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Burn by Patrick Ness        {Reviewed by STELLA} In this thrilling novel, the unexpected occurs in 1950s America. Sarah Dewhurst is a teen living in the small rural community of Frome. Since her mother’s death, life has been tough — her father, caring but distant, is struggling to keep the farm working and the debts at bay. The fields need to be cleared ready for ploughing and planting, but they just don’t have the manpower. Hiring a dragon is their only choice. Yes, in this America there are dragons. A fragile co-existence between dragons and humans has existed for hundreds of years but something is brewing. Add to this, Sarah’s own problems of encountering racial prejudice in a small town (she’s the product of a bi-racial marriage) and her ‘secret’ relationship with American Japanese Jacob draws more unwanted attention, is drawing the heat, especially from the local Sheriff, the despicable Kerby. When her father hires the Russian Blue to fire the fields clear, Sarah’s life gets even more complicated. Kazimir is not just working on the farm, he seems to be taking an interest in Sarah’s affairs. The relationship between the young woman and dragon (who’s young at 200 years) develops as the story progresses and a prophecy plays out. An ordinary young woman will save the world. She will be in the right place, at the right time. Kazimir has been sent to Frome as the prophecy predicted. And he is not the only being descending on this rural town. A boy assassin, Malcolm,  trained from a young age, is making the lonely journey from the wastes of Canada. He is a Believer, highly trained and fanatically focused in his mission which will see Sarah Dewhurst dead and the cult’s leader exalted, the true mother of them all, Mitera Thea. Also hot on the trail of Malcolm are FBI agents Paul Dernovitch and Veronica Woolf. All these journeys will not be as expected. Malcolm will meet Nelson and he will learn something new about himself, Sarah will discover that death and life can be points in time with different consequences, Kazimir finds friendship with a human and Agent Woolf’s study of dragons will surprise even her. As the Russians launch a satellite the action comes to its devastating conclusion on an unassuming country road - the violent apex of the journey is reached. But no, not yet. Part three of the book will take you even further. Into the multidimensional where the prophecy will come true and where Sarah, Kazimir and Malcolm will need, and find, the conviction and hope to face a great challenger. A challenger who has no qualms about absolute destruction to gain absolute power. A deftly layered plot and excellent writing from the ever-fascinating mind of Patrick Ness, Burn is glorious in its fiery action and touching at its honest heart.