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A review by heykellyjensen
A Catalog of Burnt Objects by Shana Youngdahl
Caprice's brother just got back home from intensive rehabilitation for substance use and a subsequent accident that changed his life forever. As she's navigating what their relationship will be like, she's finding that her brother's fun spirit seems to have returned–he's teasing her for developing a little fascinating with a new boy who regularly runs by the house.
But it's not just that boy, River, that has Caprice's attention. She's been working hard on developing an app with some seed money from a local investor. The app would help people take advantage of all the things there are to do in her home town of Sierra, California.
As Caprice is getting to know River and her brother, as well as spending more time with her best friend Alicia, things take an unexpected turn. Sierra is experiencing a wildfire like they have never experienced before. It wasn't entire unexpected–living there was being aware wildfires could be a reality, especially thanks to climate change–but the extent to which Sierra is destroyed and Caprice's life is turned upside down could never be properly prepared for.
This book is inspired by the Paradise, California, wildfires. Reading it during the LA wildfires in January 2025 was a little too close to home and made reading Youngdahl's author's note about the fires yet to be experienced chilling.
It's a compelling novel, and Caprice is herself an engaging and complex character. There is a lot of loss in this book, both in material and immaterial things. Throughout the book are interstitials written by members of the Sierra community about the objects lost in the fire. Readers will come to understand the why of that later in the book, but it added a layer to the narrative that made the story take on even more depth.
One thing upon reflection that I don't think was adequately wrapped up was Mason's story. In the first bit of the book, where we meet Caprice's brother and learn about the accident that hurt Mason, Mason comes up quite a bit. But following the fire, there is nearly nothing about him or his story, although it took up a bit of real estate initially. A lot happens in between, especially when it comes to loss, but I wish this had come up again–how did the fires impact his family?
This might be a difficult book for folks to read when it comes out because of its immediacy and relevance. But even if it's too raw, it's worth picking up when you can. There's a strong message about the impact of humans on the climate and about mental health. We get to understand the challenges of living with someone who has had their life upended by addiction, but we also get to see the ways grieve ravages those who have no history of mental illness and yet find themselves struggling with their mental health when processing a major event like a wildfire.
But it's not just that boy, River, that has Caprice's attention. She's been working hard on developing an app with some seed money from a local investor. The app would help people take advantage of all the things there are to do in her home town of Sierra, California.
As Caprice is getting to know River and her brother, as well as spending more time with her best friend Alicia, things take an unexpected turn. Sierra is experiencing a wildfire like they have never experienced before. It wasn't entire unexpected–living there was being aware wildfires could be a reality, especially thanks to climate change–but the extent to which Sierra is destroyed and Caprice's life is turned upside down could never be properly prepared for.
This book is inspired by the Paradise, California, wildfires. Reading it during the LA wildfires in January 2025 was a little too close to home and made reading Youngdahl's author's note about the fires yet to be experienced chilling.
It's a compelling novel, and Caprice is herself an engaging and complex character. There is a lot of loss in this book, both in material and immaterial things. Throughout the book are interstitials written by members of the Sierra community about the objects lost in the fire. Readers will come to understand the why of that later in the book, but it added a layer to the narrative that made the story take on even more depth.
This might be a difficult book for folks to read when it comes out because of its immediacy and relevance. But even if it's too raw, it's worth picking up when you can. There's a strong message about the impact of humans on the climate and about mental health. We get to understand the challenges of living with someone who has had their life upended by addiction, but we also get to see the ways grieve ravages those who have no history of mental illness and yet find themselves struggling with their mental health when processing a major event like a wildfire.