I'm disappointed that I didn't love this book, but I did really enjoy what it was trying to do, and I absolutely would recommend it to others who love unusual narratives and gritty perspectives. As someone whose family comes from a similar town to Port Talbot - Redcar in North Yorkshire - I could appreciate the overarching themes and messages, but felt the book was maybe trying to do too much, and very little, all at once.

'Vanishing Edge' is what I would class as a new adult book, maybe not YA, simply because the characters and their experiences felt slightly beyond that bracket. Set in Port Talbot, a town categorised by its cyclical poverty and imposing steelworks, the book weaves decadent prose with interesting structure and two very opposing narratives, testing normal boundaries in fiction and creating something quite beautiful in the meantime.

I really enjoyed the dual perspective, and how Charlie and Apricot's characters differed so greatly. I think it was an interesting insight into the different types of people, and futures, a town like Port Talbot can produce. I found Apricot's narrative hard to follow, but I think that was the point. Her thoughts were hazy and not always entirely accurate, which made Charlie feel a lot more relatable and realistic, to me at least.

But... it also felt like a creative writing exercise. The plot was sort of slippery, kept disappearing from sight, characters brought in and out like they weren't part of any arc at all. The aim of the book, the silvery thread taking us from page one to the end, was entirely unclear to me.

I think every authorial decision made my Zillah Bethell could be explained - Apricot's journal, with its lack of grammar, and sort of hallucinatory state; the lack of a plot, giving the book a slice of life sort of feel; the way we were often led to believe things were true that maybe weren't - but for me, this made for very unpleasant reading. It was a drag to finish, despite the fact I appreciated the author's attempt, which is why I couldn't give this more than three stars.

That being said, I do think there's a place for books like this within the YA and NA space, and I do hope more writers from underrepresented communities get opportunities like this in the future.

Vanishing Edge is an engaging and thought-provoking read that blends adventure, mystery, and a touch of the surreal. Bethell’s vivid and lyrical prose pulls you into the story, making the remote landscapes and eerie atmosphere feel almost tangible.

The plot follows a gripping journey where danger and discovery intertwine, keeping the tension alive throughout. Bethell does a fantastic job of balancing action with introspection, allowing the characters to develop in meaningful ways. I especially appreciated how the story delved into themes of survival, resilience, and the complexities of human relationships. At times it felt a little too close to home and brought up feelings I had previously experienced as a teenager which was a bit triggering but still didn't take away from the book. I also absolutely adore the name Apricot!

While the pacing slowed a little in the middle, the emotional depth and strong character arcs kept me invested. The ending tied things together for me and I didn't feel empty afterwards. This is a beautifully crafted novel with rich descriptions and an absorbing narrative. It’s a great choice for readers who enjoy atmospheric adventures, however I would be a little cautious about recommending this book to a younger audience due to the heavy narrative of self harming, suicide and drugs.

One of the author's previous books, The Song Walker, is one of my all-time favourites so I was very excited to read Vanishing Edge. However, this one wasn't for me. It's indeniably masterfully written, offering a starkly authentic while tender view of life in one of the estates of Port Talbot, under the shadow of the steeworks. The voices of the character ring true and raw but I struggled to relate to them - I couldn't connect with their individuality. Now I must confess I didn't read the whole book. Unfortunately, the appearance in Charlie's past of the short life of her stillborn sister (a subject that affects me in a very personnal way) came as a shock such that I decided to stop reading. I really think baby loss should have been added to the trigger warnings.
I'm still giving 4 stars to the book as I think it's beautifully written. I hope the publishers will add the trigger warning.

'Vanishing Edge' is a darkly comic coming-of-age story about a love-hate friendship between two teenage girls, Charlie and Apricot. Alternating between their perspectives, we follow the strange events leading up to Apricot's mysterious disappearance, with Charlie often existing in Apricot's shadow and clearing up after her. Zillah Bethell captures the dynamics of this love-hate relationship effectively, particularly Charlie's mix of loyalty and resentment.
There is also a strong sense of place in Bethell's descriptions of the working-class Sandfields Estate in Port Talbot, a close-knit community where everyone knows each other's business. Port Talbot's steelworks are at the heart of the novel's structure, with different sections named after parts of the steel making process.
The novel deals with some very heavy themes, including self-harm, suicide and drugs, and there is a lot of menace in some of the characters who appear in the novel (particularly the Baglan Giant.) The stream-of-consciousness writing style also makes this a more challenging read, so it is most likely to be suitable for confident and mature readers aged 14 and above.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

Having enjoyed Zillah Bethell’s MG books, I was really pleased to be able to read her first YA offering.
It is a dark, humorous, edgy story of Charlie and Apricot, growing up in Port Talbot. Told from the PoV if Charlie as narrator and through entries in Apricot’s diary. I loved the link between the shipping forecast descriptions and how Apricot’s day went. Scratch the surface and nothing is as it seems.
Hard hitting and a lot of reading between the lines, I enjoyed this book and look forward to more YA from the author.

Zillah Bethell’s Vanishing Edge is a darkly comic and deeply poignant coming-of-age story that captures the raw, messy, and often surreal experience of being seventeen. Set against the gritty backdrop of Port Talbot, with its looming steelworks and the ever-present sea, this novel weaves together themes of escape, identity, and the struggle to find meaning in a world that feels both fragile and unyielding.

The story follows Apricot Jones, a sharp-witted and resilient teenager, who wakes up one morning to find her life upended. Graffiti on her front door and the arrival of a mysterious man in a black Jaguar—known as the Baglan Giant—set off a chain of events that force Apricot and her best friend Charlie to uncover the secrets her mother, Carys, has been hiding. As they navigate the challenges of their working-class community on the Sandfields estate, they also grapple with their own sense of loss and the desire for new beginnings.

Bethell’s writing is both lyrical and grounded, blending fantastical elements with the stark realities of life in a town shaped by industry and environmental uncertainty. The steelworks, a constant presence in the story, serve as a powerful metaphor for the characters’ struggles—enduring yet threatened, a source of both identity and confinement. The novel’s dark humour and surreal moments provide a striking contrast to its deeper themes of climate change, economic hardship, and the universal ache of growing up.

Apricot is a compelling protagonist, her voice equal parts vulnerable and defiant. Her journey of self-discovery, alongside Charlie’s, is both heart-warming and heart-breaking, as they confront the parts of themselves that feel lost and reach for the possibility of something more. The dynamic between the two friends is authentic and touching, capturing the intensity of teenage friendships and the ways they shape us.

Vanishing Edge is a story that lingers, its vivid imagery and emotional depth leaving a lasting impression. Bethell has crafted a tale that is as much about the resilience of the human spirit as it is about the specific struggles of life in Port Talbot. It’s a book that speaks to anyone who has ever felt caught between the weight of the past and the pull of the future.

A brilliant YA debut, Vanishing Edge may well resonate deeply with readers who enjoyed The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness or The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

I absolutely love her other books, especially the Shark Caller, which I couldn't put down, but I just didn't feel this one. 😕

I was left speechless by this book- not something that usually happens! It's quite a departure from Bethall's usual style and subject but I'm very excited about this new direction. The prose style is a kind of stream of consciousness of sorts and has a dual narrative throughout. It's an ugly book in many ways, full of difficult situations, difficult emotions and an unpredicatable plot, but I loved it. It seemed to capture a particular kind of brutal beauty that exists in teenage relationships and viewpoints which I don't think I've ever seen depicted before in this kind of way.

Let's make one thing clear first: I love, absolutely, totally, utterly love this book. I love it for how gritty and bleak it reads at times, but I am also struggling to recommend it to my students (even the older ones) for exactly the same reason. Every line in the story sounds real, painfully real, but I am not sure how the parents of my students will take this. There are bits that some parents might see as putting ideas into young heads who are already a bit stressed out. There are bits where the language is a bit too real for some EAL students.

But I absolutely, totally, utterly love it because the characters think, act and talk like real teenagers. Nothing is sugar-coated in this book. It is written with a kind of poetic feel that I struggle to describe. Maybe a grunge poetic form? (Is there such a form or have I just created a phrase here?)

It is a wonder how this book leaves me with such contrasting feelings, a bit like the emotions experienced by the characters. I really could not possibly praise this book enough but I am also struggling to recommend it to my students.

I am going to buy the children's books from the same author as I am so moved by this book. Actually not just moved, but shaken seismically.