Customer Reviews
From page one this book made me angry. I saw no point and a lot of harm that could come to people who might read it. In the end, that was message.I would have stopped after chapter one, but because it was Patterson, I did not. If you feel you must read it because of who the author is, then go right ahead. Be prepared to be disgusted and angry.
This book, while a thriller from Patterson's elite class of heart racing, pulse pounding, reader involved roman it is entirely not. My original review went to the disappeared web, and now I'm simply trying to say something you should hear, but the problem is, second thoughts always have judgments eating into the truth of them bcs they are rethought. Some doubts, fears, wishy wash changes them into an instant "sale" value at a less clear level. I had exactly what I wanted you to recognize, just as Emma did, wanting to explain with words so straightforward and clear that no one could miss their intended meaning, that meaning is NOT subjective, as it is now mixed in with the readers own experience and softened for palatability by the picking and choosing of new words, they have different interpretations as we are wont to do in reanalysis. This book is Patterson at his best, kept there by Ms. Raymond, I suspect and hope. She is becoming a dynamite writer in her own right and I look forward to more of her singular work. Back to the point I hope I can still make. We meet Emma at that intense time of peak adolescence, before the concepts of "perfection, black, white, good and evil" all marry and coalesce into "almosts" and "could have beens" which will sit historically on our curricula vitae, that we will live with some slight or much more discomfort. This, unlike anything I've ever read by Patterson is DEEP, or perhaps just deeper than all the blockbusters before. Again, I am muddling, explaining poorly bcs of the deep obfuscation that comes from judgment, as though I fear you will learn about me, not Emma, Jim or Emily. I'm trying to stay solely focused on Emily, honest! It is so hard, when one grows old, everything is filtered through the lens of experience and societal values we have made concrete by being alive over time, so hang in there. (If I don't think I can do it, I'll just DELETE, the magic sleight of hand of this age to remove the negatives we are willing to perceive briefly, but not accept.).Emma wants to change the world, the absolute fixed meme of every generation, everywhere in the world and so it should be. We fixate on the negative results of our (and others) actions and try to redeem them, thus Emma's need to reckon or understand her sister's and mother's deaths. This concept moves humanitarians and humanity forward, we all believe, and is "good." But is it if one of us, in this case, Emma is committing suicide to do it? Do we value the martyr when praising martyrdom? No, we see our child, our very own Jeanne d'Arc, trying to save the world in a horrifying and unacceptable (value judgment made) manner, because we are balancing a societal win-loss against a personal one in the opposite column, bcs OUR personal loss is a child, a ONE which is overwhelmingly important to US, as opposed to potential "save the world" action on her part being acknowledged and revered by any and everyone else. We invest ourselves in the world action by action and will not see the result if we give our life. All the "quote mark" enhancements now have double meanings bcs of our personal perception. "Suicide" is now good bcs we choose to see only our pure intention. But, of course, that is wrong on every level. There is no mathematical theorem to be proven by an "absence" of an element considered, when that element is an already defined part of it. Just leaving it out cannot be considered in rigorous thought bcs it is stupid and against the rules by which we operate in the realm we call LOGIC. It's not fair when we then penalize the analyzer and the analysis.So. Where are we? This is a very thoughtful and good book. It throws the concept of thriller on its definitional butt. It shows the reader her/his/its true self, if you are willing to accept that premise. If not, Patterson has just co-written another extremely successful money tree of a book, accept it and move on. I don't accept it myself: I think, feel, and believe this story is quite often, too often, a truth that must be understood by all of us: our lives are shaped by those whose every effort is to show truth. Emma, you, Jim and Emily have been very clear: do good, do right, do something (carefully) and your smallest act will change the world. Perhaps we only need to bring that certainty into everything we do, thus the reason for this critique. So forgive my pomposity, this really was much better before my cat's delete, but we all need to know we matter as living beings and doers far more than we do as dead exemplars. Thank you, Emma, you have done so here and while that is not the magnitude you intend, it will be a volume of readers and fans you cannot conceive but at which you can rejoice.
This was a different type of Patterson writing. Took me a while to get into it. I usually read his novels in two days. This one took me four days.
An intense and somehow deeply personal look into the world that's falling apart around us. Emma on Fire is the story of Emma who feels as though her entire world is being ignored. She's tired of seeing tragedy and grief and no one around her doing anything to stop it. The need for change is felt throughout this story. It's a palpable, tangible need. One that will leave the readers not only intrigued by the outcome but also frenetically wondering if Emma will do what she says in her initial paper. Will she set herself on fire?This book contains talk of suicide, depression and grief. All related topics to the story at hand. Proceed with caution. Recommended for a more mature audience. Thought provoking, well written and dives deep into what we feel as we see tragedy unfolding. I really enjoy when a thriller (or any book) can make me think about the things happening in the real world, simultaneously.
I give this book 4 out of 5 Stakes!I did enjoy this book and finished it in one sitting. It is very short.The message that the story gives is powerful on all accounts.Speaks of grief and suicide and self harm and cancer. And a lot of the worlds problems.Like I mentioned the message or should I say messages are all there loud and clear. I will give a trigger warning on my review. Maybe the book doesn’t need one. But I know a lot of people who follow me might be younger or going through things and actually it doesn’t matter the age. Point is the topics in this book are all mentioned in this book that I mentioned at the start of this. Not to take anything aways from this book mind you. The authors do give helplines and websites to go to for those seeking any help.Now on to the actual review.I did like this book, the topics at hand threw me for a minute though.We start off with Emma the main character talking about lighting herself on fire for a cause. To spread a message that we need to wake up and save the world somehow basically. And not worry so much about how many followers one has and so on. Make a change. Emma is very outspoken without being outspoken at first. She is describing the fire when her teacher stops her. And Emma gets really mad because she didn’t get to finish reading it outloud and stating the why she wants to do this.Seems some people don't take her seriously including her father. Seems only at first the headmaster is really taking her serious.Until Emma starts do show more signs of actually doing, does anyone take notice.I like how the authors didn’t brush over her grieving for the people she lost, and Emma had to really try and realize what all she was doing. And in doing so it kind of hit her. I don’t want to give spoilers with this book. But it is worth the read, because everyone deals with hard times and loss in different ways. But realizing that and coming to terms with it is another story.This is about a 17 year old female trying to work through her grief and be perfect for her father. And bringing to light that she does need help.
