Review ~ Burn by Julianna Baggott

Synopsis:

Inside the Dome, Patridge has taken his father's place as leader of the Pures. His struggle has led him here, intent upon bringing down the Dome from the inside, with the help of a secret resistance force. But things are not as simple from his new position of power and he finds himself tempted by his father's words: perhaps if the world is to survive it needs the Dome - and Partridge - to rule it...

As Partridge's resolve weakens, Pressia and Bradwell continue piecing together the clues left to them from the time before the Detonations. It is their hope that they will be able to heal the Wretches, and free them from their monstrous fusings and the Dome's oppression once and for all. But everything depends, too, on Partridge. Separated by distance and history, can they still trust their friend and ally? Or is the world doomed to an eternity of war and hardship? (From Goodreads)

Purchase Links:

Review:

Burn. Where do I start?

So I’m one of those bookworms who read Fuse the day it released last year and waited a full year for this book, Burn, to be released. It is one of my most-anticipated books of 2014. I didn’t get to read this the day it went live on February 4 because I wanted the paperback and it’s more expensive than the ebook, so I took my time saving up. When I finally had it and I finished reading it, I’m so glad of my decision not to read it right away.

The title is mocking. BURN. This series struck me as a dark, thrilling read. Julianna Baggott’s way of story-telling hooked me from the first page until the last. She’s got a way with words that capture a reader’s interest.

However, I’m a little disappointed in this book. I am not satisfied with the conclusion, mostly because it is open-ended. As a reader, I hate filling in the blanks because I think that I am just a witness in the story. Open-ended books, such as this one, irritate me to no end.

Anyway, in the first two books, several mysteries and questions were left for the third book to reveal and answer. So Burn is practically a book of revelations. I like it that Baggott has done an amazing job in revealing things without making the book predictable or boring. The pacing is a little slow, but it’s full of meaningful information about their “mission”.

In the outside, Pressia is looking for the formula for the cure to make the Wretches Pure again without side effects and bring peace and unity between the two parties with it. She, along with Bradwell, El Capitan and Helmud, discovered where Bartrand Kelly, one of the Seven, is. They saw a whole new community where there aren’t Wretches but the people weren’t like the Pures, either—at least not completely. But Pressia and Bradwell wanted different things. Bradwell was full of hate and bitterness, and he wanted revenge. El Capitan was sort of in the middle, getting both parties’ points and agreeing with both.

Inside the Dome, the power has been transferred to Partridge—or so he thought. Like his sister, he’s also trying his best to unite the Wretches and the Pures—but from his position in power, he realized that it isn’t as easy as he thought. Telling the truth doesn’t always bring good things. Sometimes, truth can cause destruction beyond repair.

Everyone, including himself, thought Partridge was in power. But the truth is he’s just a puppet being manipulated by those who wanted the power. Burn showed that power couldn’t be handed down just like that. You have to earn it by proving yourself. This book shows just how young and naïve Partridge is.

I like the way the book is written—the action, the conflicts, the sequence of events, the slow revelations that kept me hooked, the way every word builds the anticipation to what’s to come next. Julianna Baggott’s words are beautiful. However, this book built up so much anticipation and I was there on the top when it suddenly plunges down. Burn ended so suddenly and I hate because a lot of questions that the book built over the course of the whole series—not every one of them was answered. Instead, the ending of Burn just raised up a whole lot of questions and possibilities. I feel like there isn’t any conclusion at all. It feels like there should be another book.



~ Zee