I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: The BurningAuthor:Laura Bates
Published: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 352
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
A young teenage girl and her mother has just arrived in Scotland, trying to start fresh and getting away from their old life, but it doesn't take long before whispers start again in the school halls and the "incident" they were running away from follows them to their new home.
Review:
Although I am perhaps not the target audience for this book, I still thought it was really good and it brings up so many different issues that I really appreciate.
The importance of social media in young lives these days cannot be overstated and I love that this book takes a closer look at the possible dangers of it. It also deals with slut-shaming, double standards and bullying, but in includes these new forms of communication. It's set itself firmly in the present day with all its current issues and I think that's incredibly important. I also really liked the historical aspects of this and how the story ties back to witch burning in Scotland.
I do think the story is a little messy sometimes and there are things that are brought up that aren't really explores in any great depth and maybe some of those things could've been taken out. Some of the dialogue felt a bit unnatural and there were times when I thought to myself that no teen would talk like this. I also felt like the ending was a bit much and slightly melodramatic, but there were also parts of it I really liked.
I do think the issues I have with this book is just things I notice because I'm a bit older and don't necessarily feel that connected to the characters. I think this can be a fantastic and vital book for young adult readers though, as the topics brought up in this are so important to be aware of and talk about.
You can read more about it on Goodreads
