It’s 1957 America in a world where Dragons and Humans cohabitate Earth in a wary centuries-old truce.

16 year old Sarah lives with her father on their farm in a small town called Frome. This town is rampant with racial hatred for anyone other than white, and Sarah’s family knows it well. Her mum (who has passed away from cancer) and dad were scorned for their mixed-marriage, so Sarah hides her own relationship with a local boy of Japanese descent, to avoid more malice.

Struggling to keep the chores done and the farm afloat between the two of them, Sarah’s dad hires a dragon (Kasimir) to help with paddock clearing work. Unlike the more common red worker dragons, this dragon is blue, which are rumoured to be of Russian descent.

With National upset about a Russian satellite soon to be launched, and American citizens and government fearing they are to be spied upon, gossip about “..a Blue” dragon in their midst sets the town of Frome aflame.

Kasimir looks to be focusing on the work he’s given, but he’s waiting for his chance to speak to Sarah. He has something important to tell her. She is part of a prophecy to save humankind and there is an assassin on his way to prevent her from this destiny. When Sarah learns of this, she can hardly comprehend all Kasimir is saying. All the while, Sarah’s dad has his own secrets involving the dragon he has hired.

The assassin is only 17 himself, but raised for this very purpose by a dragon worshipping cult. His journey to Frome is full of the blood of anyone standing in his way, and also a love for a boy who stopped to give him a ride.

The prophecy however is flawed by the very inhabitants of it, opening a parallel universe and further chances to fulfill it.

This tale of dragons, fire, blood and power is true Ness style, taking me places my imagination has never been. Burn is an alternate world involving dragons and parallel universes, but still contains the viciousness of racism, prejudice and hate of our own world.

FBI Agents are chasing an assassin, magical forces are at work, and a teen girl is suddenly tossed into the maelstrom of an age-old prophecy to save humankind. Full of action, Burn is told in multiple view-points, pulling me into relationships both old and new as the tension builds.

The connection between the key dragon (Kasimir), and the girl (Sarah), reminded me of Ness’ Carnegie Medal winning novel – A Monster Calls. The multiple threads of Burn‘s characters kept me glued to the page – anticipating the clash of both good and evil, and then all was tipped on its head. Masterful.

Author – Patrick Ness

Age – 12+

Quick Review

It’s 1957 in a world where Dragons and Humans cohabitate Earth in a wary truce. A dragon arrives on a poor family’s farm in order to work, but also aware of a prophecy soon to be revealed. This prophecy involves the farm owner’s teenage daughter. But prophecy’s are fickle things, bent by time, ancient dragon runes and predictions. The future of humankind is at stake across multiple universes.

Read more Patrick Ness books

(Science Fiction, Dragons, Parallel Universes, Russian Satellite, Fear, Racism, Prejudice, Love, LGBTQ+, Action, FBI, Betrayal, 1957, Vicious Police, Nasty Cop, Small town, Other worlds)