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queenneehola's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Police brutality, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
3.5
“Sometimes you just have to feel bad about a thing. Sometimes that's the only thing that makes you human.”
It's true that I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I wasn't exactly mad when my TBR jar thought it was time I finally picked up Burn. It's been a couple of years since my last Patrick Ness book, and there is just something about his writing that always has me intrigued. Add the fact that I needed a book with dragons for the POPSUGAR challenge and the fact that the blurb sounded SO good, and I've actually been looking forward to this TBR jar pick. I can't deny that I somehow ended up having mixed thoughts though... It's not a bad read, but not my favorite among his books either. I think part of my issue is that there isn't enough worldbuilding for a book about dragons. In this case, Burn would have definitely benefitted from more instead of less pages; even just 50 pages of proper worldbuilding would have made such a difference in this story. The whole racism/homophobia/bigotry was also a bit too in-your-face, and I wasn't a fan of how it was incorporated into the plot. I understand that this story is set back in 1957 and things were different back then, but I don't think it adds any substantial to the story other than making you hate certain characters even more. I would have loved more focus on other elements instead... Like for example the dragons, the cult, the prophecy and the assassin. There is plently of action to be found along the way, and especially the second part is brutal. Definitely make sure to be ready for some extreme violence! As I've already become used to with Patrick Ness' books, Burn is another quirky and almost whimsical read, although the story is pretty brutal with heavy-hitting topics and violence at the same time. Not for everyone and it could have done with more development, but I'm personally still glad I finally read it.
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Infidelity, Animal death, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Genocide, Murder, Violence, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Cursing, and Sexual assault
winterwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Racism, Physical abuse, and Violence
msreedy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexual assault
cj13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, Racism, Violence, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content and Grief
hazeyjane_2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I detest prophecies. They are used so lazily in most books, either as a cudgel to take the plot where the author wants, or "subverted" in a twist so that the wrong sibling is suddenly the reigning monarch. Suffice it to say this one pleasantly surprised me.
This is "YA" fantasy for adults, too. I have read so much "adult" fantasy that talks down to its readers, infodumps for the first four chapters and generally reads like a decades-long role playing game spewed onto paper. Ness knows exactly what he's doing and where he's going and he takes us there expertly.
Moderate: Violence
anni_swanilda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Genocide, Homophobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Child death, Racism, Sexual harassment, Animal death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual assault, Cancer, and Cannibalism
thecharnelraven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Violence
aseel_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Homophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Animal death, Death, and Police brutality
kassidyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death of parent and Gun violence
Minor: Cancer