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A review by rorikae
Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
'Burn Our Bodies Down' by Rory Power is a baffling book, in the best way possible. Power creates a story with so many twists and turns that I was never quite sure what was happening, but this made it so I couldn't put the book down.
I honestly think that it is best to go into this book knowing as little as possible but what I can say about the plot is that it follows Margot, a girl who lives with her emotionally abusive mother. Her mother has never told her anything about her family and so when Margot finds out where her grandmother lives, she heads off to learn more about her past.
There are so many reasons why I think this book is a masterpiece. Power's plotting is impeccable. She drops hints slowly and steadily and each new piece of information just made me want to read faster. It's a strange book but Power handles the strangeness well by pairing it with quick, clear writing. The story is told in first person, and this works extremely well because as the reader, we have just as much information as Margot does. This also makes the emotional abuse and manipulation by her mother and grandmother visceral. I found that I was confused throughout the book but that worked because Margot was confused as well. The confusion throughout the book was rewarded by an answer at the end that made it all worth it. This story is incredible and makes me more excited for what Power writes next. If you're looking for something mysterious and strange, I cannot recommend 'Burn Our Bodies Down' enough.
I honestly think that it is best to go into this book knowing as little as possible but what I can say about the plot is that it follows Margot, a girl who lives with her emotionally abusive mother. Her mother has never told her anything about her family and so when Margot finds out where her grandmother lives, she heads off to learn more about her past.
There are so many reasons why I think this book is a masterpiece. Power's plotting is impeccable. She drops hints slowly and steadily and each new piece of information just made me want to read faster. It's a strange book but Power handles the strangeness well by pairing it with quick, clear writing. The story is told in first person, and this works extremely well because as the reader, we have just as much information as Margot does. This also makes the emotional abuse and manipulation by her mother and grandmother visceral. I found that I was confused throughout the book but that worked because Margot was confused as well. The confusion throughout the book was rewarded by an answer at the end that made it all worth it. This story is incredible and makes me more excited for what Power writes next. If you're looking for something mysterious and strange, I cannot recommend 'Burn Our Bodies Down' enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Vomit