(screenshot image courtesy of K. Reyes, 2021 March 5)
Bibliographic Information:
- Title: Burn Our Bodies Down
- Author: Rorie Power
- ISBN: ISBN-10 0525645624; ISBN-13: 9780525645634
- Publisher: Delacorte Press
- Copyright Date: 2020
Genre / Format of the Title: Mystery, Speculative fiction [Audiobook]
Awards or Honors: none as of 3/2021
Reading Level/Interest Level:
Awards or Honors: none as of 3/2021
Reading Level/Interest Level:
- Grade 7-12; Age 14+; Lexile level: HL620L (Lexile.com, 2020)
Plot Summary:
Margot Neilsen always wanted to know her history but her mother’s past is hiding something more sinister than missing relatives and an unknown dad. Margot runs away from home when she finds a phone number that leads her to her grandmother who lives in Fair Haven. Within hours of her arrival, she meets two local teens. One of the teens, Tess, also happens to be a neighbor of her Grandmother’s and they have a cordial though somewhat strained relationship.
On their way to the farm, they find the farm field aflame and a girl, who looks exactly like Margot, is rescued by but eventually dies. The mystery of this girl only compounds when Margot finally meets her grandmother who denies the existence of the dead girl. Margot is determined to find out the story behind the dead girl. She finds notes scribbled in a bible alluding to another girl and the mystery deepens. Meanwhile Tess finds out she is pregnant, Gram is acting as though everything is normal, and Margot is still left with an unsolved mystery of the dead girl and her own unknown background
Margot Neilsen always wanted to know her history but her mother’s past is hiding something more sinister than missing relatives and an unknown dad. Margot runs away from home when she finds a phone number that leads her to her grandmother who lives in Fair Haven. Within hours of her arrival, she meets two local teens. One of the teens, Tess, also happens to be a neighbor of her Grandmother’s and they have a cordial though somewhat strained relationship.
On their way to the farm, they find the farm field aflame and a girl, who looks exactly like Margot, is rescued by but eventually dies. The mystery of this girl only compounds when Margot finally meets her grandmother who denies the existence of the dead girl. Margot is determined to find out the story behind the dead girl. She finds notes scribbled in a bible alluding to another girl and the mystery deepens. Meanwhile Tess finds out she is pregnant, Gram is acting as though everything is normal, and Margot is still left with an unsolved mystery of the dead girl and her own unknown background
Official Book Trailer
(GetUnderlined, 2020)
Author Background:
Rory Power attended Middlebury College for her undergraduate and University of East Anglia for her graduate studies where she received her MA in prose fiction (McGaw, 2019). She currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts and in addition to her writing YA books with strong female characters, she also edits crime fiction.
Power also maintains an active presence on twitter (@itsrorypower) and instagram (https://www.instagram.com/itsrorypower/). She has a newsletter that’s quite informal, profane at times, and simply fun to read as it bursts with her unedited, and strong personality. Her entries include lots of CAPS, exclamation points, and her sentences, if you can call them that, do not follow standard writing conventions. Check it out here: https://mailchi.mp/a5f652f46589/goodbyeeeeeeee-2020?e=[UNIQID]. Her first novel was Wilder Girls published in 2019, followed by Burn Our Bodies Down (2020) and two upcoming novels, one is currently untitled and the other is called The World Ends Here, a speculative thriller. Both are under a six figure contract according to her newsletter.
Rory Power attended Middlebury College for her undergraduate and University of East Anglia for her graduate studies where she received her MA in prose fiction (McGaw, 2019). She currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts and in addition to her writing YA books with strong female characters, she also edits crime fiction.
Power also maintains an active presence on twitter (@itsrorypower) and instagram (https://www.instagram.com/itsrorypower/). She has a newsletter that’s quite informal, profane at times, and simply fun to read as it bursts with her unedited, and strong personality. Her entries include lots of CAPS, exclamation points, and her sentences, if you can call them that, do not follow standard writing conventions. Check it out here: https://mailchi.mp/a5f652f46589/goodbyeeeeeeee-2020?e=[UNIQID]. Her first novel was Wilder Girls published in 2019, followed by Burn Our Bodies Down (2020) and two upcoming novels, one is currently untitled and the other is called The World Ends Here, a speculative thriller. Both are under a six figure contract according to her newsletter.
check out Rory Power on social media
Critical Evaluation:
The need to know one’s background is a natural desire for most people but probably more so for those who are told nothing and can’t seem to fathom their connection to anyone, including the one person, your mother, who is supposed to love and care for you. Margot’s determination to meet her grandmother in a town she just recently discovered is definitely relatable. Her strained relationship with her mother is nothing out of the ordinary and both have learned to navigate the emotional minefields in their life.
There are a few factors in this novel that one will just have to suspend their disbelief in order to enjoy the narrative. One, the story unfolds in three short days and that time span feels unrealistic. Two, Margot mentions an attraction that she thinks might be there between her and Tess, but besides this statement, there is no indication of any spark and no tension built between the two that would hint at a possible love interest. And, three, the ending feels like science fiction posing as realistic fiction.
Regardless, the story will likely hold one's attention especially if in the audiobook version. The narrator’s dramatic rendering of Margot and her voicing of the other characters are spot on and made me feel like this is one long telenovela. Margot’s drama and distress sounds so much more powerful and intense in the audiobook experience.
The need to know one’s background is a natural desire for most people but probably more so for those who are told nothing and can’t seem to fathom their connection to anyone, including the one person, your mother, who is supposed to love and care for you. Margot’s determination to meet her grandmother in a town she just recently discovered is definitely relatable. Her strained relationship with her mother is nothing out of the ordinary and both have learned to navigate the emotional minefields in their life.
There are a few factors in this novel that one will just have to suspend their disbelief in order to enjoy the narrative. One, the story unfolds in three short days and that time span feels unrealistic. Two, Margot mentions an attraction that she thinks might be there between her and Tess, but besides this statement, there is no indication of any spark and no tension built between the two that would hint at a possible love interest. And, three, the ending feels like science fiction posing as realistic fiction.
Regardless, the story will likely hold one's attention especially if in the audiobook version. The narrator’s dramatic rendering of Margot and her voicing of the other characters are spot on and made me feel like this is one long telenovela. Margot’s drama and distress sounds so much more powerful and intense in the audiobook experience.
Creative Use for a Library Program:
Ideal for students who enjoy psychological thrillers. This will be added to the October Horror Display. Also, this book inspires me to create a letter writing/journaling makerspace where students can write notes, or leave a message and insert them in their favorite book for another patron to find. Of course a discussion on appropriateness will need to be done beforehand but discovering notes and pictures in books is often a fun way to start a discussion.
Ideal for students who enjoy psychological thrillers. This will be added to the October Horror Display. Also, this book inspires me to create a letter writing/journaling makerspace where students can write notes, or leave a message and insert them in their favorite book for another patron to find. Of course a discussion on appropriateness will need to be done beforehand but discovering notes and pictures in books is often a fun way to start a discussion.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer:
What’s up with the Neilsen family and why is everyone in this town afraid of the Neilsen matriarch? Margot arrived in the town of Phalene just a few hours ago and now she finds a dead girl who looks exactly like her in her grandmother’s burning cornfield . Margot knew not to play with fire and not to ask questions about where she came from. But Margot wants to know the answers and being buried alive will not stop her from finding out.
What’s up with the Neilsen family and why is everyone in this town afraid of the Neilsen matriarch? Margot arrived in the town of Phalene just a few hours ago and now she finds a dead girl who looks exactly like her in her grandmother’s burning cornfield . Margot knew not to play with fire and not to ask questions about where she came from. But Margot wants to know the answers and being buried alive will not stop her from finding out.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
This book contains murder/death family trauma, emotional and psychological abuse. While these are difficult issues, our teens face these issues in real life and discussing this in the open is healthier than keeping secrets. Intergenerational trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) must be addressed first in order for any healing to happen. This book addresses ACE and makes it clear that trauma will not disappear just by escaping the site of the trauma.
Reason for Inclusion:
I am a fan of mysteries and stories that happen in small towns as much of the plot line could very well have happened in our own isolated small town. The story is, sadly, relatable for many of my students who have absentee parents or who have been abandoned to the system or to their grandparents. Besides being relatable, though, the drama in the story is intriguing and will keep the reader guessing until the end.
This book contains murder/death family trauma, emotional and psychological abuse. While these are difficult issues, our teens face these issues in real life and discussing this in the open is healthier than keeping secrets. Intergenerational trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) must be addressed first in order for any healing to happen. This book addresses ACE and makes it clear that trauma will not disappear just by escaping the site of the trauma.
Reason for Inclusion:
I am a fan of mysteries and stories that happen in small towns as much of the plot line could very well have happened in our own isolated small town. The story is, sadly, relatable for many of my students who have absentee parents or who have been abandoned to the system or to their grandparents. Besides being relatable, though, the drama in the story is intriguing and will keep the reader guessing until the end.
REFERENCES
GetUnderlined. (2020, July 7). Burn our bodies down: Official book trailer [Video file]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/AxT3HZnizb0
Lexile.com. (2021). Find books at the right level. Lexile Framework for Reading. https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/book-details/9780525645634
McGaw, G. (2019, August 1). Rory Power. Book Series in Order. https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/rory-power/.
Lexile.com. (2021). Find books at the right level. Lexile Framework for Reading. https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/book-details/9780525645634
McGaw, G. (2019, August 1). Rory Power. Book Series in Order. https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/rory-power/.
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