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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
smuttymcbookface's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
My biggest gripe with this book was around the 60% mark, when things finally started to happen. I found the events just a little too ridiculous, even for a fantasy, and then the swapping POVs when city-wide annihilations were happening just didn't feel right. I found myself counting down for certain chapters to end so I could move on, or rolling my eyes at some of the explanations given for why things were happening.
Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Death, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
hedwig2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Police brutality, and Sexual content
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
tortitaz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Homophobia, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Outing
Minor: Incest
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
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
moonlina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Tenía muchas ganas de leer este libro, porque me encanta la manera de escribir de Patrick Ness en A moster calls, es es único libro que he leido del autor, así que en terminos de escritura este libro me dejo mucho que desear, se brinca de escena en escena demasiado, las primera vez si tenía una razón de ser y se sentían como punch-lines o cambio de escena si este libro fuera una pelicula, creo que hubiera sido mejor si esos cambios de escena en la que
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Murder, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Pedophilia
wizardingwisteria'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? It's complicated
5.0
I was enthralled from start to finish. The setting was perfectly described. All of the characters were dynamic with their own motivations and their own faults, and loves, and needs. The character arcs were literally world altering. The way Ness uses the perspectives is really the highlight of this novel. At the start the reader is flipping between two totally different perspectives written with two entirely different voices, but as the story progresses they melt into one narrative that feels so natural. I loved seeing the characters I had followed separately come together in both positive and negative ways.
And some of those characters were beautiful disasters. At some point each of them experiences a massive shift in their worldview and it is both devastating and gorgeous to witness.
His writing style is so gorgeous and so purposeful that every emotional hit landed hard. The plot twists kept me excited (and terrified) for what happened next. None of the major narrative decisions felt out of place or disjointed.
I started and finished this book in a matter of days, which is pretty rare for me. I simply couldn't put it down. Even when I had finished it I couldn't stop thinking about it. I loved the ending, but I wanted so much more.
A truly fantastic fantasy. This book has made me excited to explore all of the other amazing works by Ness I have missed out on.
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Mental illness, War, Xenophobia, and Racism