Title: Burned
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Pages: 544
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: October 23, 2007
Buy: Here
As I sit here in this dismal college computer lab waiting for my class to start I started pondering really good books. Being an avid reader does have its advantages, one being finding a really good book. But even beyond finding a really good book, finding a book that surprised you. That was Burned by Ellen Hopkins for me. I picked this book up sometime last summer as a quick 'beach' read to get me through a blazing northern Michigan afternoon, and this book whisked me away into the life of Pattyn Von Stratten.
Goodreads snyopsis:
It all started with a dream. Nothing exceptional, just a typical fantasy about a boy, the kind of dream that most teen girls experience. But Pattyn Von Stratten is not like most teen girls. Raised in a religious -- yet abusive -- family, a simple dream may not be exactly a sin, but it could be the first step toward hell and eternal damnation.
This dream is a first step for Pattyn. But is it to hell or to a better life? For the first time Pattyn starts asking questions. Questions seemingly without answers -- about God, a woman's role, sex, love -- mostly love. What is it? Where is it? Will she ever experience it? Is she deserving of it?
It's with a real boy that Pattyn gets into real trouble. After Pattyn's father catches her in a compromising position, events spiral out of control until Pattyn ends up suspended from school and sent to live with an aunt she doesn't know.
Pattyn is supposed to find salvation and redemption during her exile to the wilds of rural Nevada. Yet what she finds instead is love and acceptance. And for the first time she feels worthy of both -- until she realizes her old demons will not let her go. Pattyn begins down a path that will lead her to a hell -- a hell that may not be the one she learned about in sacrament meetings, but it is hell all the same.
In this riveting and masterful novel told in verse, Ellen Hopkins takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride. From the highs of true love to the lows of abuse, Pattyn's story will have readers engrossed until the very last word.
My thoughts:
-While initially I was not a fan of the layout that Ellen Hopkins used in this book (and all her other books for that matter) I dismissed that complaint quickly as the in depth and heart wrenching story line took me under. I loved the development of Pattyn as a character, but also as a person. At the beginning of the book she was a very meek character who answered promptly and unquestioningly to her overbearing parents. The end of the book brought an entirely different Pattyn to light, the development brought on a Pattyn with a new mind set, and an understanding of true love.
-I think this book brings about a revelation of religious freedom as well, while parents might raise a child to believe a certain religion or even political view, ultimately it is up to the child to decide their own beliefs. I think especially in this day in age that there is a certain standard that children feel that they must live up to and this book gives a refreshing take on that issue.
-Pattyn and Ethan: ermergerd. There are feels that I cannot even begin to describe here. The development and timing of their romance was beautiful and pure. I can't...just...no words.
-Lastly, this book is probably one of the most beautifully written, but also saddest books I have ever read to date. It is one that leaves you staring into a mind numbing oblivion when you finish the last page. If you read this book, give your feels time to recover.
Overall, 5/5 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read but wants some depth to their story lines. Well done Ellen Hopkins!
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