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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
I read this for the first time when I was in high school and I didn't enjoy it very much. After deciding to spend my summer re-reading all of Ellen Hopkins' books, I discovered that I actually love this book. It is so much more well-written than I remembered it being.
I love reading Ellen Hopkins work, but for some reason this storyline wasn’t grabbing me like her others have. The story didn’t get GOOD until the last 20% of the book.
Still gonna read the sequel though, because now, I just have to know what happens to Pattyn next!
Still gonna read the sequel though, because now, I just have to know what happens to Pattyn next!
I really love Hopkin's writing style, and wish more authors wrote novels in this format. I was surprised by how much I liked Pattyn; even when she's naive or stubborn, she's a character with good intentions and a lot of love for the people around her.
The last 10 pages of this used to actually make me hate this book entirely, but I'm more forgiving now that there's a sequel to continue the story. The ending is extremely abrupt if just read on its own though.
The last 10 pages of this used to actually make me hate this book entirely, but I'm more forgiving now that there's a sequel to continue the story. The ending is extremely abrupt if just read on its own though.
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ellen Hopkins is definitely one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with this novel. I love how she writes in free verse, it makes the stories just that much stronger, I wish more authors would write in free verse. About the book, I really loved it because it took you through the deep emotional and religious changes that a girl goes through. She experiences the beautiful and the ugly side of love and that is really special. This novel tells a very powerful story.
Wow, just wow. I didn't know what to expect when I started this book as I hadn't looked at many reviews. I'm glad that I went into it this way because I had no expectations. I loved this book. I fell into the story easily and had a hard time putting it down.* The writing was beautiful and the fact that it was in verse added a lyrical, poetic touch. This was my first Ellen Hopkins book and the first book I've read written in verse. I'm very excited to dive into more Ellen Hopkins' work!
*I'm not sure how accurate this book is at portraying the Mormon faith as I do not know much about the religion
*I'm not sure how accurate this book is at portraying the Mormon faith as I do not know much about the religion
Pros
-I am not usually a fan of poetry, but I’ve never been able to get enough of Ellen Hopkins’s books, and this one is no different. While her stories are written in verse, they still have the descriptive substance that is usually found in novels. The verses even add another level to the story, the text on the page taking shape of something related to the subject matter.
-The main character, Pattyn Von Stratten, is a young mormon girl, living in a toxic environment. She tells us about her beliefs, and the beliefs of her church. Right at the beginning of the book she begins questioning herself and the things she was raised to accept as fact. I always enjoy reading about sheltered youths discovering the truth about their world, and learning the things that the rest of us had already known. Pattyn lived in a bubble of ignorance, mostly projected by her mormon upbringing. Once that bubble was shattered, she was able to start rebuilding herself into something she could love and be proud of. I was really rooting for her to go somewhere with her life.
-I learned much about the Mormon community and what they believe in. It was completely unreal to think that people like that actually exist in our world still. They were all so blind to the way the world works, and so brainwashed not to question anything that might have disagreed with their holy roles as Mormons. Burned gives an honest look into the world these people live in, and the many faults in their system of beliefs.
More on my book blog: Burned on Bailiwick.
-I am not usually a fan of poetry, but I’ve never been able to get enough of Ellen Hopkins’s books, and this one is no different. While her stories are written in verse, they still have the descriptive substance that is usually found in novels. The verses even add another level to the story, the text on the page taking shape of something related to the subject matter.
-The main character, Pattyn Von Stratten, is a young mormon girl, living in a toxic environment. She tells us about her beliefs, and the beliefs of her church. Right at the beginning of the book she begins questioning herself and the things she was raised to accept as fact. I always enjoy reading about sheltered youths discovering the truth about their world, and learning the things that the rest of us had already known. Pattyn lived in a bubble of ignorance, mostly projected by her mormon upbringing. Once that bubble was shattered, she was able to start rebuilding herself into something she could love and be proud of. I was really rooting for her to go somewhere with her life.
-I learned much about the Mormon community and what they believe in. It was completely unreal to think that people like that actually exist in our world still. They were all so blind to the way the world works, and so brainwashed not to question anything that might have disagreed with their holy roles as Mormons. Burned gives an honest look into the world these people live in, and the many faults in their system of beliefs.
More on my book blog: Burned on Bailiwick.
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Turns an eye-opening spotlight on an unpleasant aspect of the Mormon faith and one girl's heart-breaking experience with an abusive father. Had I not known from personal experience in the LDS faith that this extreme is possible, I would have written it off as an author's embellishment. Sadly it can be true just as it can be true of anyone else - faithful to a religion or not. So don't get locked up on the fact that religion and adherence to strict Mormon principles of husband/wife roles do exist, instead look from Pattyn's perspective as she sees the hypocrisy of her parent's relationship and faith and doesn't want that for herself. That is the story and it's worth reading.
girl what
i speed read this for a book club and it went from bad to nice to so much worse so quickly that i don’t even know what to think. it was very easy/quick to read, not a good or bad thing just something i observed with the style it’s written in. honestly just a lot of bad things happening, not really for me i don’t think
i speed read this for a book club and it went from bad to nice to so much worse so quickly that i don’t even know what to think. it was very easy/quick to read, not a good or bad thing just something i observed with the style it’s written in. honestly just a lot of bad things happening, not really for me i don’t think