Review: Burn by Julianna Baggott

Title: Burn
Author: Julianna Baggott
Genre: Dystopian
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Length: 413 pages
Original Publishing Date: January 1st, 2014
Series: Pure #3
Where I got it: Audiobook from the e-library

Links: Goodreads Amazon Author's Website


Synopsis from Goodreads: 
 
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?

Blogger's Note: 

I want to make it very clear that:
a) This review will have SPOILERS
b) I LOVE Julianna Baggott and her writing, but
c) I hated the way that this book ended. Just everything about it. Everything. 

Really, the only way that I can write this review is as a rant. 

Here's the thing: I love the Pure series. I raved about it to family and friends. My previous reviews were 5 stars and they praised EVERYTHING about this series. I loved the characters, I loved Baggott's writing and the dark and sinister world she created, I love the plot and how it developed. 

And it's not like Burn threw away all of that. I still loved the characters (mostly), I still loved the plot.

Pressia developed well in this final installment. I liked that she still struggled with what she did to Bradwell and that their relationship continued to grow and become more complicated. 

El Capital finally reveals his name, and he also has to own up to the atrocities he committed. He comes to term with his unrequited crush on Pressia and truly learns to love his brother. 

The novel started a bit slow, but the enthralling writing and perfect pacing made their appearance again in the conclusion. 

Here's what I didn't like: just about everything else

Lyda, for instance, loses her backbone and becomes the awful girl that I hated in the first book. She lays down and gives up. Bradwell is, as usual, a pain. He can't forgive Pressia and he becomes less and less important, and interesting. Partridge just makes me want to rip my hair out. Obviously his position is realistic but once he has the knowledge to change things, he just... doesn't. 

Okay, and seriously? That ending? (SPOILERS). Where do I even begin?

Well, here we go: the Bradwell and Hastings confrontation was pointless. I really didn't even understand what everyone was upset and fighting about at that point. Partridge dug in his heels and tried to use force instead of listening, which wasn't how I pictured his character at all. Bradwell was typical and sacrificed himself for nothing. Except, did he? There was that whole weird thing with him telling El Capitan to check his heart. That situation goes kaboom. And then Partridge and Iralene get married, even though Lyda is pregnant with his child? And no, Partridge, you can't blame it on the idea that Lyda told you to, because that is just NOT the whole story. Instead of running with Lyda, Iralene cashes in her favor and rather than tell her to go screw herself, Partridge just decides that he'll sacrifice himself and hide inside Iralene's crazed virtual perfect world, waiting for the Wretches to descend on the dome and kill them. And all through this, I'm wondering: what happens to Pressia? And Helmud and Cap? Does Bradwell actually die? Do all the Pures die from disease? Does Arvin make the cure? What happened to Hastings?

I feel like I'm being pretty honest here when I say that normally I don't need every question answered in my endings. I don't need to be fed everything line by line and not everything needs to be happy. But this was unacceptable. I didn't even feel like the ways things ended made sense. Logically, the events didn't fit with the characters and the situations, and left me confused as to their causes. Why did Partridge choose to abandon Lyda and sit in the room with Iralene to die? Why why why?

So, yes. I still love the series, I still love Baggott. But... what in the heck was up with that ending?

Rating:  4 stars


Your Thoughts: Have you read it? What did you think? If you haven't, will you be adding it to your TBR list? Let me know!

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