Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen seeks missing boyfriend in existential coming-of-ager.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE, Ozzie and Tommy have been best friends since grade school and boyfriends since middle school. Now, in their senior year, Tommy has disappeared without a trace. Ozzie will do anything or go anywhere to find Tommy. But he's also the only person in the world who remembers that Tommy existed. Not Ozzie's family, not any of their school friends, not even Tommy's family have the foggiest idea who it is Ozzie's looking for. Oh, and the universe is shrinking. Can Ozzie find Tommy before he and the universe disappear into the void?
Is It Any Good?
Author Shaun David Hutchinson offers another angsty but compelling teen hero in Ozzie Pinkerton. At the Edge of the Universe combines Ozzie's efforts to face life's biggest changes with the fantasy element of a shrinking universe. The characters are compelling and well developed, and it's refreshing that their sexual orientation, gender identity, or even race aren't what defines them or even the most interesting things about them.
Although hefty at just under 500 pages, the story is well structured, and the frequent but small revelations and hints keep the pages turning. Teens who're thinking about how they'll face the challenges of entering adulthood and leaving childhood behind will easily relate to Ozzie and have a lot to think about comparing their own challenges and attitudes as they face the unknown.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strong language in At the Edge of the Universe. Does it seem realistic? Is it necessary? Why, or why not?
How does the author keep sexual orientation, gender identity, and even race from defining the characters? Would the story or the characters be any different if Ozzie were looking for a lost girlfriend? Why, or why not?
How well do you think the fantasy element mixes with the realistic setting?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon Pulse
- Publication date : February 7, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 496
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate