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zutsie's review against another edition
3.0
Well, this one was unexpected. When I saw Krysten Ritter's name attached to this I requested it purely to see how it was. I was interested to see whether I would prefer her writing to her acting. I honestly didn't have high hopes - it can't be easy getting involved with multiple arts. Well, I am here to tell you that Ritter indeed writes rather well, surprisingly!
The book opens and hits the ground running, but in fragmented pieces, so it takes quite some time to get the flow of things and work things out, and it works really well here. The lead character, Abby Williams, is not necessarily a character you like too much, but she grows on you. You can understand parts of her logic, too, even if you don't always agree. Most of the characters are rather flat, but this book is Abby's internal show, and you definitely get some of that. To see her return to her hometown and to see how a decade has made a difference is quite cool.
The story is quite a heavy one, told in bits and pieces, and the primary water investigation becomes a totally secondary thing in Abby's hunt to find out what, exactly, happened to Kaycee, who sounds like a right piece of work. Misha, too, is a nasty character. Bonfire does fall prey to some debut mistakes in some parts of predictability in characters, but it is a pretty good ride all the same.
Abby's investigation yields results piecemeal, and it ties in rather neatly with what Abby originally went to Barrens for. I liked Condor as a character, and Brent just seemed odd. I was relieved that a love triangle was not jammed into this, as it is not the time, story, or place for it. The reveals are spaced just right, giving you what you need, when you need it. I do feel that the relationship between Joe and Abby was glossed over, and yet it is described as more important in the book.
Bonfire might not be perfect, but it is engaging, has a pretty good story, hooks you while barrelling along. Well worth checking out I reckon, and I will certainly check out any other work from Ritter in future.
The book opens and hits the ground running, but in fragmented pieces, so it takes quite some time to get the flow of things and work things out, and it works really well here. The lead character, Abby Williams, is not necessarily a character you like too much, but she grows on you. You can understand parts of her logic, too, even if you don't always agree. Most of the characters are rather flat, but this book is Abby's internal show, and you definitely get some of that. To see her return to her hometown and to see how a decade has made a difference is quite cool.
The story is quite a heavy one, told in bits and pieces, and the primary water investigation becomes a totally secondary thing in Abby's hunt to find out what, exactly, happened to Kaycee, who sounds like a right piece of work. Misha, too, is a nasty character. Bonfire does fall prey to some debut mistakes in some parts of predictability in characters, but it is a pretty good ride all the same.
Abby's investigation yields results piecemeal, and it ties in rather neatly with what Abby originally went to Barrens for. I liked Condor as a character, and Brent just seemed odd. I was relieved that a love triangle was not jammed into this, as it is not the time, story, or place for it. The reveals are spaced just right, giving you what you need, when you need it. I do feel that the relationship between Joe and Abby was glossed over, and yet it is described as more important in the book.
Bonfire might not be perfect, but it is engaging, has a pretty good story, hooks you while barrelling along. Well worth checking out I reckon, and I will certainly check out any other work from Ritter in future.
a_chickletz's review against another edition
3.0
For Krysten Ritter's first book, she has a strong writing style, a good sense of plot, and a voice.
Unfortunately the book she wrote is one that has been done multiple times before and really didn't add anything new to the plot. I've seen this story before in Veronica Mars, any other detective/noir/girl goes back to her home to piece together a mystery, meanwhile getting involved with people who may or may not have something to hide.
I really hope that Krysten Ritter writes another book, just one where the plot doesn't focus on something that has been done before and you can tell who is the culprit by the mid point of the book.
Unfortunately the book she wrote is one that has been done multiple times before and really didn't add anything new to the plot. I've seen this story before in Veronica Mars, any other detective/noir/girl goes back to her home to piece together a mystery, meanwhile getting involved with people who may or may not have something to hide.
I really hope that Krysten Ritter writes another book, just one where the plot doesn't focus on something that has been done before and you can tell who is the culprit by the mid point of the book.
jenpaul13's review against another edition
3.0
Teenagers can be ruthless, brutal people as they assert themselves and find their place in the world. The quest for power and money in Krysten Ritter's Bonfire demonstrates how far some are willing to go to satisfy their desires.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Having happily left her hometown of Barrens, Indiana for Chicago, Abby Williams has spent the last ten years removing traces of her former self and life to build a successful career as an environmental lawyer. But when a case brings her back to Barrens to investigate the town's central economic benefactor, Optimal Plastics, Abby's former life comes rushing back with a vengeance; Abby finds connections between current events and those from her high school years when her former best friend Kaycee presented symptoms of poisoning and was subsequently thought to have run away rather than admitting that she and her friends were faking being sick for attention and a potential payout. Piecing together her case against Optimal by prodding at their weak spots helps Abby to assemble her scattered memories to finally realize and come to terms with Kaycee's fate.
Navigating between current events and recollections of life in Barrens ten years previously the narrative establishes tenuous threads between the past and the present to drive Abby's investigation to develop a strong case against Optimal. Though there was much in the story that was rather well-written, there were aspects of the narrative that felt rather choppy, and as a result were confusing; although it could be argued that as it was written in the first person the choppy nature to Abby's recollection of events reflects her obsession with the symptoms she's intent on proving were real in her childhood friend Kaycee. The obsessive tendencies and bad choices that Abby makes throughout the story make her difficult to connect with and I found her a pathetic and frustrating character.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Having happily left her hometown of Barrens, Indiana for Chicago, Abby Williams has spent the last ten years removing traces of her former self and life to build a successful career as an environmental lawyer. But when a case brings her back to Barrens to investigate the town's central economic benefactor, Optimal Plastics, Abby's former life comes rushing back with a vengeance; Abby finds connections between current events and those from her high school years when her former best friend Kaycee presented symptoms of poisoning and was subsequently thought to have run away rather than admitting that she and her friends were faking being sick for attention and a potential payout. Piecing together her case against Optimal by prodding at their weak spots helps Abby to assemble her scattered memories to finally realize and come to terms with Kaycee's fate.
Navigating between current events and recollections of life in Barrens ten years previously the narrative establishes tenuous threads between the past and the present to drive Abby's investigation to develop a strong case against Optimal. Though there was much in the story that was rather well-written, there were aspects of the narrative that felt rather choppy, and as a result were confusing; although it could be argued that as it was written in the first person the choppy nature to Abby's recollection of events reflects her obsession with the symptoms she's intent on proving were real in her childhood friend Kaycee. The obsessive tendencies and bad choices that Abby makes throughout the story make her difficult to connect with and I found her a pathetic and frustrating character.
peterparker's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm not going to lie it took me a while to be really invested in this book and it's story. While it offered up a good mystery it doesn't seem to pick up until a little later in the book. Once it did though I was hooked! The mystery carries the story and once it got good I couldn't put the story down.
heorina13's review against another edition
4.0
Not my cup of coffee, but overall enjoyable read with good storyline and believable heroine.
Spoiler
I really fancied her with Condor tho.kaitlynhdoyle's review against another edition
2.0
Very easy read. Overly predictable but at the same time far fetched.
burningupasun's review against another edition
4.0
TW: Pedophilia, sexual assault of minors, non-consensual distribution of nude photos of minors, suicide and suicide attempts, drug abuse, etc. (See the spoiler at the bottom for more info.)
I honestly really enjoyed this, despite the turn in the subject matter. This had a bit of a "first book" feel to it, in that it was a bit simplistic and there wasn't much of a "twist" in the end of the story, for me at least. But I still felt it was very well written, and I found myself highlighting a few things here and there. The author did a really good job not only of capturing the feel of a small town, but really making the main character feel like a real, complex individual, born out of her fucked-up childhood and years and years of bullying. Sometimes I'd find myself yelling at her to stand up for herself but then immediately realizing that I, a person who was also bullied as a child, would probably have reacted the same way she did a lot of the time.
Also, I don't know if it's because the writer was (among other things) on the show Veronica Mars... but the book definitely gave me Veronica Mars vibes. It had that same small-town mystery vibe, similar themes (it revolved mostly around the character's high school experiences, mistreatment, bullying, and of course the aforementioned sexual assault of minors, much like parts of Veronica Mars). It had a bit of a similar vibe, definitely.
I think what I enjoyed most about this book was Abby, and her complex feelings about coming home, seeing her father again, seeing her childhood bullies again, etc. The author really handled and wrote it all surprisingly well. She had a really good feel for the character and the setting, and it showed.
If you're wondering about the trigger warnings and would like more information, I've put it behind a spoiler. It details it without spoiling too much (like who the actual "bad guys" are, so it doesn't fully spoil the story).
I honestly really enjoyed this, despite the turn in the subject matter. This had a bit of a "first book" feel to it, in that it was a bit simplistic and there wasn't much of a "twist" in the end of the story, for me at least. But I still felt it was very well written, and I found myself highlighting a few things here and there. The author did a really good job not only of capturing the feel of a small town, but really making the main character feel like a real, complex individual, born out of her fucked-up childhood and years and years of bullying. Sometimes I'd find myself yelling at her to stand up for herself but then immediately realizing that I, a person who was also bullied as a child, would probably have reacted the same way she did a lot of the time.
Also, I don't know if it's because the writer was (among other things) on the show Veronica Mars... but the book definitely gave me Veronica Mars vibes. It had that same small-town mystery vibe, similar themes (it revolved mostly around the character's high school experiences, mistreatment, bullying, and of course the aforementioned sexual assault of minors, much like parts of Veronica Mars). It had a bit of a similar vibe, definitely.
I think what I enjoyed most about this book was Abby, and her complex feelings about coming home, seeing her father again, seeing her childhood bullies again, etc. The author really handled and wrote it all surprisingly well. She had a really good feel for the character and the setting, and it showed.
If you're wondering about the trigger warnings and would like more information, I've put it behind a spoiler. It details it without spoiling too much (like who the actual "bad guys" are, so it doesn't fully spoil the story).
Spoiler
This book revolves mostly around something called The Game, which involves non-consensual nudes of drunk teenage girls being released and used for blackmail, which leads to 2 suicide attempts; one of which is/was successful. It also eventually reveals a larger scale pedophilia sex-ring with teenagers and adult men.)thekimberlyann's review against another edition
3.0
A gritty small town mystery-suspense-thriller much in the vein of Gillian Flynn. Ritter writes a solid who/why dunnit that feels authentic in it's descriptions of small mid-western towns. Rich in atmosphere and character development but doesn't reivnent the wheel. Worth reading for mystery fans.
jayeeis's review against another edition
5.0
A wild ride through small-town Indiana, or anywhere in the Midwest. The landscape is spot-on and the plot is a twisting rollercoaster of secrets that you won't be able to put the book down. I certainly couldn't!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book without compensation.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book without compensation.
cosmicgloom's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0