geneticginger's review against another edition
4.0
Very easy read and extremely fascinating towards the end of the book.
cableguy13's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. The fact that Janeal's physical split is never explicitly explained is fine by me. And what better way for a characters different characteristics to war against each other than to be physically different? This makes it much more interesting than a lot of internal dialogue, and you get a real sense of the difference of the two women.
breasisson's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
bilbo_maggins96's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars.
"' Tragedy shows us what we really are... The truest, most comprehensive picture of what's at our core. And if we're truthful about what we learn, the path we must take afterward is usually pretty clear...'"
Burn was an interesting book. The plot was intriguing, and the secrets it held! They were amazing! There were a couple moments where my jaw wanted to drop. It was an incredible story. And the writing? It was fantastic! I love the way Ted Dekker and Erin Healy write (though I haven't read any of Erin Healy's solo novels, but her collaborations with Ted Dekker have been fantastic).
The characters on the other hand... There was incredible growth at the end for Janeal, but throughout a good 80-85% of the book I could not stand her. I think that was supposed to be the point, but still! She was so bratty at the beginning and only grew more selfish and self-centered as the book went on. Only at the end did she really show any growth. I liked Katie, I appreciated her kindness and her sweetness, and her dedication to her family. But even Robert I didn't really like. Mostly toward the beginning, as the book went on I liked him more, but still I didn't love his character. It was more like "eh, I guess he's okay." This has nothing to do with the writing, just with Robert's personality. I didn't like the way he treated Janeal in the beginning, yes she was a brat, but he could have handled it better. He said that he loved her, but he didn't act like it.
Anyway, there were many things I enjoyed about the book, thus the four stars, but there were also quite a few things I didn't like; which means this one won't make it to my favorites list. I enjoyed Kiss much better than Burn, but I'm still glad I read it.
I'd say if you're curious about it, definitely give it a try. It's worth the read I think, especially because of the writing and the insanely cool ideas that go on within the pages.
Rating: I'd say 16+. The target audience seems like it is for more mature readers, the characters are mostly in their thirties and such. Some of the themes are a little more mature. Abuse, violence, and references to sexual relationships. Nothing is actually shown in regard to the sexual relationships, but they are definitely hinted at as some of the characters mention having lovers and whatnot. There's no swearing either.
So take what you will from this, but if you give Burn a chance I hope that you enjoy it!
Happy reading, my friends!
"' Tragedy shows us what we really are... The truest, most comprehensive picture of what's at our core. And if we're truthful about what we learn, the path we must take afterward is usually pretty clear...'"
Burn was an interesting book. The plot was intriguing, and the secrets it held! They were amazing! There were a couple moments where my jaw wanted to drop. It was an incredible story. And the writing? It was fantastic! I love the way Ted Dekker and Erin Healy write (though I haven't read any of Erin Healy's solo novels, but her collaborations with Ted Dekker have been fantastic).
The characters on the other hand... There was incredible growth at the end for Janeal, but throughout a good 80-85% of the book I could not stand her. I think that was supposed to be the point, but still! She was so bratty at the beginning and only grew more selfish and self-centered as the book went on. Only at the end did she really show any growth. I liked Katie, I appreciated her kindness and her sweetness, and her dedication to her family. But even Robert I didn't really like. Mostly toward the beginning, as the book went on I liked him more, but still I didn't love his character. It was more like "eh, I guess he's okay." This has nothing to do with the writing, just with Robert's personality. I didn't like the way he treated Janeal in the beginning, yes she was a brat, but he could have handled it better. He said that he loved her, but he didn't act like it.
Anyway, there were many things I enjoyed about the book, thus the four stars, but there were also quite a few things I didn't like; which means this one won't make it to my favorites list. I enjoyed Kiss much better than Burn, but I'm still glad I read it.
I'd say if you're curious about it, definitely give it a try. It's worth the read I think, especially because of the writing and the insanely cool ideas that go on within the pages.
Rating: I'd say 16+. The target audience seems like it is for more mature readers, the characters are mostly in their thirties and such. Some of the themes are a little more mature. Abuse, violence, and references to sexual relationships. Nothing is actually shown in regard to the sexual relationships, but they are definitely hinted at as some of the characters mention having lovers and whatnot. There's no swearing either.
So take what you will from this, but if you give Burn a chance I hope that you enjoy it!
Happy reading, my friends!
bookworm_mommy's review against another edition
4.0
I am a pretty decent Ted Dekker fan. Not as much as my husband (who I had read one of Dekker's books while were dating and he's been hooked ever since), but I've read and been fascinated by most of his allegory works. The story in Burn was engaging. I read it quickly and enjoyed the story and the characters. I could feel Janeal's struggle throughout the text. I was a little disappointed by the end. If you are a fan of Dekker, you know there is always a big reveal that ties everything together and explains the allegory. I had set myself up for the disappointment, though, by not remember it was a co-authored book with Erin Healy. As she describes her stories, they are more fables. That is, stories that explore a character's choices. And had I kept that in mind, I would have avoided the disappointment. I appreciated the story and the true life lesson that undergirded it all.
jennifermreads's review
4.0
I am always reluctant to categorize Ted Dekker as a “Christian author” because this tends to close off a good many readers who are not eager to read preachy novels. This is not the best Ted Dekker novel I have read but, as usual, Dekker does a fair job of presenting moral dilemmas in a manner that makes one think without feeling “God shoved down one’s throat” – this title seems to ride that line of “preachy” more than some of his other titles. Maybe the “not his best” verdict comes because I am not clear on Healy’s artistic voice: I have not read the first novel that he wrote with Erin Healy, Kiss , and her first solo novel will publish in May 2010.
I continue to recommend Dekker novels, especially Thr3e, House, and Adam , to older teens. The combination of thriller with good vs. evil messages is a unique one and it is nice knowing that one can safely recommend an author of thrillers knowing that the gore will not be excessive and the underlying message is what resonates in the end.
One of my favorite reader's advisory stories is when I was helping a mom of a high-school sophomore find new reads for her son. As I showed her some popular and classic teen titles, I learned that the mom was struggling in finding books that represented their Christian values but that her son would still read. So I said “Let me tell you about an adult author whose books cross over well for older teens.” I went into my Dekker-spiel (it starts with “he is a Christian author but let me expand on that a bit”) and the mom got quieter and quieter. I paused and said, “Is it sounding like your son would not enjoy this type of book?” And the mom said “No, that is not it. My husband and I found one of his books in my son’s room. I read the back and the first chapter and then we grounded him because the book was obviously full of violence – he knows we don’t allow him to view those types of books and movies. My son claimed he saw the book in the Christian book store and then borrowed it from a friend – we didn’t believe him.” The mom quickly excused herself and went to the other side of the library where her son was watching his younger sibling in the picture book area. I watched their exchange from a distance … then, before they left, the son came up and thanked me for telling her about Dekker. I was absolutely thrilled I got to “rescue” this teen and help mother and son come to a peace about his reading selection!
I continue to recommend Dekker novels, especially Thr3e, House, and Adam , to older teens. The combination of thriller with good vs. evil messages is a unique one and it is nice knowing that one can safely recommend an author of thrillers knowing that the gore will not be excessive and the underlying message is what resonates in the end.
One of my favorite reader's advisory stories is when I was helping a mom of a high-school sophomore find new reads for her son. As I showed her some popular and classic teen titles, I learned that the mom was struggling in finding books that represented their Christian values but that her son would still read. So I said “Let me tell you about an adult author whose books cross over well for older teens.” I went into my Dekker-spiel (it starts with “he is a Christian author but let me expand on that a bit”) and the mom got quieter and quieter. I paused and said, “Is it sounding like your son would not enjoy this type of book?” And the mom said “No, that is not it. My husband and I found one of his books in my son’s room. I read the back and the first chapter and then we grounded him because the book was obviously full of violence – he knows we don’t allow him to view those types of books and movies. My son claimed he saw the book in the Christian book store and then borrowed it from a friend – we didn’t believe him.” The mom quickly excused herself and went to the other side of the library where her son was watching his younger sibling in the picture book area. I watched their exchange from a distance … then, before they left, the son came up and thanked me for telling her about Dekker. I was absolutely thrilled I got to “rescue” this teen and help mother and son come to a peace about his reading selection!
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