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a_novel_craving's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Car accident, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Stalking, Body shaming, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
minowski's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lurker_stalker's review
3.0
I've come to expect a good, creepy story from Jennifer McMahon. Burntown was good, but not creepy at all. As soon as I found out what "the machine" did, I really thought the book was going in one direction but it went someplace completely different. This is much more of a standard mystery than anything paranormal. The mystery, I thought, was very easy to figure out and I just waited to see how the reveal would work out.
I think if you're already a fan of the author's work, you'll enjoy it enough to pick up but if you're brand new to McMahon, I'd start with The Night Sister.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this one.
I think if you're already a fan of the author's work, you'll enjoy it enough to pick up but if you're brand new to McMahon, I'd start with The Night Sister.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this one.
pam2375's review
4.0
This book gets your attention the moment that you read the first sentence and holds you there until the end.
It is a thriller, mystery, suspense and love story all rolled into one. You will not be disappointed with this book.
It is a thriller, mystery, suspense and love story all rolled into one. You will not be disappointed with this book.
sandygx260's review
5.0
What an amazing novel. Too many levels of beautiful surreal made me cry for no good reason. The novel starts with a murder, surges into a flood and memory loss, then spreads into another murder, drugs, homeless heroes, and a quest lead by a trio of disparate characters who come together to right a wrong.
I jumped into McMahon's novels in the middle and worked backwards. Her earlier novels are good, but not amazing. With Burntown, she throws bright glitter in the air using wild mad abandon. Her attention to detail is marvelous. While reading, you almost want to make notes—will this object come into play later in the story? Usually the answer is yes.
McMahon's words paint such vivid pictures. I don't understand why her novels haven't made it to film, although for me, I already see everything via her words.
Plenty of pain and sadness infect this novel, but the ending, damn, the ending is incandescent.
This novel is a marvel of dreams, redemption, and perhaps a little whiff of the supernatural. Above all, it is about love.
I'll cease drooling over it now.
I jumped into McMahon's novels in the middle and worked backwards. Her earlier novels are good, but not amazing. With Burntown, she throws bright glitter in the air using wild mad abandon. Her attention to detail is marvelous. While reading, you almost want to make notes—will this object come into play later in the story? Usually the answer is yes.
McMahon's words paint such vivid pictures. I don't understand why her novels haven't made it to film, although for me, I already see everything via her words.
Plenty of pain and sadness infect this novel, but the ending, damn, the ending is incandescent.
This novel is a marvel of dreams, redemption, and perhaps a little whiff of the supernatural. Above all, it is about love.
I'll cease drooling over it now.
qu33nofbookz's review
2.0
This story is a mess that doesn't know what it want's to be. Is it a mystery, a thriller, a mystical realism fable, supernatural story? Not a single person can relate to any of these characters...well except for the teenage lesbian drug dealer...maybe. Almost all the other characters are mentally ill or into drugs. All the characters stories are interlocking like a big game of six degrees of separation so the POV jumps often. I felt like banging my head against the wall reading this. The idea for this book was good and it started off solid but after the first few pages it all starts rolling down hill and it never gets better until the very last few pages when they straighten the mystery out, which the reader figures out before you are even halfway through. With some editing this book could be great, as it is you have to pick through it and that isn't very enjoyable. Also the crazyness of it makes you think in the end it's all going to be a dream or hallucination that someone wakes up from.
It starts with Eva's (named Necco most of the book) grandmother being murdered by a man in a chicken mask in front of Miles her son. Her husband, Miles's father is blamed and kills himself. Miles grows up to marry his childhood sweetheart Lilly who was raised by her older brother. Lilly and Miles have two kids, Errol and Eva. Miles has plans for a machine that can supposedly let you communicate with the dead stolen from Thomas Edison. Miles finds out who killed his mother from the machine and kills that person. Soon after there is a flood and Miles and Errol die and Lilly and Eva become homeless. Eva changes her name to Necco and her mother becomes a drug addict before killing herself. (All this happens within the first few chapters and then the story changes and becomes really messed up).
Necco lives in a car with her boyfriend Hermes (Matthew really) and is called the fire girl by a bunch of high schoolers whom she does tricks for in exchange for candy and stuff. She is also newly pregnant. Theo the lesbian drug dealer accidentally leaves her bag at Necco's car with lots of cash she needs to give to her supplier. She finds out that the girl she thought she loved set her up and she needs that money back now. But when she goes to get her bag the cops are at the car. Necco's boyfriend is dead and Necco is the suspect, also Hermes (Matthew) is really the governor's son so it's an important case. Theo chases Necco down and they get involved with a morbidly obese lunch lady Pru (who lives in la la land most of the time and aspires to be 500 pounds so she can be a circus fat lady) that Theo has been supplying speed to. Necco needs to get into a locker her boyfriend had some secrets in and Theo and Pru will help her so they can get the cash and drugs that were in Theo's bag that Necco hid. Looking for Necco is also Errol who is not dead and Pru's love interest who's brother is a PI. Errol and Necco meet and plan to meet again to talk. Necco takes Theo and Pru to the fire eaters, a group of homeless drug-addicted women who took in Lilly and Necco years ago. They help Necco remember the night her life fell apart so she'll be more prepared when she meets Errol. But Errol has been lying and it's all a trap. the real bad guy shows up and the big showdown happens with all secrets being revealed. Pur and her love show up to help save the day. Cut to a year later and a short scene with Pur, the lover, and the fire eaters running a small time circus sideshow under the bridge the fire eaters live under and Necco happy with her baby girl. The End.
It starts with Eva's (named Necco most of the book) grandmother being murdered by a man in a chicken mask in front of Miles her son. Her husband, Miles's father is blamed and kills himself. Miles grows up to marry his childhood sweetheart Lilly who was raised by her older brother. Lilly and Miles have two kids, Errol and Eva. Miles has plans for a machine that can supposedly let you communicate with the dead stolen from Thomas Edison. Miles finds out who killed his mother from the machine and kills that person. Soon after there is a flood and Miles and Errol die and Lilly and Eva become homeless. Eva changes her name to Necco and her mother becomes a drug addict before killing herself. (All this happens within the first few chapters and then the story changes and becomes really messed up).
Necco lives in a car with her boyfriend Hermes (Matthew really) and is called the fire girl by a bunch of high schoolers whom she does tricks for in exchange for candy and stuff. She is also newly pregnant. Theo the lesbian drug dealer accidentally leaves her bag at Necco's car with lots of cash she needs to give to her supplier. She finds out that the girl she thought she loved set her up and she needs that money back now. But when she goes to get her bag the cops are at the car. Necco's boyfriend is dead and Necco is the suspect, also Hermes (Matthew) is really the governor's son so it's an important case. Theo chases Necco down and they get involved with a morbidly obese lunch lady Pru (who lives in la la land most of the time and aspires to be 500 pounds so she can be a circus fat lady) that Theo has been supplying speed to. Necco needs to get into a locker her boyfriend had some secrets in and Theo and Pru will help her so they can get the cash and drugs that were in Theo's bag that Necco hid. Looking for Necco is also Errol who is not dead and Pru's love interest who's brother is a PI. Errol and Necco meet and plan to meet again to talk. Necco takes Theo and Pru to the fire eaters, a group of homeless drug-addicted women who took in Lilly and Necco years ago. They help Necco remember the night her life fell apart so she'll be more prepared when she meets Errol. But Errol has been lying and it's all a trap. the real bad guy shows up and the big showdown happens with all secrets being revealed. Pur and her love show up to help save the day. Cut to a year later and a short scene with Pur, the lover, and the fire eaters running a small time circus sideshow under the bridge the fire eaters live under and Necco happy with her baby girl. The End.
amandae129's review
5.0
There is a little bit of something for everyone in this book. It took a little while to get into, but then i couldn't put it down.
mischievous_monkey's review against another edition
1.0
In spite of the interesting premise, this audiobook became a DNF at 56%. This book was just WAY too dark for me. Every good thing a character had in their lives was dashed to pieces and after 4 hr. and 45 min. of taking it like a champ, I was done. I don’t mind characters going through trials and tribulations. Dark times can make a story interesting and relatable. But when there is no glimmer of hope or happiness to be had I find I just cannot invest the time and heartache.
The one thing I consistently enjoyed during this listen was Abby Craden’s narration. She did fine work on this book.
The one thing I consistently enjoyed during this listen was Abby Craden’s narration. She did fine work on this book.
torresly's review against another edition
4.0
I really would have liked to give this a 3.5 star review. It never takes me this long to read a book but this one, to me at least, was extremely hard to get into in the beginning. I am glad I did stick with it because I finally hit a spot that grabbed me and finished the rest in a day. If you can get passed the beginning the book is worth finishing!