Wow. Just wow.

Set in an alternate 1950s America where it's more acceptable to hire a dragon to help out on the farm than it is to love some of a different race or of the same sex, 'Burn' doesn't pull any punches.

Things kick off when lives collide - Sarah (a farm girl central to an almost-forgotten prophecy), Kazimir (a dragon who is more than he seems) and Malcolm (a teen assassin working on behalf of a cult). But nobody is quite who they appear to be at first, and it's only as they reveal their true selves - and what's in their hearts - that they can figure out what the prophecy means to them.

I picked up Burn by Patrick Ness because I really enjoyed the Chaos Walking series growing up (where’s that movie at? 👀) and I wanted to read more by him. Burn did not disapoint, and I really enjoyed the story set in a 1950s America where dragons are real.

First up I have to talk about the world building. It’s set in the 1950s in mostly rural America where the only stand out difference is dragons are real in this world. After a few years of fighting them, humans and dragons uneasily co-exist in peace. I liked how this world seems exactly the same but with dragons, but they also don’t seem out of place.

I kind of liked how the world events are also fairly similar for humans (although some wars with dragons did happen – so did the human v human ones…). There’s some added religion aspects surrounding dragons, as well as secret histories that have been hidden away. These both gave information on how Dragons have co-existed with humans.

Speaking of dragons, one of our main characters was Kazimir, a Russian blue dragon. He is hired by Sarah’s father to work on their farm, but his own motives are hidden in secrecy. He’s a little bit sassy and doesn’t take any shit from anyone.

Our main character, I would say, is Sarah who’s at the centre of a prophecy that brings all our characters together. Her backstory is well built up, and the dynamic with her family is interesting to read. Whilst she loves her family, there’s a tension which made the the relationships feel more true to life.

Then we have teen assasin, Malcolm, who’s part of a dragon worshipping cult that believes in the prophecy. His storyline felt like a rollercoaster as he starts off being completely devoted to the cult, and then he learns more about the outside world… and learns to love too.

On top of these three, there’s chapters with some FBI characters and some other POV’s throughout too. The FBI plotline feels very confusing at first, like you’re not sure why we’re seeing their POV. But it pays off about halfway through when you finally click at what’s going on. I don’t want to say too much in case it spoils you though!

The introduction of all the POVs in particular were very slow to build up, and the first half as a whole felt slow to read. Once you reach the mid point however, the pace picks up and you’re gripped to find out more about this world and the characters.

Homophobia and racism was shown in the book, in a world where dragons exist these are still human problems which are discussed by characters. Set in the 1950’s, the book mirrors what would be happening back then and is appalling to read but it’s shown as bad in the POVs. Notably, Deputy Sheriff Kelby is an awful human being who distrusts both Sarah and Jason for being not-white where Sarah is bi-racial and Jason in Japanese – and this is a key part of the start of the book.

Overall, Burn was unpredictable! I did not know this is where it was going for most of the book, and the action that picked up at the end was a SHOCK. I’ve tried to be pretty vague in my review to avoid spoilers, but I fully believe you should go into this book without knowing too much.

Positives of Burn
Dragon history, religion and backstory
Unpredictable twists and turns
Negatives of Burn
Sometimes slow in parts

Where to start with this book?
It's set in 1950s America where Sarah and her father have hired a dragon to work on their farm; however, it quickly becomes apparent that the dragon is there to protect Sarah. Meanwhile, Malcolm, an assassin, is making his way toward Sarah and he's being hunted down by 2 FBI agents. The novel follows these 3 stories which eventually intersect (approximately 1/2 way through the book). The essential premise is that there's a race to save the world in either this world or an alternative version of this world.
I've enjoyed several of Patrick's books so was looking forward to Burn. I have to admit that it took a while to get into the plot but I found myself desperate to know how the book was going to end. Covering several themes (the Cold War, racism, sexism, same-sex couples in the 50s and prejudice) the book is a definite book for older YA readers (I say this because I know many people who read my blog are generally in search of MG books). Fans of Patrick Ness will love this book, as will fans of dragons (I did grown very fond of Kazmir).

This book was amazing, and I don't say that lightly. I've read a couple of Patrick Ness books before but not for a few years and he's not a current go-to author for me. But when I saw this on NetGalley and read the blurb I knew I had to give it a go. I had a feeling about it, and that feeling turned out to be so right. The characters are so real yet otherworldly, the plot so complex yet easy to follow. There is so much going on in this book but it was so very readable. I hope for a follow-up.

I enjoyed this book! The first half was absolutely amazing, and it kept me hooked throughout. The second part was a little less thrilling, and I felt my attention straying at times, as the plot became a little hazy for me.

I thought I would love this one but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it properly and the whole time I felt like I was missing something from the story.

Burn is most definitely a Patrick Ness novel, it's unique, imaginative and completely mind boggling at times. I never know if 'enjoy' is a word I'd use for a Patrick Ness book, I was definitely engaged in the story and I was taken by surprise with a few of the twists but the story also left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. Overall the novel is brilliant, but the extremely climatic ending all happened within just a few short pages whereas I would have appreciated more of a drawn out and better established ending.

Patrick Ness is an insta-buy author for me. His books are different from any other author’s, with inventive plots that always take me by surprise and characters that feel real.

This book plunges you straight into 1950s America. It’s so evocative of the time and place and somehow the introduction of dragons fits into the world really well!

Another thing I liked about this book is how the different characters’ story lines are woven together. I loved how fleshed out the characters are and how their qualities are revealed and developed as the book goes on.

The book draws on different genres to create a tense plot. I find it hard to put down Patrick Ness’s books and I forced myself to savour this one and make it last.

I was excited to read Patrick Ness’s take on dragons from the moment I heard about Burn and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s another brilliantly original, memorable book.

If you liked the sound of this book, try Release or The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book, I have enjoyed some of the authors previous books however I could not get passed the first 100 pages of this one and had to dnf. It didn’t draw me in enough within 100 pages, but I enjoyed the scenes with the dragon in the most, he was cool.

Wow! How do I categorize it? Sci-Fiction + Fantasy? Magical realism? Y/A

This book took me to a place I didn't expect.
So what is this about? Dragons...and Humans and friendships and love and heroism...End of the world, and saving it.

Without giving out spoilers, this story is centred around a prophecy about a certain non-special but special girl who would be at the right place at the right time and prevent the destruction of world. But is it this world? Is it this girl?

Loved the story and the multiple POVs (which kept me on my toes the whole time). The plot is intricate and fast moving, sometimes dizzying. I had a little cringe moment at the almost insta-love between 2 of the characters, but hey, I kept reading, and that's what matters!

There is good representation: Race, LGBTQ, which, considering that the story is set in 1957, are significant enough for certain events in the story, but they are not the central theme.

I am overlooking the very minor portions that I didn't absolutely love as they didn't stop my enjoyment of the book at all. I am just surprised why more people are not talking about this one.

This is an intense ride of an alternate history, with a race towards a big climax, that actually happens halfway, and then the book veers into entirely unexpected territory. Emotional, action packed, and it’s got dragons. Amazing...

I tore through this one. I knew that I would enjoy it... Come on... It's Patrick Ness for goodness sake. Can he do no wrong? But I didn't expect to love it as much as I did.

I was sold as soon as I heard the word "dragon" mentioned when the book was announced and I have to say that this book completely exceeded my expectations, in the sense that it wasn't what I expected at all. It didn't feel so much like a fantasy as I had expected. Yes, there were fantastical elements but it all felt so real. As if it was right that the dragons were a part of our world, and why would it be questioned?

I fell in love with Sarah as a protagonist, her attitude, the way she carried herself, her ability to not let her fathers feelings of dragons influence her own. And speaking of dragons, how could you not just want more and more and more of Kazimir?

I loved that it tackles a lot of different subjects. Racism. Homophobia. There are still echoes of what happened in World War 2 and with the treat of a cold war looming, the tension is palpable.

As ever, there is always a little weirdness to Patrick's books and I love how, much like Release there is a second story going on away from the main focus point of Sarah and the dragon. Following FBI agents Dernovich and Woolf was a ride on its own.

All in all this is one not to be missed and I thoroughly enjoyed every single second! An exhilarating read!

Since I've read a fair amount of Patrick Ness' books by now, I really should no longer be surprised by anything, yet he managed to do it again. I had little expectations for this books and went in fairly open-minded, only having read the blurb. I was expecting something wild, yet this managed to be even wilder and more original than I could have imagined. The premise of the book - our earth, except there's <i>dragons</i> - was already enough to get me interested and to make this whole thing interesting, but then there was <i>another layer of craziness</i> just waiting to happen.

Sarah Dewhurst is young, biracial woman, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or perhaps in the right place at the right time. Prophecies are vague like that, and according to the dragon that her father has hired to assist them in clearing out their farm, Sarah just so happens to be at the centre of a prophecy. Or, is she? The assassin that is coming to hunt her down certainly seems to think so, and so does the FBI, which is in turn trying to hunt down the assassin. But why do they all seem to think so? And what do the dragons, who have long since retreated from the world of man, have to do with it all? The more things start to take shape, the more complicated things seem to get, and Sarah has little choice but to go along with it...

The book features an eclectic cast of characters, in terms of not just personality and age but also of race and of gender. The book's depiction of race issues feels strangely prescient even though it is set in the late fifties and added and uncomfortable but interesting touch. The story plays a lot with different POVs, revealing and hiding information when and where convenient. Although not everyone will appreciate this, I did not find it difficult to keep track of what was going on or who was talking, and thought it added to the complexity of the story and the prophecy. This was a quick read, and overall I liked it very much.

If you're a fan of Patrick Ness' other novels, you'll probably love this one too, as despite the fact that the subject matter is completely different, it feels firmly like a Patrick Ness novel.

Rating: <b>4 stars</b>

<i>I was provided with a copy of Burn through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

Burn is a classic Patrick Ness story, except it was slightly weirder than usual. Not a weird in a bad way, but in a sense that it's hard to explain: this book needs to be experienced for it to make sense. Burn is rather brilliant mix of historical and fantasy, it's the Cold War in the 1950s expect there's dragons as well. There story flows very well, not that I'd expect anything else from Ness, and there's a rather large cast of characters, ranging from normal teenagers to FBI agents. I particularly liked Kazimir, who's sassiest dragon ever and had humorous tendency to not provide straight answers, and Malcolm, who's trained as assassin by a cult but is basically a big softie inside.

Burn is magnificently woven story - a bizarre, very unique and fascinating story. I highly recommend it, and I believe the best way to go into this book is just take a leap and see where the story goes. There'll be surprises, heartfelt moments, fascinating twists, and compelling characters.

Long, confusing, beautiful- it’s a book by Patrick Ness alright. I am endlessly impressed by Ness’ high-concept YA novels, and endlessly thankful that his publishers encourage him to write his strange imaginings into being. His queer characters shine in whatever setting they’re placed in, proving that love spans universes. I don’t want to spoil this epic story- persist, experience the twists, enjoy the flight.

Loved this book. Love Patrick Ness’s other work, particularly The Chaos Walking trilogy and had high hopes for this too. It did not disappoint. A good mix of themes, some of which are very current such as racism and sexuality, and are handled very well. A good mix of human frailties with the right amount of fantasy thrown in.

I thoroughly enjoyed Burn. It is complex, subtle and brilliantly told.

The book is set in 1957 in a world very like ours, but where dragons have existed for centuries and have managed to form an uneasy but lasting truce with humans. Sarah and her father hire a dragon to do some heavy clearance work on their farm in Washington State. He turns out to be far more than a soulless “claw” (the insulting term for dragons used by some humans) and at the same time a fanatical assassin starts his journey toward Sarah who, it turns out, will be a girl in exactly the right time and place to fulfil a prophecy that such a girl will prevent the destruction of the world.

A gripping and excellently told story ensues. It sounds like the rather common use in young people’s literature of a traditional mythical structure: the Light and the Dark with a young mediator on whom the fate of the world depends. Patrick Ness brings more subtlety and complexity to it than this, though. There are shades of good and bad everywhere and he makes excellent and timely points about racism, homophobia and other prejudices. He also gives a fine portrait of the grooming of a fanatic and the dishonesty which lies behind it.

Ness has never shied away from darkness and tragedy and there is certainly some of that here, but there are also fine, human and redemptive themes, some of which are genuinely moving.

When he’s at the top of his game, few can match Patrick Ness in this genre. He is close to the top of his game here and I can recommend Burn very warmly.

(My thanks to Walker Books for an ARC via NetGalley.)

Patrick Ness has always been good at taking a fantasy trope and putting a unique spin on it, and his take on dragons in Burn is no different. The book also touches on aspects of racial inequality and prejudice and weaves these into the fantastical elements deftly. I would definitely recommend Burn to fans of Ness’ other books, but also to fans of fantasy in general.

Thanks to Walker Books for allowing me to read this for my honest thoughts.

Patrick Ness, anyway, is one of my favourite authors so I went into this with maybe higher expectations than I should have. However, I was not disappointed one bit. It was incredibly imaginative and I didn't expect it to take as many twists and turns as it did. This book has everything from dragons, to the FBI and assassins.

It is set in 1956 on a farm in north west America. On this farm, Sarah Dewhurst's father hires a dragon to help them with all the work that needs doing. It ends up being a blue, which isn't the typical red that's been hired. This dragon ends up saving Sarah and her friend Jason and suddenly Sarah sees Kazimir the dragon in a new light. The plot thickens when Sarah finds out that she is part of a prophecy which is about to turn her life upside down.

Getting to know the characters was a lot of fun and it was thanks to them and their individual journeys that I found it hard to put down. I decided to give this book five stars, not only because it went in multiple directions in which I wasn't expecting, but also because of the way it was written. It made me feel as though I was part of the story and was fully engaged throughout. There wasn't a dull moment when reading Burn and I'm already looking forward to Patrick Ness' next release!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves light fantasy with aspects of mystery. Being set int he 1950s, I found it educational as I wasn't previously aware of much American history being from the UK.

Overall, a thrilling and engaging read!

Full review at amonsterblogs.wordpress.com

This is a powerful tale set in the backdrop of the 1950s when nuclear war was always just around the corner and societies were held in terror of each other. When countries ruled by fear. The dragons live on the wastelands of Canada and watch humans from a distance. Humans permit them to live in peace but are ever fearful of war.

Patrick Ness has crafted a tale of many layers which also tells of the massive responsibility on the shoulders of the few, Sarah, Jason, Malcolm, and Mitera Thea. Each has a vision of the future, they are in play. The outcome will be decided through strength and choices.

Note this book has LBGT sexual content.