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A review by veggiestrawenjoyer13
The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75
This was a good book, it just didn’t hook me as I had hoped. I feel like it was very close to being a new favorite, but somehow fell short. This is not entirely the book’s fault, I read it very sporadically and forgot important things that made it slightly more difficult to understand.
The best thing to improve this book would’ve been a map. I’m a very visual person, and it would’ve made it so much easier for me to understand the political conflicts and such. It’s a small addition, but one that would have improved the experience for me.
The author did a great job at characterization. Even when I wasn’t fully invested in the story, I fell in love with the characters and their dynamics. I really enjoyed the dialogue and intersections between characters. They felt realistic and relatable, despite their obviously unrelatable circumstances. I’m also a big fan of how the romance was done. It was important and enjoyable, but not the complete center of the book/plot. Ranka made non-romantic connections that added a lot of depth to her character along with the others. The development of the romance also felt realistic, and didn’t move too quick like in some books.
My biggest gripe with the writing was the repetition. Sometimes it was powerful and meaningful, but other times it bogged down the story. Repetition can be good, and it was at some points, but too often it just felt like lazy writing. I still liked the writing style, and the plot was well done. Hints were sprinkled about, yet I never would’ve guessed the plot twists that happened. I liked the shock factor of them, and it didn’t feel overdone either.
Overall, I wish I liked the book more. I liked the characters and mystery, but I just didn’t connect as much as I had hoped. I would definitely recommend, if it sounds like something you’d like!
The best thing to improve this book would’ve been a map. I’m a very visual person, and it would’ve made it so much easier for me to understand the political conflicts and such. It’s a small addition, but one that would have improved the experience for me.
The author did a great job at characterization. Even when I wasn’t fully invested in the story, I fell in love with the characters and their dynamics. I really enjoyed the dialogue and intersections between characters. They felt realistic and relatable, despite their obviously unrelatable circumstances. I’m also a big fan of how the romance was done. It was important and enjoyable, but not the complete center of the book/plot. Ranka made non-romantic connections that added a lot of depth to her character along with the others. The development of the romance also felt realistic, and didn’t move too quick like in some books.
My biggest gripe with the writing was the repetition. Sometimes it was powerful and meaningful, but other times it bogged down the story. Repetition can be good, and it was at some points, but too often it just felt like lazy writing. I still liked the writing style, and the plot was well done. Hints were sprinkled about, yet I never would’ve guessed the plot twists that happened. I liked the shock factor of them, and it didn’t feel overdone either.
Overall, I wish I liked the book more. I liked the characters and mystery, but I just didn’t connect as much as I had hoped. I would definitely recommend, if it sounds like something you’d like!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death