What do you think?
Rate this book
Burn It
With the rest of her life ahead of her, Jennifer Cie is taking a step back. As she reflects on what was once next, Jennifer dives into the past, finding mortality in no longer remembering how magical the world felt as a child, apologizing for the moment she realized she could not be her Prince Charming’s Cinderella, and lamenting the idea that in death people forget “there doesn’t have to be a dead body in the room”. A collection of “what I wish someone would've told me” narratives exploring youth, love, and death, the reader is taken on a riveting ride through Jennifer Cie's past as she accepts the present.
114 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2013
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 2, 2013
This is the definition of a roller coaster story in both events and in writing style.
The set-up of the memoir was confusing at first but once you read the first few chapters you get into it. It also adds contrast to the up and down of emotions and past and present events.
Jenn has had some crazy moments in her life which warranted this kind of outcome. The emotional state of this memoir is rocky and you can feel the tension as you read. The confusion and anxiety leaks into your mind and makes you uncomfortable at times.
She talks about real life problems and how things do not work in ones favor the majority of the time but that is life and it is okay to accept that.
The only complaint I had about the memoir was about the writing style and how the repetition and cliches were overused but I am pretty sure that is my over analytical English major one track mind kicking in!
She is honest and real and that is what matters in a memoir.
Kudos to the author for sharing her story and allowing her vulnerability to show because that is one of the hardest things for humans to do and you accomplished it.
The set-up of the memoir was confusing at first but once you read the first few chapters you get into it. It also adds contrast to the up and down of emotions and past and present events.
Jenn has had some crazy moments in her life which warranted this kind of outcome. The emotional state of this memoir is rocky and you can feel the tension as you read. The confusion and anxiety leaks into your mind and makes you uncomfortable at times.
She talks about real life problems and how things do not work in ones favor the majority of the time but that is life and it is okay to accept that.
The only complaint I had about the memoir was about the writing style and how the repetition and cliches were overused but I am pretty sure that is my over analytical English major one track mind kicking in!
She is honest and real and that is what matters in a memoir.
Kudos to the author for sharing her story and allowing her vulnerability to show because that is one of the hardest things for humans to do and you accomplished it.
July 2, 2013
At a slim 101 pages, Burn It is a quick read. You may wonder why you are reading the ramblings, sometimes in prose, sometimes in poetry, of an "underemployed, 20 something" who is searching for the meaning of life in classrooms, dead end office jobs, college parties, and soulless bars. Sometimes it's almost too cute for its own good with its interspersings of song lyrics, confessional diary entries, and remembered dialogues, and then you hit the section entitled "Tween". I won't tell you what that section is about because then there's no sense in you reading it, and you should read it. Read it because you've been there, read it because sometimes pain has to be shared in order to end it, read it because you've got 30 minutes to spare, but read it right until the end (right through the acknowledgments) to find out why you should "Burn It".
July 17, 2013
Book review
Burn it by Jennifer Williams
This is fairly off the wall stuff based on the workings of a female mind. At times it is tragic and self-pitying but at others realistic and hopeful. Often it is bitter and pessimistic but fortunately there seems to be few regrets.
The issue that defines the book as being based in the current era is the impossibility faced by the majority of new graduate pursuing a first job, or even an interview. This part of the book makes me realise how fortunate I was to graduate in an era when every student, even those with below par degrees, could pick and choose their company and geographical locations. My generation, probably not much older than the writer, can sit around in our devalue houses, albeit with the mortgage mostly paid off, discussing how awful the economy is for others and how our annual pay rise was only 1% again.
It is social.
Overall I definitely got something out of this and I want to know what happens next for this person.
Burn it by Jennifer Williams
This is fairly off the wall stuff based on the workings of a female mind. At times it is tragic and self-pitying but at others realistic and hopeful. Often it is bitter and pessimistic but fortunately there seems to be few regrets.
The issue that defines the book as being based in the current era is the impossibility faced by the majority of new graduate pursuing a first job, or even an interview. This part of the book makes me realise how fortunate I was to graduate in an era when every student, even those with below par degrees, could pick and choose their company and geographical locations. My generation, probably not much older than the writer, can sit around in our devalue houses, albeit with the mortgage mostly paid off, discussing how awful the economy is for others and how our annual pay rise was only 1% again.
It is social.
Overall I definitely got something out of this and I want to know what happens next for this person.
July 18, 2013
Wow.
Jennifer Cie captivates the readers attention with on the spot observations of life as well as creating a symmetry with the changing writing styles with the ups and downs of life.
People strive their whole lives to create an image of who and what they want to be, both in the perception of themselves, and of others.
In writing this book Miss Cie sheds light on both of these perceptions in a combination of stories that anyone can relate to in some fashion, and stories that infuse us with a greater appreciation for our own experiences.
Life, Love, and Death are so aribitrary and vague that we can spend our whole lives searching for an understanding for even one of the three. The best we can do is live our life and take knowledge that is given to us, with a grain of salt of course, and this author gives anyone who is looking for it a bit of her own knowledge to add onto their own.
A whole millennial generation is either on their way or will soon be on their way to gaining their own experiences. And one would hope that maybe a few, or possibly many can still hold a presence of drive and purpose like her.
Jennifer Cie captivates the readers attention with on the spot observations of life as well as creating a symmetry with the changing writing styles with the ups and downs of life.
People strive their whole lives to create an image of who and what they want to be, both in the perception of themselves, and of others.
In writing this book Miss Cie sheds light on both of these perceptions in a combination of stories that anyone can relate to in some fashion, and stories that infuse us with a greater appreciation for our own experiences.
Life, Love, and Death are so aribitrary and vague that we can spend our whole lives searching for an understanding for even one of the three. The best we can do is live our life and take knowledge that is given to us, with a grain of salt of course, and this author gives anyone who is looking for it a bit of her own knowledge to add onto their own.
A whole millennial generation is either on their way or will soon be on their way to gaining their own experiences. And one would hope that maybe a few, or possibly many can still hold a presence of drive and purpose like her.
September 19, 2013
A beautiful narrative that captures a lot of the emotions felt by the struggling Gen-Y generation out there. Jennifer Cie accurately describes the emotional roller coaster all modern twenty-somethings are facing today.
More than just a social commentary on the difficulties of coming to age in this generation, Burn It is also deeply personal, connecting with readers as she opens up about some of the most intimate and emotional periods of her life--her first love, death of a parent, etc.
Extremely well written, this book has a unique flow that makes it easy and fun to read. If you're looking for quick read that still has substance and makes you think, look no further.
More than just a social commentary on the difficulties of coming to age in this generation, Burn It is also deeply personal, connecting with readers as she opens up about some of the most intimate and emotional periods of her life--her first love, death of a parent, etc.
Extremely well written, this book has a unique flow that makes it easy and fun to read. If you're looking for quick read that still has substance and makes you think, look no further.
October 1, 2016
Arg, reviewing memoirs of living people is hard. Reviewing living peoples' memoirs that deal with their hurts and traumas is even harder. Because, in a very real sense, there is no way to separate the writing from the events. Oh sure, the author doesn't have a firm grasp of formatting or needs to invest in far better editing is possible, but the writing of the story is irrevocably linked to the unchangeable events of their lives and criticizing one is critiquing the other. So, rather than try, I'm going to set down here a series of impressions I had while reading the book.
1) Near the end of chapter one: This is the angst filled war cry of the Millennials—the 20-somethings fucked over by the baby boomers, fed a steady diet of 'you can be anything you want to be,' along side 'you're obviously too lazy to be successful, as you've not succeeded in this zero growth, zero opportunity, zero prosperity market that we've endowed you with.' And it's good. It's emotive and moving, unfortunately it's also pointless. It's stream of consciousness, vignette rambling that never accomplishes anything, that never manages, despite it's obvious intelligence and poetry, to cumulate into anything meaningful. And while I gather that's sort of the point; it's the perfect allegory for the position young adults find themselves in—the stranded, abandoned, farce of accountability—it's frustrating to read. You start with such high expectations, are led along a pleasant, padded journey, to arrive nowhere.
2) Early in chapter two: Oh, now we've hit the clichéd angst filled, 'OMG love is so all-encompassingly horrible-wonderful.' We all remember our early twenties being full of this same chaos of emotions.
Tears. Not only for the things the author goes through, but for all the girls on college campuses everywhere going through the same thing. A huge emotional impact. I hope it was cathartic to write it and release it into the world.
3) That's a great wedding speech.
4) Oh shit. Like one life shattering trauma wasn't enough. Someone hug this girl...well, maybe she's not the huggy time. But someone do what needs doing to comfort her. I demand it. Shelfish yes, but I demand it.
5) This would be great for people in their early twenties to read. I'm almost forty and I can remember relating to some of it. But I'm too far removed for anything but the tragedies to truly move me. The rest, while relevant and real, feels over blown and dramatic. We all had to suffer through those same uncertainties, that lack of solid identity, that confusion and self doubt. That's what growing up means. It's not special or specific to anyone. But to those still mired in it, seeing another experiencing it could be really important. Or, might be their 'this is what happens next' moment.
6) I really wish it wasn't quite so poetry-journal in its format (including all the typos, missing words and homophones you would expect in a diary one keeps for themselves). It's confusing and lacks any significant sense of purpose. The prose is great, but I need more structure.
7) If I had a paper copy I just might burn it, as requested.
So, maybe not really a review, but there you have it. These are the main thoughts that jumped out at me while reading Burn it. Pass it out to female college Freshman.
1) Near the end of chapter one: This is the angst filled war cry of the Millennials—the 20-somethings fucked over by the baby boomers, fed a steady diet of 'you can be anything you want to be,' along side 'you're obviously too lazy to be successful, as you've not succeeded in this zero growth, zero opportunity, zero prosperity market that we've endowed you with.' And it's good. It's emotive and moving, unfortunately it's also pointless. It's stream of consciousness, vignette rambling that never accomplishes anything, that never manages, despite it's obvious intelligence and poetry, to cumulate into anything meaningful. And while I gather that's sort of the point; it's the perfect allegory for the position young adults find themselves in—the stranded, abandoned, farce of accountability—it's frustrating to read. You start with such high expectations, are led along a pleasant, padded journey, to arrive nowhere.
2) Early in chapter two: Oh, now we've hit the clichéd angst filled, 'OMG love is so all-encompassingly horrible-wonderful.' We all remember our early twenties being full of this same chaos of emotions.
Tears. Not only for the things the author goes through, but for all the girls on college campuses everywhere going through the same thing. A huge emotional impact. I hope it was cathartic to write it and release it into the world.
3) That's a great wedding speech.
4) Oh shit. Like one life shattering trauma wasn't enough. Someone hug this girl...well, maybe she's not the huggy time. But someone do what needs doing to comfort her. I demand it. Shelfish yes, but I demand it.
5) This would be great for people in their early twenties to read. I'm almost forty and I can remember relating to some of it. But I'm too far removed for anything but the tragedies to truly move me. The rest, while relevant and real, feels over blown and dramatic. We all had to suffer through those same uncertainties, that lack of solid identity, that confusion and self doubt. That's what growing up means. It's not special or specific to anyone. But to those still mired in it, seeing another experiencing it could be really important. Or, might be their 'this is what happens next' moment.
6) I really wish it wasn't quite so poetry-journal in its format (including all the typos, missing words and homophones you would expect in a diary one keeps for themselves). It's confusing and lacks any significant sense of purpose. The prose is great, but I need more structure.
7) If I had a paper copy I just might burn it, as requested.
So, maybe not really a review, but there you have it. These are the main thoughts that jumped out at me while reading Burn it. Pass it out to female college Freshman.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews