Date Published: August 2013 (Reprint edition)
ISBN: 9781442440760
Review:
I got this as an advance for the reprint version, and it honestly took me awhile to pick it up. However, I've been in a contemporary kick and I needed a quick escape. This book has been beckoning from my shelf for eons, so I figured it was time.
And...OMG.
Seriously. Why did it take me so long to read this book? How did I not know this would be fabulous? The synopsis on the back cover is pretty meh, honestly, and I didn't think a book about high school revenge would be so utterly readable, but I'm gonna chalk one up to the superstar writers. This book totally hooked me. I read it in two sittings, right before bed and right after waking up (meals were eaten one-handedly, over the book).
I loved how readable and easy it was, but at the same time, this book covers some tough stuff. Rape, suicide, drugs, poverty, loss, privilege, and of course bullying are tackled with realistic and emotional characters at center stage. These girls are extraordinary, but at the same time, I had no problem putting myself in their places and wondering, would I have done the same?
The characters make this book. Lillia, Mary, and Kat take turns narrating, and with every switch there was a little pang of "don't go!I want to know what happens to you!" mingled with "Ooo, who's next, I can't wait to find out what ___ thinks about ___!" The supporting characters are usually the love-to-hate type, with some just-love ones, especially Nadia, whose relationship with her sister Lillia is heartwarming, flawed, and a great addition to the book. I also want to take a minute to shout out the parents in this book, which are rare and endangered in the YA world. So, "Hi Parents!!! Good to see you! Please ground your children!"
I feel like I should mention at least one thing I didn't like, and that is probably the major unknown "THING" in Mary's story. I don't want to ruin too much, but the locker thing, and the exploding lights thing? What is going on there? Is this a contemporary or a paranormal? I keep thinking Mary might be more damaged than we realized.
I can't recommend Burn for Burn enough. This was just astounding, and I can't get my hands on Fire with Fire soon enough.
Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree: 5/5!
