The Burned Duology by Ellen Hopkins

The quick cut: A teen girl raised in a religious family finds her life turned upside down when her recent behavior has her spending the summer with her black sheep aunt.

A real review:

Abuse, both physical and emotional, can have a truly devastating impact on the individual. It's not just a moment of pain: it's a suffering that can have lasting and permanent impression on everyone around them. For Pattyn, this is very true when her behavior leads to being shipped to her aunt's for the summer.

Pattyn has been raised in a LSD household, with parents who hold strictly to Mormon expectations. She sees through the facade though as her dad drinks heavily and physically abuses the family, both his wife and daughters. When Pattyn starts asking questions, it leads her down a road where she's sent away from home. Will her questions continue to lead to terrible consequences?

This story is deeply disturbing and not for the faint of heart. The poor girl goes through so much pain and trauma at a young age that she's forced to grow up far too fast. It didn't take long for me to root for her and to find happiness though. While dark, this story does tell an important message about knowing your worth and not being afraid to stand up when something evil is being done.

The first book is told exclusively from Pattyn's perspective, although she gives you a clear indicator of how her entire family functions. In the second book, that consequences of the first book play out with a dual narrative between Pattyn and her younger sister, Jackie. These two have their own traumas to face in their own way, but are similar in impact.

Jackie's perspective really struck me because she had to deal with the sudden disappearance of her sister Pattyn while also dealing with the fallout of her own traumatic moment. Her mother makes it clear that she doesn't support her daughters and without appropriate guidance, she's left to her own devices to deal. Jackie shows so much strength of character as she faces her own demons and even finds a way to face some of her sisters. It's a moment of healing that creates such positive ripples for many characters.

This story also touches on the sensitive subject of abuse in the church community. While I have no experience with the LDS faith, I have experienced how quickly men can take advantage of faith to push their own sexist behavior. It's sick, inappropriate, and unfortunately common. This story highlights how what may seem minimal can be truly, deeply impactful.

A powerful, dark duology that deals with abuse and family dynamics.

My rating: 5 out of 5