The Burning by Laura Bates

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 368 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK 

Released: 21st of February 2019 

 A rumour is like a fire. You might think you’ve extinguished it but one creeping, red tendril, one single wisp of smoke is enough to let it leap back into life again. Especially if someone is watching, waiting to fan the flames ...

 

New school.

Tick.

New town.

Tick.

New surname.

Tick.

Social media profiles?

Erased.

 

There’s nothing to trace Anna back to her old life. Nothing to link her to the ‘incident’.

 

At least that’s what she thinks … until the whispers start up again. As time begins to run out on her secrets, Anna finds herself irresistibly drawn to the tale of Maggie, a local girl accused of witchcraft centuries earlier. A girl whose story has terrifying parallels to Anna’s own…

Trigger Warnings: rape,  public humiliation, torture, bullying, cyber bullying, rumours, mention of abortion

What I Have to Say 

This only thing this book was missing was a bit more witchcraft. I loved the parallels that Bates used between Anna's story in the present and Maggie's story in the past, showing that the way women were oppressed in the past are still very much still being used today. 

Anna and Maggie were both normal girls who made the mistake of trusting the wrong guy. I loved how Anna delved so deeply into her research on Maggie, how the information wasn't as easy as just going to the library and reading a story that was laid out nicely for her in a book or too. I find the details of real historical research fascinating, making a mystery so much harder for a character to find and much more satisfying when they get the information. 

I've seen so many books about cyber-bullying and naked photos lately, so I'm just really interested in seeing Bates bring forward a new way to tell this story. Her characters and plot are interesting, but it's definitely the historical witch hunt element that sets this book apart from others of it kind. 

Another must read for feminists! 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this free copy for review.