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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
3.5
This isn't my favorite of Ness's books, despite having a great hook (dragons) and an interesting time period (the late '50s). It was good, and I appreciate the twists that came up that I did not see coming. (I mean, it helps if you don't give away all the pertinent information beforehand.) Even so, I didn't feel much of a sense of urgency. There wasn't much sense of danger, either. Despite the threat of dragons, nuclear annihilation, and a fatally stupid sheriff. I should have been concerned about at least one of those scenarios, right?
I will say, the sheriff felt threatening in the beginning, but sort of fell by the wayside. This is unfortunate, because, truly, the worst monsters are humans.
There were also other issues that I feel didn't get enough attention: racism, interracial relationships, the recent history of Japanese internment camps, and the lingering emotions over Japan's involvement in WWII. Clearly, these weren't the story's main focus, but given the potential volatility in that particular era, one expects that might have more impact.
This isn't my favorite of Ness's books, despite having a great hook (dragons) and an interesting time period (the late '50s). It was good, and I appreciate the twists that came up that I did not see coming. (I mean, it helps if you don't give away all the pertinent information beforehand.) Even so, I didn't feel much of a sense of urgency. There wasn't much sense of danger, either. Despite the threat of dragons, nuclear annihilation, and a fatally stupid sheriff. I should have been concerned about at least one of those scenarios, right?
I will say, the sheriff felt threatening in the beginning, but sort of fell by the wayside. This is unfortunate, because, truly, the worst monsters are humans.
There were also other issues that I feel didn't get enough attention: racism, interracial relationships, the recent history of Japanese internment camps, and the lingering emotions over Japan's involvement in WWII. Clearly, these weren't the story's main focus, but given the potential volatility in that particular era, one expects that might have more impact.
This morning I finished reading Burn by Patrick Ness. I didn’t know much about Burn going into it other than ‘dragons’ and even without expectations this story still felt unexpected. It was quietly beautiful and as much as it is about a dragon cult and fanaticism, it is also about love, bravery, connections with other people, trust. This story was told from three different perspectives and while at the start I felt more connected to Sarah’s interactions with the dragon, the other perspectives - Malcolm, the assassin and Woolf and Dernovich, the FBI agents on the chase - really crept up on me and I raced through that last half of the book wanting answers. It was an interesting time period to read about, 50s America with WWII behind them (and internment camps) and the Cold War tensions. I love reading Patrick Ness for the entertaining, emotional, thought-provoking stories and Burn is a great example of this. Out in the UK 7th May, look out for it.
I was unable to resist the pull of the all-consuming new novel Burn, by Patrick Ness. It's set in an alternate version of 1950's America, where dragons have always coexisted alongside humans in an uneasy truce. And while some things in this version are very different, others are very much the same: people are still racist, homophobic and are still living in a constant state of Cold-War tension. All this and there's also a race between dragons and cultists to stop a terrifying prophecy from happening. Only Patrick Ness could find a way to connect all these themes and make a truly moving and exciting read.
ARC received from Netgalley
4 Stars
Patrick Ness really never writes the same book twice. I've never read a book quite like this before, and probably never will again, but that's what great about him as an author. Each of his stories is truly unique.
Burn is an historical fantasy set during the Cold War - 1950s America and Canada, to be precise - but with dragons. There's quite a large cast of characters, but I'd say the main two characters are Sarah Dewhurst, a mixed-race girl who lives on a farm, whose father has just hired a dragon, and "Malcolm", a boy assassin from what is essentially a dragon worshipping cult.
This is one of those books that is hard to review without spoiling too much, and I'd definitely say it's best to go in blind - the Goodreads blurb gives away too much! How everything comes together is fascinating, especially in the second half of the book, which I definitely preferred to the first. I was actually worried the book wasn't for me during the first half, as I was lacking the instant connection I usually get with Patrick Ness' works. Looking back I think it's because I'm used to his books having just one or two POVs, so it took longer for me to connect with the characters in the way that I'm used to. When I did, however, I really found myself enjoying the story.
While I don't think Burn hit me as hard as Ness' other books, it's a solid read and - as I said before - not like anything else out there. It's as weird and wonderful as you would expect a Patrick Ness novel to be, and well worth a read!
C'est le premier livre de Patrick Ness que je lis et j'en étais bien curieuse.
J'ai vraiment aimé la diversité des personnages (héroïne métisse, héros blanc gay et d'autres personnages secondaires racisés)
J'ai bien aimé la première partie de l'histoire avec la quête de la prophétie pour Malcolm, et la vie de Sarah, l'apprentissage de l'histoire des dragons etc. et également d'avoir une histoire qui se passe pendant la guerre froide, je trouve ça assez original !
Cependant j'ai beaucoup moins aimé la deuxième partie; c'est parti dans un sens que je n'ai pas vraiment aimé. J'ai trouvé la deuxième partie de l'histoire assez longue, j'avais juste envie que ça se termine. Mais ce sont des considérations très personnelles et ça n'enlève rien à la qualité du livre selon moi.
C'était une bonne expérience et je retenterai sûrement un prochain livre de l'auteur.
(petit spoiler) J'ai bien aimé aussi le fait que la secte de Malcolm ne soit pas homophobe et ça permet d'avoir un personnage totalement ok avec son homosexualité sans pour autant occulter l'homophobie de cette époque (années 50)
TW : Homophobie, violence, meurtres, sexe
J'ai vraiment aimé la diversité des personnages (héroïne métisse, héros blanc gay et d'autres personnages secondaires racisés)
J'ai bien aimé la première partie de l'histoire avec la quête de la prophétie pour Malcolm, et la vie de Sarah, l'apprentissage de l'histoire des dragons etc. et également d'avoir une histoire qui se passe pendant la guerre froide, je trouve ça assez original !
Cependant j'ai beaucoup moins aimé la deuxième partie; c'est parti dans un sens que je n'ai pas vraiment aimé. J'ai trouvé la deuxième partie de l'histoire assez longue, j'avais juste envie que ça se termine. Mais ce sont des considérations très personnelles et ça n'enlève rien à la qualité du livre selon moi.
C'était une bonne expérience et je retenterai sûrement un prochain livre de l'auteur.
(petit spoiler) J'ai bien aimé aussi le fait que la secte de Malcolm ne soit pas homophobe et ça permet d'avoir un personnage totalement ok avec son homosexualité sans pour autant occulter l'homophobie de cette époque (années 50)
TW : Homophobie, violence, meurtres, sexe
Loved!!
Dragons.
Multiple POV.
Dragons.
Alternate universe.
Dragons.
Fabulously fast paced.
And finally, DRAGONS!!!
I was invested from the very start and I loved everything about it.
I thought this was a standalone but looks to be a series (it bloody better be) and I honestly cannot wait for the next book. I feel some s**t is going to hit the fan in the next book!
Update: Just watched an interview with Ness where he says that THIS book is standalone BUT the universe as a whole is open so we never know!! Not sure how I feel about this! :D
Dragons.
Multiple POV.
Dragons.
Alternate universe.
Dragons.
Fabulously fast paced.
And finally, DRAGONS!!!
I was invested from the very start and I loved everything about it.
I thought this was a standalone but looks to be a series (it bloody better be) and I honestly cannot wait for the next book. I feel some s**t is going to hit the fan in the next book!
Update: Just watched an interview with Ness where he says that THIS book is standalone BUT the universe as a whole is open so we never know!! Not sure how I feel about this! :D
I could literally never guess what was going to happen next. This was a RIDE.
Sarah Dewhurst and her father, outcasts in their little town of Frome, Washington, are forced to hire a dragon to work their farm, something only the poorest of the poor ever have to resort to.
The dragon, Kazimir, has more to him than meets the eye, though. Sarah can’t help but be curious about him, an animal who supposedly doesn’t have a soul, but who is seemingly intent on keeping her safe.
Because the dragon knows something she doesn’t. He has arrived at the farm with a prophecy on his mind. A prophecy that involves a deadly assassin, a cult of dragon worshippers, two FBI agents in hot pursuit—and somehow, Sarah Dewhurst herself.
Wow, what a roller-coaster of a book. A mixture of war story, politics and love with dragons thrown in... Although there's a fairly large cast of characters they're beautifully drawn and you're sucked into their lives with just a few sentences. The story is exciting but also leaves you with lingering questions about humanity, love and the existence of other worlds outside our own. Fascinating!
The dragon, Kazimir, has more to him than meets the eye, though. Sarah can’t help but be curious about him, an animal who supposedly doesn’t have a soul, but who is seemingly intent on keeping her safe.
Because the dragon knows something she doesn’t. He has arrived at the farm with a prophecy on his mind. A prophecy that involves a deadly assassin, a cult of dragon worshippers, two FBI agents in hot pursuit—and somehow, Sarah Dewhurst herself.
Wow, what a roller-coaster of a book. A mixture of war story, politics and love with dragons thrown in... Although there's a fairly large cast of characters they're beautifully drawn and you're sucked into their lives with just a few sentences. The story is exciting but also leaves you with lingering questions about humanity, love and the existence of other worlds outside our own. Fascinating!
Patrick Ness does it again with a weird, unique, and exciting story that had so much character and charm. This book was nothing like what I expected, and I think it made it better that I knew very little about the plot when I started reading it. I loved the fast paced plot progression, the characters, and the multiple points of view that built this interesting world!
Sarah Dewhurst’s life was forever changed when a mysterious blue dragon came to work on her fathers modest farm (don’t worry, it gets better and weirder from here). Patrick Ness is a masterful author who never fails to shock, intrigue, and reel me in for more! I mean who doesn’t like a good dragon story?!
Sarah Dewhurst’s life was forever changed when a mysterious blue dragon came to work on her fathers modest farm (don’t worry, it gets better and weirder from here). Patrick Ness is a masterful author who never fails to shock, intrigue, and reel me in for more! I mean who doesn’t like a good dragon story?!
Cold War tensions? Queer longing? Small-town secrets and forbidden love? Dragons? The multiverse?
As Elaine Benes would say... “get OUT!” (accompanied by a shove)
I slept on Burn for way too long, but as soon as I finally started reading it I knew I’d hit the jackpot. Learn from my mistake.
As Elaine Benes would say... “get OUT!” (accompanied by a shove)
I slept on Burn for way too long, but as soon as I finally started reading it I knew I’d hit the jackpot. Learn from my mistake.