I have been eating up this series as fast as it comes out. I was lucky enough to stumble upon earth on #netgalley and seeing the author’s name I had to request it and the rest is history.

These little books really pack a punch and leave you with a bit of a hangover and mulling over the complicated topics they tackle. Fire is no different. It’s just as readable as all of the other Boyne novels I have read and once again very ambitious in its exploration of such a tough topic.

Although not my favourite of the series so far, it is one I would recommend provided you check out the trigger warnings in advance.

I felt that this novella was rather lightweight even though it dealt with a serious subject ie the main protagonist displays both a good side and also a very dark one and could be described as a Jekyll and Hyde character. Freya appears to have had an idyllic childhood but all is not as it seems. Does the sexual abuse that caused her such damage really excuse her adult behaviour and revenge? An interesting hypothesis. I'm sure Mr Boyne's legions of fans will not be disappointed. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK/ Transworld Publishers for the opportunity to read and review Fire.

Literally burned my skin with anger and disgust in equal amounts!

Thanks NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers , Double Day Books for the invite to read this ARC!

I don’t know how Boyne does it - but I am both fascinated and flabbergasted by the main character in his latest quartet offering of Fire.

Synopsis -

Freya, a skin graft specialist and surgeon possesses the most coveted lifestyle - a great job, posh housing and car. But what is her life actually built on? Flashback to her childhood - there was one summer that intrinsically changed her living composition, making her the kind of adult she is.

Review -

This novella is just another testament to Boyne’s deepest understanding of the human psyche - the unending debate between nature or nurture and of course his exemplary writing skills.

Via Freya’s character Boyne explores the aftermath of a childhood deprived of love, the lack of care, attention and the reverberations of exposure to the world’s harshest elements too soon, before the emotional maturity to comprehend their slightest meaning.

There were times I wanted to slap Freya for the kind of woman she turned out to be. At the same time, I was simply awestruck by her tenacity, felt pity and compassion for what she went through, admired her for her perseverance while she 'burned' with hunger for vengeance - determined to take from the world what she had lost.

The ending is left open to the readers to interpret and conclude by questioning or even picturing themselves in Freya’s shoes. It seemed to ask - “What would you do if you were her?” That’s enough food for thought right there.

This is one of those powerful books that will leave you reeling from its gut punching impact - unable to make sense of what just happened and leave you incapacitated to even decide how you feel about it.

What are the factors that drive humans towards compassion, kindness, cruelty and to the limits of revenge? Read Fire to find out.

Fire is the third novella of the Elements Quartet. Again, it amazes me how much John Boyne can pack into less than 200 pages. He is one of my favourite writers.

Dr Freya Petrus is a beautiful and successful specialist surgeon working in a hospital Burns Unit. Despite giving the impression of a privileged, comfortable upbringing there is a much darker side to her that she has so far managed to keep hidden. The good Freya helps people in her role as a surgeon specialising in skin grafts; the darker Freya is a scheming monster.

Did Freya always have a dark side or did an earlier childhood trauma cause her to become such a predatory monster?

At times it's a disturbing and uncomfortable read but it's also compelling. It deals with themes of sexual abuse and how our perceptions and expectations of certain characters can be way off the mark.

When Freya tells of her past, you feel some sympathy but at the same time cannot condone or understand her shocking behaviour.

I've read the three already published novellas that make up the Elements series: Water, Earth and Fire. Each one can be read on its own but I'm fascinated by the way the stories connect without me realising at the time. In this case, Dr Freya Petrus had already appeared briefly in Earth as a juror in the court case. Characters in Earth had appeared in Water. When I notice these connections I want to go back and read the previous book(s) again – and then I notice things I have missed. All the connections make you think of the repercussions that can arise from an earlier choice.

I can't wait for the final book in the series, Air.

This is by far the most shocking book so far in the Elements quartet. The series explores the impact of sexual abuse from interesting and surprising angles and this novel goes to entirely new dark and twisted places. This is really tough and upsetting to read. But this is not gratuitous, as Boyne explores evil and whether it is born with a person or caused by trauma inflicted on them. I enjoyed the way Boyne plays with who society expects to be good and bad and how these labels are exactly what can help an abuser hide in plain sight. This quartet is intelligent and thought-provoking and I look forward to the final novel, Air.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This third book in John Boyne’s acclaimed Elements quartet is by far the most disturbing – and unfortunately the least convincing. His main theme is the same – rape and abuse, the consequences for all concerned, and how the abused can become the abuser – but here he takes it one step too far and stretches both credibility and credulity. It’s not necessary to have read the two earlier novels, although I recommend doing so, not least as incidents and characters reoccur, but also to see how any nuance has now disappeared and the perpetrator in Fire is simply too extreme to be believed. Freya Petrus is a successful and renowned consultant and surgeon in a burns unit, leading an apparently enviable life. But she is deeply damaged by what happened to her at the hands of two teenage boys when she was 12 and has spent her life taking revenge for the hurt she suffered. She does this by destroying the lives and well-being of any teenage boy she can persuade to fall to her charms and exults in their downfall. She suggests that she has managed to wreak her vengeance on possibly hundreds of innocent young boys – which begs the question how she manages to get away with it for so long, considering the boys’ ages. Did not one of them report her? Yes, I know we have become used to stories of such abuse not being called out on, but nevertheless, it still seemed to me to be unlikely. Freya is a deeply unsympathetic character and any sympathy we might have had for her due to her earlier experience of abuse soon dissipates in the almost farcical way she punishes others for her own hurt. In the earlier books the reader could have some modicum of understanding as to why the perpetrators acted as they did. Their crimes are familiar. Here there is no understanding, just revulsion. I also found the actual abuse she suffered, with one particular incident being again almost farcical, not conveyed convincingly enough. Overall I feel that Boyne could have usefully reined in his imagination to better effect, and thereby created a more powerful narrative.

Freya is a successful, respected surgeon working in a hospital burns unit. She's unmarried, childless and lives life her own way. She drives an expensive car and home is a fancy apartment in an affluent development. To outward appearances she's a strong, independent woman. However, as a child she experienced a trauma. The question now is: did that trauma shape her into the person she's become or was it always her destiny regardless? Inside Freya there's a darkness that's cruel and dangerous.

Fire is the third novella in John Boyne's 'Elements' series and my favourite to date. The theme of nurture versus nature is explored. Freya is a fascinating character who appears to be paying the world back for what happened to her as a child. She knows her actions are illegal and abusive but has a craving inside that can't be satiated. The novella is excellent. Boyne has a knack of sucking you in until you're completely immersed. The story is immensely disturbing yet totally gripping. A fantastic read.

I had read and enjoyed Water and did not see the second book Earth come out so I read tgis one, Fire out of order but I would suggest that doesnt matter. I HADNT realised there was actually a connection at all.
John Boyne gets better all the time. The novels immerse the reader in a little piece of the world that seems absolutely real and absorbing. Without flowery description he manages to set scenes and hold the reader in a landscape as realistic as any around you. The main protagonist here is a complex character and readers may feel she is very unsympathetic but she is interesting for all that. And what a topic to pick right now with gender critical discussions abounding, cries of misogyny rampant, he could have thought this topic would be too incendiary for the times. But like any decent writer he wrote it anyway and forces us to consider how we feel about things this way around. It isnt comfortable but it is compelling.

I found this to be an incredibly difficult and unbelievably uncomfortable read. This is by far the darkest of all the Elements books so far but still fantastically written and without a doubt a 5 star read. I love this series, how it makes you think about stuff you’d really prefer not to, but that they’re short enough not to completely overwhelm you. Can’t wait for Air to be published in 2025 although gutted the series will then be over!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I am a massive fan of John Boyne and of the other novellas in this quartet so was over the moon to have been approved to read Fire on NetGalley. It did not disappoint and I read it all in one sitting. Boyne‘s writing style is addictive, always leaving you wanting more, both from chapter to chapter and beyond the final page. Fire follows Freya, a talented young burn-trauma surgeon, and asks the question as to whether at all or to what extent trauma justifies trauma. It is a fantastic exploration of the roles of victim and perpetrator, of guilt and of justice in continuation of these themes‘ exploration in Earth and Water. I cannot wait to see what Air will bring in May 2025!

Fire tells the story of Freya who is linked to the second in the series: Earth as she was on the jury during the court case. Freya is a burns specialist in a hospital so we see her in her everyday life helping those with severe burns but also she holds quite a secret about a little hobby she indulges in her spare time.

I love these little novels and how their theme is always engrained into the character perhaps with their profession or even, as in the case of Earth, in their dreams and aspirations. They're a character study into motives and traumas, a deep dive into the life of strange individuals that escape the island or run to the island that was described in the first novella.

A fascinating character driven novel, my favourite kind and the added bonus is they're always short enough to keep your interest!

Astonishingly brave in the writing, unbearably challenging in the reading

I have completely surrendered and adored the exploration and the journey with the central and peripheral characters in the first two novels of this elemental quartet, Water and Earth. In them, Boyne is exploring the effects of family and cultural trauma, particularly the effects of abuse, and especially sexual abuse.

What links each book, although each follows the story of a different individual, is that there will be a character from one book – who may be fairly peripheral in the trajectory of the protagonists story, who becomes the major narrative we follow in a subsequent book. And the ‘element’ which gives each book its title will play some kind of central focus.

For example ‘Water’ involved the story around a swimming coach, and also, was even more present in the fact the location was a small island off the Irish coast where the central character had come to live.

Fire, this book, has as its central character a surgeon who works in a burns unit. She was an absolutely peripheral character in the previous element ‘Burns’ as she was a jury member in the trial of a central character in ‘Earth’, who had had a more explored linking journey in ‘Water’

Boyne, in these books, is challenging our compassion, challenging our understanding, challenging our moral compasses. The central individuals make choices, some of which could be regarded as reprehensible, but, certainly in Water and Earth, are probably easier to understand, and to hold some empathy with, for our flawed individuals. Boyne takes us on a walk through some very dark places indeed, but places of some redemption

Fire is very different. Freya, our central character, compassionately and skilfully working to heal her patients, damaged by dreadful injury and trauma is a woman of quite horrific pathology. She has chosen a path of unforgiveable darkness, for I would think, pretty well every reader.

But – Freya herself suffered traumatic abuse in her formative years. The perpetrators were outside her family. The nature of evil itself, from whence it arises, whether it is innate and inherent, or given rise to from the effects of being a victim of trauma , and indeed, how trauma feeds down through generations. Victims becoming in turn perpetrators of abuse. This is something which is inevitably dreadfully pertinent, particularly when we think globally, in terms of conflict.

I really did not ‘enjoy’ this one at all. On one level it felt like the stuff of schlocky and gratuitous twisted psychological crime fiction, a kind of horrified fascination with serial killers, where we pruriently follow the click-bait of such stories, whether true crime or novels about such characters. However – this is Boyne, and Boyne always has some ability to help us find the edges of compassion for ‘other’

Freya is monstrous, for sure. Was she born, was she made so by her own experience of trauma. How young does culpability start? There are obviously, many (sadly) ‘real life’ stories, both from the more immediate present and the recent path, where perpetrators are themselves minors. I read this some time ago, as an ARC, and remain extremely challenged and discomfited by it To be honest, no ‘rating’ seems appropriate

I absolutely loved Fire by John Boyne. It stands out in the mystery genre, not just for its compelling plot, but for its deep exploration of psychological trauma, particularly the lingering effects of childhood abuse and rape. Boyne takes a unique approach, focusing not just on the crime itself but on the emotional and mental aftermath that shapes the characters' lives. The book’s slow-burning tension and complex portrayal of trauma make it a much more introspective and impactful read than typical mystery novels, leaving a lasting impression long after the final page.

Freya is a beautiful and accomplished surgeon in a burns unit but who she is, both personally and professionally, has been shaped by some dark and terrible secrets from her past. In one aspect of her life, these events have shaped her into a dedicated and talented professional. In the other, they have turned her into a monster taking revenge on innocent victims in order to deal with a horrible trauma from our past. John Boyne has woven a compelling story of how trauma can create further trauma and created a compelling but horrible protagonist in Freya. This is part of a quartet of novellas based on the four elements but works well on its own, I have read only one of the other books - Water - which is referenced in this book but look forward to reading all four together when they are published.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The third in a series of novellas titled after and featuring the four elements of matter. There’s a thread that runs through them, linking them together, but each carries a story of its own. In this instalment, we are introduced to Freya, a surgeon specialising in skin grafts. She lives a solitary life, refusing to develop close relationships either at work or beyond. But gradually, we are to learn that her behaviour, in fact her whole outlook on life, might stem back to an episode in her past. Either way, it becomes clear that Freya is a very scary character.

So is she who she is as a result of a gratuitous act perpetrated upon her? Or perhaps she who she is because she’s inherited genes from a selfish, uncaring mother and an unknown father who abandoned her before she was even born? It’s a question for the ages. What I do know is that this tale is one that I read in a single sitting: I couldn’t put it down, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. To me, it’s the finest offering in what is an excellent series of stories.

This is the third instalment in the Elements quartet and is just as dark and compelling as its predecessors. As with the two previous novellas the overriding theme is abuse and the ramifications it has; not just for the abused and the abuser but their families, communities and society.

This time around we are asked to consider the age old question of nature vs nurture and what role it plays in abuse. The central character Freya, a character we briefly met at the end of Earth, is a complex one. She is a victim, as a child she was neglected and abused. As an adult she is a burns specialist, who makes a positive difference to her patient’s lives on a daily basis. Boyne asks us to consider if these facts go some way to explain or mitigate the person she has become.

As with the two previous stories, John Boyne hints that you are heading towards something disturbing and uncomfortable and when the realisation hits, you are gripped and can’t look away. I found this one the most distressing of the three to read, which I think was due to a connection I made with one of the characters that I then couldn’t disconnect from. It won’t be the same for every reader but I would urge caution before heading in.

I appreciated the links back to the previous two novellas, which I won’t give away but we get to find out how some of the earlier character’s lives have progressed. I felt that the threads that bind the books are starting to come together and I’m looking forward to the last instalment and seeing the complete picture.

This is the third book in John Boyne’s Elements quartet and it’s the darkest and most powerful so far. Each book can be read as a standalone story, but if you’ve read the previous two – Water and Earth – you’ll see some links between the characters and plots. I would still recommend reading them in order if possible, although it’s not essential.

Fire, like the other books, is novella-length – in this case 163 pages – but as usual, Boyne manages to pack a huge amount into those pages, more than you would often find in a much longer novel. Our narrator this time is Freya Petrus, a renowned surgeon who works with burns and skin grafts. She’s only in her thirties but has already established herself as one of the best in her field. What Freya gets up to in her private life, however, is much less admirable…in fact, it’s horrible. To understand what has made her the person she is – both the good side and the bad – we have to go back to Freya’s childhood and witness the traumatic experiences that shaped her future.

It’s difficult to really discuss the issues a book like this raises without spoiling things, so I’ll just say that what Freya experiences as a child leaves her badly damaged and, in her mind, justifies the harm she does to other people as an adult. I did have some sympathy for the young Freya, but that was surpassed by the loathing I felt for the older Freya. John Boyne is never afraid to tackle unpleasant and controversial subjects in his books, but the things Freya does are particularly shocking and I found it a very uncomfortable book to read. It’s also fascinating and completely gripping, so I do recommend it as long as you’re prepared!

As with the themes of water and earth in the previous two books, the element of fire plays a part in this one in several different ways: not only does Freya work with victims of fire, it could be said that she’s also playing with fire in her personal life. Other important themes running through the story include the question of nature versus nurture and which has the biggest role in forming our character, the level of responsibility each of us has to do what we know is right, and the different expectations society has of men and women. It’s a book that leaves you with a lot to think about after reaching the final page.

Although each book in this quartet does work on its own, a minor character from each one becomes the main protagonist of the next. It seems that Aaron, who works with Freya at the hospital, is going to be the star of the final book, Air. It will be published in May 2025 and I’m looking forward to seeing how Boyne brings the series to an end.

The third of the elements quartet, the story of Freya is dark and disturbing. Themes of sexual assault weave through all these books and Fire is the most unsettling yet. The ramifications of child abuse on the victims, their families, the perpetrators’ families but most of all on the survivors are laid out before us. Freya’s story is devastating. A brilliant novella. Look forward to where Air will take us.

Fire follows consultant burns doctor Freya’s story. A highly successful doctor with a hidden deeply dark and disturbing past, which plays a pivotal role in the woman she has become.
John Boyne is truly remarkable; he shies away from nothing, tackling highly emotive topics head on; and this novella certainly shakes up the stereotypical narrative and tackles a truly uncomfortable theme. This is a truly challenging read in that you feel totally unsettled and disturbed reading it, yet it is absolutely compelling and unputdownable. One to read and discuss with a friend.
I can’t wait for the final book in the quartet, Air
Huge thanks to the publisher, Random House UK, Transworld and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for a review.

Fire by John Boyne
I give this book 5 stars

On the face of it, Freya lives a gilded existence, dancing solely to her own tune. But it wasn’t always like this. Hers is a life founded on darkness.
Did what happened to Freya as a child one fateful summer influence the adult she would become – or was she always destined to be that person?

This is the 3rd book I’ve read in this novella quartet by John Boyne. It is also the darkest and triggers need to be taken into account. The nature versus nurture question comes strongly into play and forces you to think about the stark moral intricacies.The authors writing style boldly stands out and the nuanced character development draws you in, I found myself absorbed in it.The subject matter is disturbing and unsettling but this master storyteller still manages to make it so readable which I find an outstanding talent.
This novella packs a powerful punch that will provoke discussion and has kept me thinking about it long after I finished it. I can’t wait to read Air!
With thanks to Netgalley, John Boyne and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Doubleday for my chance to read and review this book.