Close to the Edge is Jenny's story; it is told in the first-person so all events are filtered through her eyes. More importantly in a novel dealing primarily with the psychology of a central character, readers are privy to Jenny's thoughts beginning with the first sentence of the book: "I can't remember when I'd felt so empty and hopeless." The story develops as Jenny grows, changes, and, in the end, gains a new perspective on life. That journey is the story of Close to the Edge.

The book starts with her skiing "downhill" thinking of suicide, then the rest of the novel is the trip up the hill. We see her in a variety of situations, interacting with different kinds of people. We see her alienated at first from her family, but later grow closer to them. We see her grow from a selfish...