Reviews

Burner by Robert Ford

sjgomzi's review

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5.0

Had no idea what I was in for when cracking open the latest novel from master storyteller Robert Ford. I heard it was a brutal read, dealing with human trafficking, but brutal is not strong enough a word. This was the most horrifying book I’ve read all year. There are no haunted houses, no supernatural beings or spectral boogie men present, just that dark ugly side of humanity, that down and dirty despicable evil that only humans are capable of. Heartbreaking, and stomach turning, but written so perfectly and at such a relentless pace, you can’t stop turning the pages. You want to put the book down, because enough is enough already, but that just becomes impossible because you are in the hands of a master wordsmith here and this story demands you see it through to bear witness to all that pain and suffering he puts these poor people through. I seriously doubt I’ll ever have the desire or strength to open this book ever again, and I won’t have to, because this story is gonna haunt me for some time to come.

angelnoel's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rayelee_'s review against another edition

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So boring. Overly and unnecessarily descriptive of scenary and thoughts 

ghostine's review

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5.0

Ugh, what a perfect ending.

tayytheisen's review

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dark sad medium-paced

4.5

thatweirdbookgirlie's review

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An intense and well written horror novel. A story about the effects that human trafficking told from two perspectives, the one taken and the wife of the man who took her. This really shows the dark ugly side of humanity. The way the story unfolds through these different interviews is brilliant. 
There are a few things I wish were explained better, like how the husband was earning the money. We clearly saw where it was being spent. Was he then reselling these girls to some sicko? Was he also involved in kidnapping?
  Highly recommend it if you have a strong stomach for dark horror. 

unielesta's review

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

thesassyreader1208's review

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dark tense fast-paced

3.0

georgesreads's review against another edition

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4.0

https://fanfiaddict.com/review-burner-by-robert-ford/

Burner by Robert Ford is a book that will grab you by the throat, and won’t let go until long after you’re done with it. The very depths of human emotion, suffering and loss are skillfully navigated by Ford, resulting in a compelling but devastating story that shines a light on the world’s cruel truths.

sjgomzi's review against another edition

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5.0

Had no idea what I was in for when cracking open the latest novel from master storyteller Robert Ford. I heard it was a brutal read, dealing with human trafficking, but brutal is not strong enough a word. This was the most horrifying book I’ve read all year. There are no haunted houses, no supernatural beings or spectral boogie men present, just that dark ugly side of humanity, that down and dirty despicable evil that only humans are capable of. Heartbreaking, and stomach turning, but written so perfectly and at such a relentless pace, you can’t stop turning the pages. You want to put the book down, because enough is enough already, but that just becomes impossible because you are in the hands of a master wordsmith here and this story demands you see it through to bear witness to all that pain and suffering he puts these poor people through. I seriously doubt I’ll ever have the desire or strength to open this book ever again, and I won’t have to, because this story is gonna haunt me for some time to come.