Crispin: At the Edge of the World

The second book in the Crispin trilogy, Avi’s young adult adventure novel Crispin: At the Edge of the World (2006) follows a young orphan and his caregiver as they travel to the edge of their known world seeking a new life for themselves. It won the Child Magazine Best Book of the Year in 2006. Avi is the pen name of Edward Irving Wortis. The author of numerous book series, he is best known for writing juvenile books that appeal to readers across the generations. He only ever writes under the name Avi.

Crispin: At the Edge of the World takes place in a fictional England in the year 1377. An orphan, 13-year-old Crispin only recently found out his real name. His best friend, Orson Hrothgar, better known as Bear, is a jester who found Crispin one day and vowed to look after him. They’re more like brothers than companions.

The book begins where the first book, The Cross of Lead, left off. Bear and Crispin have escaped their captors, English soldiers, and now they’re on the run. They don’t get far before they land themselves in trouble again. Bear once lived with a motley crew known as John Ball’s Brotherhood. Together, they fought in the Peasants’ Revolt. However, these men are after Bear because they’re convinced that he betrayed them in The Cross of Lead. Catching up with the pair, they attack them one night.



During the struggle, Bear moves to protect Crispin and is shot with an arrow. He is seriously wounded and, for the first time, it’s up to Crispin to look after Bear. Knowing that Bear won’t survive without medical help, he needs a plan. First, Crispin finds a safe place to hide Bear. Once he hides Bear, he goes looking for a healer.

Deciding that he can’t let Crispin go alone, Bear catches up with him. Together, they find Aude, a talented medicine woman who lives with an apprentice girl, Troth. Crispin won’t admit it to Bear, but he doesn’t trust Aude or Troth. Coming from a strict Christian family, he doesn’t trust anyone who isn’t Christian. He thinks medicine women are witches, but right now, there’s no one else around to help Bear.

Everything falls apart when men from John Ball’s Brotherhood catch up with them again. They ambush Aude’s cottage, and she dies in the struggle. Now, Bear feels responsible for both children. He tells Troth that she is coming with them. Crispin wonders where they will go; Bear decides they will make for Flanders in Belgium. He is convinced that they will be safe there, at least for a little while.



Bear encourages Crispin to befriend Troth. He thinks she’s a nice girl and it’s about time Crispin had a friend his own age. Crispin, however, still doesn’t trust Troth. He believes she is touched by Satan because she has a cleft lip. Bear tells him that he is being ridiculous, and besides, if Bear dies, Crispin needs a new companion.

Along the way, Bear teaches Crispin the values of tolerance and empathy. He encourages Crispin to broaden his worldview because there is more to the world than Christianity. Crispin realizes that being a good person means loving everyone, no matter what their beliefs. He treats Troth with more respect, recognizing that she is a good person after all.

Bear finds them a place on a ship bound for Flanders. For the first time, Crispin feels safe. However, a violent storm sends the ship off course and they land in France. France is the worst place for them to be because there is a good chance they will be captured by English soldiers. Despite their best efforts to evade capture, English soldiers find them and hold them hostage.



The soldiers take the trio to a French village church. They tell Troth and Crispin that, unless they break into the church and loot it, they will kill Bear. This is punishment for Bear’s role in the Peasants’ Revolt. Crispin breaks into the church but he doesn’t plan to help the English soldiers. He instigates a fight and the soldiers attack Bear. Bear isn’t ready to fight the soldiers off, and so Crispin defends him. He kills an English soldier and the others run away.

Crispin and Troth help Bear escape the church, but it is too late for him. This time, he is mortally wounded. Crispin says goodbye to Bear and thanks him for everything. Now, it is time for Crispin to be a man and take control of his own destiny. Crispin knows that they can’t stay in France because there are too many English soldiers milling around. They decide to head for Iceland because Iceland reminds Crispin of Bear. They find a safe route out of the French village and make for a new world. Their story continues in book three.