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.

How do you want a book to make you feel? How you answer that question will determine whether you will 'enjoy' this book or not.

I read two excellent reviews of Fire before I read the book. One of them rated this very highly and spoke about it in 'glowing' terms - no pun intended! One of them was by a reviewer who seemed fairly devastated by her read. It struck me what very different experiences we seek in a book. Her review made me nervous to start this book.

Freya is a burns specialist. She treats the casualties who arrive in A&E with terrible wounds and trauma after incidents - accidental and intentional. She lives alone; is aloof, but professional. What attracted her to a less popular specialism and lies behind her solitariness is unpicked in this devastating and unsettling novella which is the third in the series by John Boyne. I haven’t read Water, but I have read Earth. Characters from Earth are referred to in the story and I would advise you to read that first because there are significant plot developments in Fire.

Boyne is an incredible writer and he has crafted a tight but dark novella which leaves the reader feeling really uncomfortable. Burns are not pretty and neither is the narrative which unravels about Freya’s childhood and how this trauma has shaped her adult life. Given the slightness of the book Boyne manages to explore some pretty big themes: justice and how it is administered; the impact of childhood neglect on cognitive, personality and life outcomes and as a contributor to paedophilia.
If you like dark and troubled reads, this is for you. This is the story of someone who experienced the most terrible of childhoods and one has to wonder how you could survive that. Does that excuse everything, and how much does it excuse. This is taut, compelling and brilliantly written and we can see Boyne tightening up the threads of his series.

However, whilst I adored Hearts Invisible Furies and I will never forget characters like Cyril or this wonderful book. I really hope that I can forget everything I witnessed in Fire. I advise you to check out the multiple trigger warnings if you like a heads up!

I didn't know how many stars to give this. Whilst I think it is brilliantly written I think that it is a hugely disturbing book and one which really wasn't for me.
Many thanks to Random House and Netgalley for my copy of this book.

This is the third part of John Boyne’s “Elements Quartet”. Both “Water” (2023) and “Earth” (2024) I’ve rated five stars so I was obviously eagerly anticipating this. He’s done it again! This is another first class read, he challenges all my feelings about short novels with this perfectly formed and totally engrossing work. There are links to both its predecessors but nothing that would stop this working just as well as a stand-alone.

The first-person narration is Freya Petrus, in her mid 30s and a successful and seemingly highly professional surgeon in a Burns department in a hospital. She has a good relationship with her Senior Nurse Practitioner, Louise, who is approaching retirement and a more frosty one with Aaron, a medical student who is shadowing her. The opening sentence of the novel packs a punch which shows that though there may be hospital-based drama within the work, the world outside the establishment, and particularly the past will have a huge part to play. The author opens with;

“When I was twelve years old, I was buried alive within the grounds of a construction site.”

Bang! We’re away! It’s a short novel and John Boyne wastes no time. I could have so easily read this in a single sitting rather than rationing myself over a couple of days as the tale is so involving and the author once again proves what a magnificent story-teller he is. The element, Fire, is woven in neatly throughout. I’m saying no more about the plot but cannot wait for the fourth novel in this sequence which looks like it will focus on a character who makes an appearance here.

“Fire” is published in hardback by Doubleday Books on 7th November. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

The third in the Elements quartet, Fire introduces us to Freya, the most complicated and possibly dangerous character to date. On the surface she has it all, a renowned surgeon specialising in burns victims however she is a solitary individual avoiding relationships with neither family nor friends. Her character may have developed from an incident in her childhood while on holidays and this she justifies the actions she takes as revenge.
Plenty of twists and turns in this book that you just cannot see coming.

An excellent book well worth a read, can’t wait for Air.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley.co.uk for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This is the third book in the Elements series (we stared with Water and Earth) and although it's more a group of interconnected books this one does refer back to things that happened in one of the previous ones so, tbh, I would still read in order.
In this book we meet Freya who is a well respected burn surgeon who treats her patients with the utmost respect. Well, that is the face she displays to everyone. The truth is actually, well, without spoiling anything, quite horrible.
As well as following her quite sordid present, we also delve into her past. Her relationships with her mother and grandmother and what happened that summer when she went to stay with her mother and met the twins. Which then starts to examine the ago-old philosophy of "nature or nurture" to figure out what shaped Freya into the woman she is today... did she ever have a chance?
I love these books. They are all only quite short, novellas I guess. But they are exactly the right length to impart what the author wants to give the reader. Which, in my case anyway, also leaves enough to keep pondering on beyond the final page. Did knowing what I now know about what happened to Freya in her childhood change the way that I felt about what she became? Is she herself also a victim? But then, many people have had bad childhoods and not all turn out to be as she did? Is there still a point of redemption, a place in her life where she could have changed path?
All things that are still going round my head days after finishing...
Which, I believe, is the sign of a great author...
It's not a comfortable read, but you'll know that if you have already read the previous two books. But it's compelling and gripping nonetheless and, with the twist in the tail that the author delivers towards the end, it really does pack a punch.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I loved the first two books in the "elements" series and this one is just as good. John Boyne is such a talented writer that, although this is a short book, he is able to really bring its characters to life - sometimes in horrific detail. I must admit I worried about turning the page at times to confront Freya's past and present but felt compelled to find out
Although this could easily be read as a stand alone book, I particularly enjoyed the references to characters in the previous books and their effect on Rebecca and Freya in particular. Can't wait for the next one
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

‘Fire’ is the third in John Boyne's "Elements" series after ‘Water’ and ‘Earth’. Once again Boyne delves deep into the themes of "guilt, complicity and grief". I would be hard-pressed to separate these three wonderful novels if forced to rank them. In many subtle ways however these are gloriously different novels, which means that readers can enjoy them individually without having read any of the others. As usual the prose and storytelling is off the highest quality. Highly recommended. Special thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

John Boyne"s latest novel in his Elements series, the third, is the story of Freya, an abusive relationship, and of her story of survival. This a powerful, short novel, which packs quite the punch despite its brevity.

As with all the novels in the Elements series so far, Boyne is tackling big, weighty issues and is not afraid of shying away from the darkness. Of the three novels so far - none of which are connected - this one to me has been the most successful. Not that the others are not worth your time - they really are - but something about this one got under my skin.

As expected with Boyne, the writing is excellent, and the novel clips along very quickly. I read it in one short sitting, drawn along, and feeling quite moved by the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I received an ARC of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have read many books by this author and he is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. He manages to tie up multiple narrative lines in a small book in a way that outshines many who produce a book three times the size of this one. Freya is one person on the outside and quite another internally. There were parts of the book which were very uncomfortable to read - but not to the extent that I wanted to put it down. Where her exterior and internal personalities collide she is a very interesting character to watch. Where she gets her comeuppance and how it plays out came to me as a total surprise.

I can't wait for my next Boyne Book

Fire tells the story of Freya, a surgeon specialising in burn victims. As a victim herself, Freya cannot move past her own childhood experiences and seeks vengeance on the perpetrators of her trauma: fourteen year old boys.

Brilliant and shocking, Fire is not an easy read, but a compelling study on trauma and vengeance. Topics covered in this short novel are tough but fascinating as John Boyne turns Freya from victim to perpetrator. I love Boyne’s work and I would highly recommend this book, and others in his Elements series to his fans and anyone looking for a morally complicated and well-written read.

Fire is the 3rd book in John Boyne’s Elements series. I personally recommend reading them in order because some of the characters do overlap.

The story centres around Freya who we briefly met in Earth during the court case. She is a well-respected doctor who specializes in burns and skin grafts. She has spent her career building up a reputation as one of the best surgeons in this field.

Something traumatic and horrific happened to her in her youth, which has affected her in a very dark and disturbing way.

This short story of 176 pages is possibly the most disturbing of the series so far. It’s harrowing, uncomfortable and deeply traumatic.

This book is shocking. It probably should come with a trigger warning. The topics of child abuse, rape, and child sexual assault are covered throughout the book.

Another powerful, deeply disturbing story and I can’t wait for the final book Air in this series.

Book #3 in the elements series and it didn’t disappoint. I was engrossed from the first page. An intense dark powerful psychological thriller. I couldn’t put it down. I loved it.
Following the story of Freya, a successful surgeon specialising in skin graft. But she also has a darker predatory side to her character. It explores the effects of child abuse and sexual abuse. Told from Freya’s POV and in two timelines, her adolescence and the present day. A compelling short story that packs a punch.
I love the authors writing style. It’s easy to read and the story is concise and brilliantly written. Freya’s character is fascinating. I liked the links between characters from previous books which are clearly tied into the story.
It’s a real page turner and I look forward to reading the final instalment @johnboyneauthor
Definitely recommend this book. It’s well worth the read.
With thanks to #NetGallery #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers for an arc of #Fire in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 7 November 2024.

“When I was twelve years old, I was buried alive within the grounds of a construction site.”

Freya, a surgeon specialising in skin grafts, tells us this disturbing fact right at the start of this book. She grew up neglected. Her mother gave her to her grandmother but none of them cared for her. During the summer she stays with her mother but she is always only interested in her current boyfriend and Freya is left on her own. One summer she meets twin brothers two years her senior. They abused her and put her in a coffin like box and buried her for several hours. This cruel “game” changed Freya forever and initiated something inside her. As an adult she leads a solitary life. She is good at her job but she lacks social skills. And she has a dark secret.

Freya is one of the most abhorrent characters I ever encountered in a book. Thinking of her makes me shiver. But that makes her fascinating, too. She is a victim but also a perpetrator. She is the narrator of her story and she justifies her actions with what happened to her when she was twelve. She is a psychopath, that’s out of the question. But was she born that way or did her sad life made her into one? And are her actions, her despicable crimes, justified somehow. At first, I felt pity for Freya. She was a lonely and unloved child and was traumatized by the hand of the twins. I still had to learn what she was doing in her free time. But as soon as I figure out what she is doing I was mortified. And my pity turned into appal.

This is the third book in a series by John Boyne which are loosely connected. I enjoyed the two other books but this one is something else. It is a short read and I hardly could put it down. It is compelling and disturbing, it chilled me to the bone and left me speechless. Freya has such a darkness, an abyss, inside her and she is almost careless and arrogant about it. It makes her blind to the fact that it can come back to get her. I am afraid Freya will stay in my thoughts for a long time.

I am an avid reader since my childhood and sometimes I think I’ve seen it all. But then a book comes along that can still surprise me. This is one of those. I would not say I love it (because of its topic) but it surely impressed me. It is one of the best books I’ve read in the last years.

My god! Best of the series so far, horrific and powerful writing.

This series has already been dark. With each Element tangentially connected to the previous, this shows that skill exquisitely with multiple strands linking the characters and stories that I was not expecting.

And boy, is this dark. I already knew from the second book which character would be the focus in Fire, but I did not think, even knowing Boyne's writing, just how dark he would go.

Everything about this was painful to read, once we'd seen past the veneer of burns specialist Freya's outer life. I am loathe to say more as the reveals in this, much like in The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas are half of the power of this book, not knowing a thing about what he's about to hit you with.

After seeing Freya and her intern spot a case of abuse in a patient's family, where we think we understand her character, we soon descend into a 'why?' and 'how did this happen?' and Boyne does not let us down in his slow recreation of earlier events in the doctor's life.

Oh boy did this punch me. I both didn't want to read and had to carry on. The absolute opposite of a warm and fuzzy beach read, you will need to be prepared for pain and hurt and tears here, though readers of Boyne will have their loins girded already.

Unbelievably good writing, reveals and characterisation, these are just the right length as well. I'm already dreading with anticipation the final book in the series in a few months time.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

A dark and disturbing story, the third in the Elements series. Burns consultant Freya saves lives, her healing skills world class. Beneath that icy exterior and professional talent is a woman whose childhood was tainted by abuse and leads her as an adult to preform terrible crimes. John Boyne tackles the theme of sexual abuse by women eloquently and intensely. I enjoyed the novella very much and look forward to reading the next in sequence.

After Earth & Water, John Boyne gives us a darker story through FIRE.be
TW: sexual abuse

Follow Dr Freya Petrus, a beautiful talented surgeon at the burn unit with great reputation, but behind that great reputation, she has a very dark side within her life. This story got into me very hard, and at the beginning, I really disliked Freya for what she did. But what happened to Freya when she was twelve years old, the trauma she experienced, made her as she is now. And, in the end it’s impossible not to feel so sorry for her,

This is the third book in John Boyne's Elements Quartet, and I read this in one sitting as  it's incredibly gripping with the subject matter, which is rather unsettling.
This is a story about the perpetrator but also a loud screaming from a damaged victim. At the end of the book, you will wonder if it is nurture or nature that makes a person who and what they are.

I loved how the book linked with the other 2 in the series (but can be read as stand alone), and I am eagerly awaiting the final instalment.

As the third in the John Boyne Elements quartet Fire is not a comfortable read. Told from the point of view of Freya a successful doctor and specialist in burns we learn of her childhood and how that appears to have affected the decisions she makes now in her personal life. A difficult book to review as spoilers would hinder the ‘enjoyment’ of this novel. The story once again deals with abuse and the role that nature versus nurture takes in behaviour and decisions that are made by the characters. As already stated this is not a comfortable read at times and I really wanted a friend with whom I could discuss the issues raised. This book as well as the others in this quartet is not afraid to deal with difficult and often taboo themes and topics. It could be read as a standalone but I think probably best read with the others in the series as threads and characters do appear in several of the books. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

Fire

Dr Freya Petrus is a renowned surgeon who works in a burns unit within the NHS. On the day that we meet her, she has to use the lift which she hates due to a fear of enclosed spaces. As the first sentence of the book says:
‘When I was twelve years old, I was buried alive within the grounds of a construction site.’
Louise, the most senior nurse practitioner and her only friend is about to retire and she feels unsettled and hostile towards, Aaron, the medical student who is on a 3 month elective on her team.
She sees her patients: Vital a 4 year old child who, with his father, is the victim of domestic abuse and others with horrific, life changing injuries. As she goes through her busy day she remembers Arthur and Pascoe Kitto, the 14 year old twins from the big house in Cornwall where she spent her summers while growing up. A nuisance to her single parent mum, Beth, and to her grandmother, Hannah, in Norfolk, she is easily taken advantage of by the twins. When she threatens to tell on them, they take revenge. And so does she in a far more deadly way and then again in one that has reverberated throughout her adult life. As she says of her victims:
‘I just want to destroy their chances of ever forming happy, healthy relationships in the future.’
And then her past catches up with her in a disturbing twist and leads to a cliffhanger ending. But was it the events of the past that made Freya or was she born like that?
This is the third part of the Elements quartet and its certainly the darkest. But, unlike the others, the reader sees it from the perpetrators viewpoint as she resorts to violent and extreme methods of revenge. In ‘Water’ and ‘Earth’ the characters are observers of horrific crimes, with the perpetrators as victims as well as guilty. I knew that it would not end well for Evan Keogh.
And yet Freya is also a victim as well as a perpetrator and the author explores this paradox in ‘Fire’. Freya is taking revenge on the world for what happened to her as a young girl and, as a reader, I felt appalled and also sympathetic towards her. It’s not an easy read by any means and yet it was the most memorable.
The echoes of the previous books in the Elements quartet appear in ‘Fire’, Freya lives in the upmarket flat once owned by Evan Keogh, the footballer who committed suicide in prison after being involved in a rape case with a teammate. And Rebecca, the daughter of a disgraced swimming coach also appears.
However, although the books are all self contained, reading them out of sequence would give spoilers to the other books. With Freya, I was thinking about what I would have done in the same situation – does what she is doing in her private life perpetuate what was done to her? Is it her background, although she becomes a high achiever, or something else within her?
This was a one sitting read as I read Freya’s story in absolute horror; a woman who seems to have everything, renown, respect, the material trappings of success and yet she was the darkest of all of the characters in the Elements books. In many ways I could admire her what she had achieved but also be shocked by her actions. Not a comfortable read and also a challenging one. But it was also the most powerful of the three elements books so far. I admired the writer for writing it.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

Fire is the third in this Elements series from John Boyne and this one really dials up the disturbing factor.

Burns specialist surgeon Freya is brilliant at her job, and she knows it. With that comes an arrogance and aloofness that keeps people at a distance, which is just how she like sit as it also leaves her free to dabble in a very dark and disturbing past time.

Weaving together a past and present story to try and go some way to explain Freya's actions, we also get glimpses of the two previous stories - Water and Earth and I really enjoyed how they were all subtly linked together.