A Goodreads user
asked
Fridrik Erlings:
I just recently finished reading "Boy on the Edge", and I was wondering what happened to John and Mark. Do they drown at sea? I'd like to believe they made it (just like Henry does), but I doubt it. I love your books! Thank you :)
Fridrik Erlings
Hello Kaitlin, and thank you for your post!
John and Mark's escape from the Home of Lesser Brethren is in part based on a news article, that was one of my inspirations for this story. Two boys disappeared from a village, in the area where I placed the story. A thorough search went on for a long time but they were never found - until months later their bodies were discovered in a container, on board a container ship, somewhere in Southern Europe.
Although John and Mark's escape is based on this fact, we might however hope with Henry that they made it to their place in the sun. Perhaps they did, perhaps not. Henry likes to think that they did; that thought gives him hope, a hope that he too might make it to his 'place in the sun' so to speak. That hope gives him courage and strength to endure.
Thank you for your kind words about my books, Kaitlin.
All the best to you!
Fridrik
John and Mark's escape from the Home of Lesser Brethren is in part based on a news article, that was one of my inspirations for this story. Two boys disappeared from a village, in the area where I placed the story. A thorough search went on for a long time but they were never found - until months later their bodies were discovered in a container, on board a container ship, somewhere in Southern Europe.
Although John and Mark's escape is based on this fact, we might however hope with Henry that they made it to their place in the sun. Perhaps they did, perhaps not. Henry likes to think that they did; that thought gives him hope, a hope that he too might make it to his 'place in the sun' so to speak. That hope gives him courage and strength to endure.
Thank you for your kind words about my books, Kaitlin.
All the best to you!
Fridrik
More Answered Questions
Claudia Staude
asked
Fridrik Erlings:
I have just begun reading "Boy on the Edge" with my students. We are curious about why you stacked the deck for Henry with so many difficulties. He has about every mark against him we could imagine in terms of life obstacles. My students were wondering if there was a reason behind this choice. At one point did you just decide to "pile every woe you could think of" on him or was there more to it than that?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more