made me cry, more than once . . . It’s a gorgeous book, both ambitious and I think largely successful in its ambitions. I enjoyed it a great deal, and I recommend it without hesitation.”—Locus

"With beautiful writing, dual points of view, and a painfully real depiction of grief and enduring love, J. R. Dawson creates a stunning dreamlike world that is so much more than it seems. . . . The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is one of the most stunningly written and emotive books you’ll read this year.”—PinkNews

“In the deft hands of J.R. Dawson, death is merely a transition point. The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a poignant story of love and grief, memory and myth, and what it truly means to be alive.”—Rita Woods, award-winning author of The Edge of Yesterday

"A poignant novel about seeing the dead, and the business of getting them to where they need to go. But more, it's a novel for people who feel confused and lost, and who need to learn it isn't their fault. That it takes more than light to face all kinds of darkness."—John Wiswell, Nebula Award-winning author of Someone You Can Build A Nest In

"Moving and tense. . . A grim, authentic exploration of death for those who appreciate mythology-infused fantasy, such as Samantha Sotto Yambao’s Water Moon or Joanne M. Harris’s Orfeia."—Library Journal




About the AuthorJ.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.
Title: The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World
Author(s): J.R. Dawson
ISBN: 9781250805607
Copyright 2025
Release Date: July 29, 2025
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Countries: United States, Canada | Learn more about available countries
Language: English
Format: ePub,mobi | Learn More about our supported formats
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