Inadequately parented, abused and tormented by evil twins in her childhood, Freya takes her revenge over and over again, seeking the most vulnerable as her victims. She's cold, calculating, fascinating and totally unlikeable.

From the very first page this novella is full of tension, escalating into a thoroughly chilling and disturbing narrative. It's short, tightly written, gripping, and there's a big question left hanging at the end. This would be perfect reading group material - challenging and thought-provoking.

The third in John Boyne’s novella series, Fire follows Freya, already an eminent surgeon at thirty-six, living alone in a luxurious flat, once the home of a footballer who she helped convict of rape as a jurist. Her success is admirable given her rackety childhood and the ordeal she underwent aged twelve at the hands of fourteen-year-old twins who’d spent the summer abusing her culminating in burying her for a night, afraid that she was about to reveal what they’d done. The scars of that summer have resulted in a toxic fallout of revenge perpetrated over years, a cycle which she seems incapable of escaping.
Abuse is the overarching theme of Boyne’s series. The first instalment, Water, explored the idea of collusion with Willow happy to enjoy the trappings of her husband’s job while blinding herself to his behaviour. In this instalment, Boyne asks whether abusers are born or made, addressing the question of female abusers and the devastating legacy of abuse. His narrative flashes back and forth between the present day and the summer of Freya’s ordeal, quickening the pace as events play out. It’s a gripping piece of fiction which, like the others in this powerful series, leaves its readers with much to think about.

I've preiously read Water and Earth from this series and was excited to be contacted by the publisher offering me a chance to read the newest installment in Boyne's Elements series.
Fire is an intense, gripping read that catches you attention from the first page. The characters are well-developed which makes their struggles and emotions feel very real. This is a book that you think about long after finishing it. Defititely recommend this if you enjoy thought-provoking, emotionally charged short stories.

I'm a huge fan of John Boyne so to get access to this ARC is a miracle for me. Thank you to Netgalley, John Boyne and the publisher for allowing me this.

The Elements series Boyne has written is out of this world. It was an uncomfortable read at times but I think the concept is eye opening, unique and intriguing. I was hooked from page one. I didn't want to put it down.

Where do I start? It's taken me a couple of weeks to review this story because I couldn't quite get my thoughts in order.

The content for Fire is dark and really twisted, but strangely, I couldn't stop reading. I could both sympathise with the protagonist and what she went through as a child and at the same time be disgusted by her too, so I had very complex emotions reading this story.

I'm looking forward (or am I) to seeing what's in store for the final story in this series, as they seem to be getting darker and darker.

I have devoured these short stories by Johan no this was no exception. It is cleverly linked to the previous “Elements” stories and also works as a standalone.

Freya has a great life….now. Her childhood was haunted by events beyond her control. Now as a successful professional, she makes choices. Bad choices, choices that can burn her…..

Highly recommend this series,

I very much enjoyed - if that is the right word - the previous books in this collection. The subject matter makes this a difficult read. In the previous books people have done wrong but there is an attempt to understand what and how the wrong occurred, and in some cases there is an element of sympathy. However this time the wrongdoer is not at all likeable, and I found myself cringing as the plot develops. That is not to say that I don't thoroughly recommend this book, it is a great read, just expect to feel quite uncomfortable.

Freya is a successful doctor, specialising in burns victims. She is living a privileged life in London but the events of her childhood have filled her with cruelty, or maybe she was born that way?

It’s been described as an uncomfortable read and I can very much see why, it was a hard going at times but at the same time I couldn’t put it down, quite literally as I read it in one go.

As always Boyne’s writing is superb.
I enjoyed the links with the previous two books in the series and how he continues so cleverly to explore the blurred lines between victim and villain, but would definitely recommend looking into the TW for this before picking this one up

John Boyne’s Elements quartet is developing into an extraordinarily powerful and moving reading experience. Thematic threads of culpability and collusion run through the novellas and characters reappear who have not necessarily been centre stage in the previous stories but whose lives have been changed nonetheless.

In ‘Fire’, Boyne gives us a woman, Freya - ironically, it turns out, a respected burns surgeon - who is both terrifying and destructive as she systematically enacts revenge for her abusive childhood. Boyne’s writing allows us to be disgusted by her whilst also pitying her for the horrors she has suffered. Through the structure of the narrative, whilst we learn, early on, that she was neglected as a child, we do not really understand what damage was done until towards the end of the story.

‘Fire’ is the most emotionally difficult read of this series so far. (And let’s hope that ‘Air’ doesn’t prove to be even more so!) Boyne’s focus is on the damage done to children from which they will never recover. He explores the appalling personal choices one woman makes because of this, whilst also being lauded professionally for her medical skills. In short, she believes that every decision she makes will ensure that, never again, will she feel powerless and terrified. A complex, devastating read, brilliantly told.

My thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review

This is an excellent book - the third in this series of four. Like the others it explores the effects of sexual abuse - both on the victims and the perpetrators and considers the complexities of both. I have deducted a star simply because I found it a tough tough read - in fact at one point I decided not to finish it but then did read on as I felt there may be some redemption later on.

I don't want to give away the plot but this novel focuses more on the perpetrator than the victim. There are some link characters with the previous books and one character in this is to be the main focus of the next. But they can be read independently.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.

I had read Water, and it was grippingly bleak but Fire is even darker. As always with this author, you’re left to make your own judgements on complex and uncomfortable situations but this instalment in the Elements quartet felt a little forced to me. Almost tabloid-y in its insistence on the sickness at the heart of 90% of the characters.
It’s propulsive- I finished it in a day. But it just felt brutal with almost none of the heart and hope of Water.

Fire is the third instalment in the gripping Elements quartet, it explores the dark and disturbing life of Freya, a successful burns surgeon. This novella is NOT for the faint of heart—it tackles issues of trauma, abuse, and moral ambiguity that could be triggering for some readers.

Fire is a powerful and thought-provoking book, it’s perfect for readers who appreciate dark psychological reads, it is however also an unsettling read.

This is an absolute masterpiece. The third of three novellas all standalone but with a common thread. John Boyne is so talented and if I could give this a bonus star I would. I’d recommend reading the first two in this series and then await the final book! Whilst waiting read The Heart’s Invisible Furies as that is another unbelievable book. It’s a long one and an absolute must.

Oof, yet another one in this series which I don’t really know how to rate. I’ve given it four stars but.. they are four rancid stars. What a tough read. If you enjoyed/could stomach ‘Tampa’, you’ll enjoy/be able to stomach this.

I’m a massive fan of John Boyne and enjoyed the first two novels in his quartet but this one I found quite difficult. The writing is excellent as always but the subject matter was dark and I found it hard to read. Freya has been traumatised as a youngster but her subsequent actions are awful and naturally I had no sympathy for her character.
I would advise being aware of the subject matter before reading this as it might trigger some people.

This is the third book in The Quartet series by John Boyne as was equally as powerful as the other two.
Freya experienced a lot of trauma as a twelve year old and now works as a surgeon in a burns unit.
Did she become the adult she was due to this trauma alone or would she always have turned out like she did. Disturbing but very thought provoking which I read in one sitting

This felt to me like the author was having a lot of fun. There is the recognisable condescension in the voice of the MC, a trademark of John Boyne's books. We really get a feeling for Freya quickly and despite her actions, we can see the reasons behind them. It was an interesting read. It was one I kept wanting to dislike because of the subject but it was done really well. I think this will be a love it or hate it part of this series for people. The ending was excellent.

This is a novel with a horrible darkness at its centre. I found it difficult to keep reading because of the content. The writing is assured as always with this author. It was the main character’s narration and her self justification that was so wrong that I expect some will enjoy this. And it gradually got darker and darker until the ending, which I had partly anticipated.
Be prepared. This novel could trigger. I am not going to say more because of spoilers.

I read a proof copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

The third in the "elements" novella series by John Boyne - and this has been the hardest read so far. Fire is the story of Freya, on the surface a successful surgeon specialising in burns. However, outside of work her life has a very dark side - she is, quite bluntly, a paedophile. She attributes her behaviour on traumatic events in her childhood where she was harmed by 2 teenage boys. The main characters in these novellas are definitely getting harder and harder to like! But the writing is compelling and they are real page turners. Am very much looking to the final instalment now.

am big fan of this authors writing and have read the other three books in this series recently. Earth water and Air .When the publisher emailed to say I could access the book on NetGalley, it went straight to the top of my to be read pile.
The story follows a female consultant surgeon working on a burns unit . She has everything he would expect from a successful professional a good career beautiful Home and presumably a reasonable amount of money. however, she has a side to her personality and stalks and sexually abuses teenage boys . I liked the clear dichotomy between her personality as a thoughtful, caring doctor and this unexpected predatory behaviour
I enjoy the authors writing style his prose is easy to read and his stories concise and well developed
I did, however find the end a little unsatisfactory
I didn’t like this novel as well as the other three books in the series and can’t really put my finger on why . Perhaps it’s because I know so many doctors and find it difficult to imagine any of them behaving like her
I read an early copy of the novel. The novel is released in the UK on the 7th of November 2024 published by Random House UK Transworld publishers.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads and my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com. After publication will also appear on Amazon UK.