onceuponanisabel's profile picture

onceuponanisabel 's review for:

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
5.0

I. Adore. Rory. Power.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of [b:Wilder Girls|42505366|Wilder Girls|Rory Power|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544204706l/42505366._SY75_.jpg|58031034] last spring -- it was one of the first ARCs I ever reviewed and it has a special place in my heart, both for starting my ARC reviewing journey, but also introducing me to a person I was sure was going to be a new favorite author.

Burn Our Bodies Down didn't disappoint.

A much more personal story about a girl named Margot who tries to untangle the mysterious web of a family she's only just discovered, Burn Our Bodies Down was at once very familiar and incredibly creepy.

The small town, midwest setting was such a good touch for me right now, as a homesick Midwestern girl living a thousand miles away, and there were so many moments that Power just hit the nail on the head so perfectly and made me so nostalgic for summers at my grandparents' house and just frolicking among the corn.

I wouldn't say that Margot (or really anyone in this story, to be honest) is all that likable as a protagonist, but she's unflinchingly real. She's running from a strained relationship with her mother, and trying desperately to get out from under the unhealthy upbringing she's been dealt. Even as she's noticing all of these disconnects in her life and all of these creepy things happening, she's ignoring them with all her might, because all she wants is a family who will love her unconditionally, the way she's never been loved before. Her denial of the eerie happenings isn't stupid or ignorant, it's just heartbreaking.

I still love the way Power writes -- it feels so organic and lyrical. I can see why some people don't like it; it's pretty non-traditional. But I mentioned in my review of Wilder Girls that Power's writing feels like if I was capable of stretching the best of my own writing into an entire book, and it's a joy to read. This sophomore book is very different from the first -- more personal drama, less action, more creepiness and mystery, less straight-up horror. But honestly, somehow, I liked it better. I look forward with excitement for Power's future work. Thank you for the corn book.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.