“This is a novel which needed to be written and needs to be read.” – Reading Time
Boys cannot be left behind in the conversation about consent. In The Edge of Limits, award-winning author Susanne Gervay OAM tackles one of the most urgent topics of our time—sexual consent—through the raw, unfiltered perspective of 17-year-old Sam.
On a grueling eight-day survival camp, Sam is tested—physically, emotionally, and morally. Wrestling with grief over his grandfather’s death and the weight of a sexual assault he witnessed at a rave party, Sam must decide: does he stay silent, or does he speak? As he faces the brutal reality of the wilderness—trekking, abseiling, and climbing—he also faces an even greater challenge: confronting what he knows is right.
Honest, challenging, and deeply moving, The Edge of Limits doesn’t just tell a story—it ignites conversation. This is a novel that will challenge boys to understand their choices and empower girls with invaluable insight.
The Edge of Limits – A Powerful Exploration of Consent, Masculinity, and Moral Courage
Sex, power, and consent—three words Sam never expected to confront so directly. But after witnessing a sexual assault at a rave party, one question lingers: should he speak out or stay silent?
As 17-year-old Sam embarks on an eight-day school survival camp—trekking through the wilderness, battling exhaustion, fear, and the relentless challenges of nature—he’s also fighting an internal battle. The unspoken rules of masculinity, the pressures of friendship, and his grief over his grandfather’s death all weigh on him. But the deeper he journeys into the mountains, the clearer it becomes—some challenges can’t be outrun.
With The Edge of Limits, Susanne Gervay ignites a crucial conversation about consent, courage, and the moral dilemmas young men face. Written with input from her son for authenticity, this novel isn’t just for boys—it’s for girls, parents, educators, and anyone grappling with the complexities of gender, power, and responsibility in today’s world.
Why Read This Book?
Courage isn’t just about facing the wilderness—it’s about facing yourself. The Edge of Limits is a compelling, must-read novel for a generation learning to navigate the boundaries of power, consent, and integrity.
Susanne Gervay is an award-winning Australian author, celebrated for her books that tackle real-life challenges with honesty, depth, and courage. As a passionate advocate for children’s literature and social issues, she has worked extensively in anti-bullying initiatives, literacy programs, and youth empowerment.
Her I Am Jack series has been embraced by schools, families, and readers worldwide, addressing bullying, family, resilience, and growing up. The series has not only become an essential resource for anti-bullying education but has also been adapted into a successful stage production, touring Australia and beyond.
In The Edge of Limits, Susanne explores masculinity, consent, and the pressures young men face through the gripping story of a 17-year-old boy navigating a life-changing survival camp. With raw honesty and emotional depth, the novel challenges stereotypes, sparking critical conversations about courage, responsibility, and respect.
Through her writing, Susanne continues to inspire young people to stand up for themselves, challenge social norms, and navigate life’s toughest questions with strength and integrity.
Award-winning author Susanne Gervay writes about consent and courage. Boys cannot be left behind.
Award-winning Young Adult author, educational consultant, S.J. Gervay OAM’s novel The Edge of Limits is to be published by Flying Elephant Media November 1st.
“This is a novel which needed to be written and needs to be read.” – Reading Time
“An authentic trip into an adolescent male mind … refreshingly honest and beautifully written.” – Sydney Morning Herald
Tackling one of the most talked about topics today – consent – award-winning Young Adult author and OAM recipient for her services in children’s literature, Susanne Gervay pens her latest novel The Edge of Limits, out through Flying Elephant Media on November 1.
Gervay unlocks critical choices on consent and courage. Exploding the conventions on how to teach consent, The Edge of Limits honestly and sensitively portrays the complexities of boys as they confront sexuality, power, and consent, allowing boys to be challenged and girls to gain invaluable insight.
The Edge of Limits is a journey of a school camp hiking deep into the mountains. It is the passage from the culture of beach parties, school, sex, and consent to the wilds of trekking, abseiling, rock climbing, sweaty days, and freezing wilderness. Protagonist 17-year-old Sam battles not only his grief over losing his grandfather, but whether he should speak out about a sexual assault he witnessed at a Rave party. As he battles the terrain as well as the physical and emotional challenges of school survival camp with classmates over eight gruelling days, he is forced to choose whether he must confront the rape and decide if he remains silent or to speak.
Pursuing authenticity, Gervay persuaded her son to help her write The Edge of Limits which allowed her to go straight into the heart of the topic of consent.
“Boys feel so much, yet they rarely talk about the turbulence of their emotions. Especially country boys, many of whom face mental health issues and suicide. It’s not good enough. It can never be good enough. That’s one major reason why I wrote The Edge of Limits,” says Gervay.
Meanwhile, we continue to be shocked by the school culture of ‘boys’ clubs’. While government campaigns now advocate ‘respect’, endless academic papers on gender equity proliferate, schools carry out consent programs and we have almost 7,000 testimonies of abuse by mostly teenage girls in the ‘Teach us Consent’ forum, we need to do more, and The Edge of Limits is the voice that will spark an important conversation to make change”.
“Boys need to read The Edge of Limits to understand their critical choices and girls need to read it so they understand the drivers for male action. I hope it allows them to engage in the story and think critically.” Says Gervay.
The Edge of Limits is out on November 1 through Flying Elephant media available at all good booksellers.
For review copies and interviews, please contact:
Anna Abignano
Director, All About PR
Tel: 0411 481 477
Email: anna@allaboutpr.com.au
“Confronting in many ways, this novel will certainly find an audience to which it can speak.”
“An epic story, beautifully written with clear spare prose and the ability to go right to the heart of young males in modern society.”
