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A review by lesbianbarista
The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I read this book out of curiosity because there was a free ARC at work. I knew about the reviews, I knew about the problems this book was called out for, and I have a habit of wanting to investigate it for myself.
There was no reverse racism. There was no blood libel. Other reviews speak on it better here and here (for some reason it's linking back to my own review, but just scroll to Latitude's review of it)
What there was was repetition and a book that could have been a lot shorter and a lot better if Mix didn't need to hammer in the same point over and over for several paragraphs at a time. The moments where Ranka's emotional victories and losses should've felt good, should've felt painful, just fell flat, rang hollow. There wasn't much earned because there was so much being TOLD. I know Ranka had an abusive childhood and that her mother figure is clearly manipulating her, but let me understand that myself. Do not tell me the same thing several times.
She was touted as a Zuko-esque redemption arc and I think that made it suffer. Doing the narrative from the tormented character's perspective, who has done bad things and will do bad things, makes it tough for the audience to like them. But I was not give n the opportunity to dislike and ultimately "fall" for Ranka. I was told to like her because every bad thing she'd done had forced sympathy.
The twins and Percy were where this book really, really shined. They were lovely and fun and full of life and a complex story. Which was fully explored, thankfully. I wasn't left wanting more or curious or unsatisfied. I was sad, honestly, at the end when I realized I wouldn't go with Percy, or Galen, on whatever journey they'd be having together. I did end up getting attached to each of then, even if Ranka annoyed the life out of me at time.
Not great, but not bad. I did enjoy my time with it.
There was no reverse racism. There was no blood libel. Other reviews speak on it better here and here (for some reason it's linking back to my own review, but just scroll to Latitude's review of it)
What there was was repetition and a book that could have been a lot shorter and a lot better if Mix didn't need to hammer in the same point over and over for several paragraphs at a time. The moments where Ranka's emotional victories and losses should've felt good, should've felt painful, just fell flat, rang hollow. There wasn't much earned because there was so much being TOLD. I know Ranka had an abusive childhood and that her mother figure is clearly manipulating her, but let me understand that myself. Do not tell me the same thing several times.
She was touted as a Zuko-esque redemption arc and I think that made it suffer. Doing the narrative from the tormented character's perspective, who has done bad things and will do bad things, makes it tough for the audience to like them. But I was not give n the opportunity to dislike and ultimately "fall" for Ranka. I was told to like her because every bad thing she'd done had forced sympathy.
The twins and Percy were where this book really, really shined. They were lovely and fun and full of life and a complex story. Which was fully explored, thankfully. I wasn't left wanting more or curious or unsatisfied. I was sad, honestly, at the end when I realized I wouldn't go with Percy, or Galen, on whatever journey they'd be having together. I did end up getting attached to each of then, even if Ranka annoyed the life out of me at time.
Not great, but not bad. I did enjoy my time with it.