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A review by goddesstoast
Burn Baby, Burn Baby by Kevin Craig
4.0
Victims of abuse carry many emotional scars. Many tend to have anger and resentment issues, and limit their social behavior to those whom they know they can trust. In the case of Francis Fripp, he has his best friend Tripp, and his younger brothers, Paul and Simon, who he lovingly lumps them together as an entity, referring to the duo as simply Paul Simon. Francis is the underdog, a 17 year old with a shoddy home life, who can barely stand high school, and has no confidence. Aside from emotional scars, he has burn scars on the entire right side of his body. The scar tissue a constant reminder of his past, along with a relentless bully who taunts and beats him on a regular basis.
He struggles to deal with the abuse in his past, and the pain that he holds inside.On many levels he blames himself, disabling him from believing that he deserves better. Through his friends, and his new love interest, he gradually learns how to permit himself to experience the happiness he deserves.
What I enjoyed about this novel was that it had all the elements of a sweet, coming of age story of a young man who learned to love himself, and find someone who cared for him and truly saw him - not his scars. But the novel concludes on an interesting twist. An unexpected event happens that forces Francis to act quickly, and reexamine the life he feels he deserves and decide on the one wants to live. Finally understanding that "You can be anything. All you have to do is shed everything you don't want to be"( p. 141) and knowing what is truly important in the end.
He struggles to deal with the abuse in his past, and the pain that he holds inside.On many levels he blames himself, disabling him from believing that he deserves better. Through his friends, and his new love interest, he gradually learns how to permit himself to experience the happiness he deserves.
What I enjoyed about this novel was that it had all the elements of a sweet, coming of age story of a young man who learned to love himself, and find someone who cared for him and truly saw him - not his scars. But the novel concludes on an interesting twist. An unexpected event happens that forces Francis to act quickly, and reexamine the life he feels he deserves and decide on the one wants to live. Finally understanding that "You can be anything. All you have to do is shed everything you don't want to be"( p. 141) and knowing what is truly important in the end.