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The Boy in the Burning House
Book by Wynne-Jones, Tim
Paperback
First published August 1, 2000
31 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
Tim Wynne-Jones
71 books163 followersTim Wynne-Jones (born 12 August 1948) is an English–Canadian author of children's literature, including picture books and novels for children and young adults, novels for adults, radio dramas, songs for the CBC/Jim Henson production Fraggle Rock, as well as a children's musical and an opera libretto.
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2001): The Boy in the Burning House
Edgar Award
◊ Best Young Adult (2002): The Boy in the Burning House
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2001): The Boy in the Burning House
Edgar Award
◊ Best Young Adult (2002): The Boy in the Burning House
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
January 9, 2011
I really liked this book.
I am a a big fan of murder/mystery books and this is a good one.
The main characters, Jim, or Jimbo, father disappeared. They say it was suicuide, a mental state. Nobody considered murder. Then along came Ruth Rose with all the answers. She herself is crazy, but only seemingly.
" Somebody was trying to blackmail Father.
She didn't expect it would be easy to find proof
and no one was going to believe her without it.
So she searched when and where she could,
and watched and listened..."
-excerpt from the back of The Boy in the Burning House.
I am a a big fan of murder/mystery books and this is a good one.
The main characters, Jim, or Jimbo, father disappeared. They say it was suicuide, a mental state. Nobody considered murder. Then along came Ruth Rose with all the answers. She herself is crazy, but only seemingly.
" Somebody was trying to blackmail Father.
She didn't expect it would be easy to find proof
and no one was going to believe her without it.
So she searched when and where she could,
and watched and listened..."
-excerpt from the back of The Boy in the Burning House.
May 1, 2010
So eerie that I couldn't put it down and was scared of every little thing afterward.
"Children," boomed the voice of Father Fisher," enough of this foolishness."
"Children," boomed the voice of Father Fisher," enough of this foolishness."
December 4, 2022
“When you're born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it's not.” This is a quote in the book and I think this is very true because what it is saying is that people who are born and go through a tough time it haunts and hurts them for the rest of their life.
The boy in the Burning House is a mystery type of book where a father dies and the main character Jim, the son of the father, tries to find out how he died. I liked the characters in the book because they had really good personalities. For example my favorite was Ruth because she helped out on the case a lot and she made theories that made sense. But she was also known as weird because she came up with some crazy theories too. I also liked the plot of the story and how everything was being led up to the final moment. Like when Ruth has a theory about the disappearance of Jim’s father and-she believes that her own stepdad Father Fisher of the Church of the Blessed Transfiguration, “murdered Hub” Jim’s father and Father Fisher’s childhood friend and is covering it up but in the end they conclude he committed sucide. I did not like the settings of the book because they describe the place of the murder as a “brown plain house. I just didn’t like the way they described it and it was very simple and boring. I liked the genre of the book. I felt like I started liking more mystery books just from reading this book because before I would only watch mystery documentaries on tv. Now that I’ve read it as a book it’s more interesting because it gives you a lot more information and details about what happened.
Overall I give this book an 8/10 and was a really interesting book overall especially how they transition into theories and what happened.
The boy in the Burning House is a mystery type of book where a father dies and the main character Jim, the son of the father, tries to find out how he died. I liked the characters in the book because they had really good personalities. For example my favorite was Ruth because she helped out on the case a lot and she made theories that made sense. But she was also known as weird because she came up with some crazy theories too. I also liked the plot of the story and how everything was being led up to the final moment. Like when Ruth has a theory about the disappearance of Jim’s father and-she believes that her own stepdad Father Fisher of the Church of the Blessed Transfiguration, “murdered Hub” Jim’s father and Father Fisher’s childhood friend and is covering it up but in the end they conclude he committed sucide. I did not like the settings of the book because they describe the place of the murder as a “brown plain house. I just didn’t like the way they described it and it was very simple and boring. I liked the genre of the book. I felt like I started liking more mystery books just from reading this book because before I would only watch mystery documentaries on tv. Now that I’ve read it as a book it’s more interesting because it gives you a lot more information and details about what happened.
Overall I give this book an 8/10 and was a really interesting book overall especially how they transition into theories and what happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2009
Genre/Category: Mystery/suspense/mental illness/murder/frienship
Read for the "Tim Wynne-Jones lit circles"
Summary: This book starts off creepily, foreshadowing the rest of the book: a step-daughter listening to her father's private guilty confessions, and drawing the conclusion of murder. This step-daughter, Ruth Rose, determines that she needs help in order to reveal her father's crimes and she turns to 14-year-old Jim Hawkins. The same Jim Hawkins whose father disappeared two years ago. The same Jim Hawkins whose father was killed by Ruth Rose's step-father. The suspenseful story follows Jim and Ruth Rose's exploration for the truth and the terrifying places that it leads them. Unfortunately for both of them, Ruth Rose is on medication for mental illness and Jim has had recent suicidal thoughts. People are not too concerned with their life or death information, brushing them off as somewhat delusional. Unfortunately, Ruth Rose's step-father, the pastor of the local church is aware of their search and is attempting to hinder it in any way that he can, even if it means injuring of killing the children.
I am not the kind of person who reads scary books, but this book was so excellently written that I couldn't put it down once I had started! It was a page-turning thriller for young adults and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were so real, including Father, that this book played out exactly like a movie for me and I think that it would be an excellent book to engage non-interested readers!
Read for the "Tim Wynne-Jones lit circles"
Summary: This book starts off creepily, foreshadowing the rest of the book: a step-daughter listening to her father's private guilty confessions, and drawing the conclusion of murder. This step-daughter, Ruth Rose, determines that she needs help in order to reveal her father's crimes and she turns to 14-year-old Jim Hawkins. The same Jim Hawkins whose father disappeared two years ago. The same Jim Hawkins whose father was killed by Ruth Rose's step-father. The suspenseful story follows Jim and Ruth Rose's exploration for the truth and the terrifying places that it leads them. Unfortunately for both of them, Ruth Rose is on medication for mental illness and Jim has had recent suicidal thoughts. People are not too concerned with their life or death information, brushing them off as somewhat delusional. Unfortunately, Ruth Rose's step-father, the pastor of the local church is aware of their search and is attempting to hinder it in any way that he can, even if it means injuring of killing the children.
I am not the kind of person who reads scary books, but this book was so excellently written that I couldn't put it down once I had started! It was a page-turning thriller for young adults and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were so real, including Father, that this book played out exactly like a movie for me and I think that it would be an excellent book to engage non-interested readers!
April 5, 2015
14-year-old Jim Hawkins is growing up in rural Ontario, Canada dealing with the loss of his father Hub, following his sudden disappearance two years earlier. Many in the community suspect suicide but his body has never been found.
Jim’s world is further thrown into turmoil when he meets 16-year-old Ruth Rose, the stepdaughter of Father Fisher, the local pastor. Ruth Rose tells Jim that her stepfather is a murderer and is involved in his father’s disappearance.
The problem is in the community’s eyes Father Fisher is the well respected pastor and Ruth Rose is a highly troubled medicated teen. But Jim is yearning for answers regarding his father’s disappearance.
As Jim digs into his father’s past he learns of an incident nearly 30 years ago where a friend of his father died in a burning house. But how is this connected to his father’s disappearance and what is Father Fisher’s involvement?
The novel, which is written in third person has relatively short chapters, which makes it an easy read and provides it with a quick pace.
The Boy in the Burning House, which won the 2002 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery, is not a complex murder mystery and felt more like a psychological thriller to me as the mystery aspect is quite predictable.
Wynne-Jones plays homage to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure novel Treasure Island, by borrowing characters names such as Jim Hawkins and Billy Bones.
I would recommend this novel for junior secondary school (high school) students.
Jim’s world is further thrown into turmoil when he meets 16-year-old Ruth Rose, the stepdaughter of Father Fisher, the local pastor. Ruth Rose tells Jim that her stepfather is a murderer and is involved in his father’s disappearance.
The problem is in the community’s eyes Father Fisher is the well respected pastor and Ruth Rose is a highly troubled medicated teen. But Jim is yearning for answers regarding his father’s disappearance.
As Jim digs into his father’s past he learns of an incident nearly 30 years ago where a friend of his father died in a burning house. But how is this connected to his father’s disappearance and what is Father Fisher’s involvement?
The novel, which is written in third person has relatively short chapters, which makes it an easy read and provides it with a quick pace.
The Boy in the Burning House, which won the 2002 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery, is not a complex murder mystery and felt more like a psychological thriller to me as the mystery aspect is quite predictable.
Wynne-Jones plays homage to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure novel Treasure Island, by borrowing characters names such as Jim Hawkins and Billy Bones.
I would recommend this novel for junior secondary school (high school) students.
January 19, 2017
The book The Boy in the Burning House is about how a little boy named Jim is trying to cope with his fathers disappearance after two years. He mysteriously meets a girl named Ruth Rose, a young, punky, bad girl who is his fathers friend, Father Fishers stepdaughter. Ruth Rose shocks Jim when she tells him that Father Fisher is a murderer. Then she asks if he wants to know who he murdered. She tells Jim to look up a boy who died in a burning house awhile back and somehow is connected to his fathers "disappearance".
Jim doesn't know whether to trust Ruth Rose or betray her as a friend and he doesn't know if he should dig anymore up from the past or leave his fathers disappearance alone.
Jim doesn't know whether to trust Ruth Rose or betray her as a friend and he doesn't know if he should dig anymore up from the past or leave his fathers disappearance alone.
March 7, 2009
This book was about a young boy who goes off on his own to find out what happened to his father's dissapperence. Soon later he met this girl, whom he thought that he wouldn't get along with, but she helped him by giving him answers to what he was looking for. He learned to listen and opens up and become good friends with her soon.
March 6, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very good at building suspense without giving anything away, and kept adding several clues that may or may not have contributed to the solution of the overall mystery. Although it was a very compelling story, the one and only thing I would critique is that from the very beginning of the book it was pretty obvious who the killer was.
March 31, 2017
A pretty good YA novel covering mental illness, adventure and murder. Times have changed since Nancy Drew was YA!
June 17, 2019
In The Boy in the Burning House, a boy that goes by the name of Jim Hawkins copes with the realities of his father’s death and tries to find out what really caused his death. This gives reason to everything else that happens during the course of the story, and these things mature throughout the course of the book, which makes for a very dynamic story.
Jim Hawkins is a very troubled kid, having a deceased father, a girl by the name of Ruth Rose constantly bugging him, and in the past dealing with mental health issues. The author, Tim Wynne-Jones, portrays this very well through his writing, captivating the reader so that they feel related in a way to the main character. Jim is impacted by many different entities throughout the story, which causes him to mature at a very rapid pace. Jim’s relationship with the other characters is portrayed in the book very well, which gives depth to the story. The second most important character, Ruth Rose, is a girl whose father happens to be a pastor and a murderer. She deals with trust issues and people disrespecting her in the story. The author impressively finds many different creative ways to incorporate her into the majority of the story. Other characters, such as Jim’s mother, and Father (the murderer), aren’t given enough time in the story to make them feel super important, but nonetheless, they are still portrayed through the writing very well at the points in the story that they do appear. Generally characters are written into the story very successfully.
The length of the book directly impacts how condensed certain parts of the story are, such as very intense parts like Jim Hawkins and Ruth Rose being chased by Father, which isn’t significantly long even though it is a moment of danger which impacts the whole entire second half of the book. Other parts feel as though they are too long, such as when Jim is reading through old newspapers for information to try to clear up the truth behind his father’s death. Now, this may seem like a very intense problem with the story, but these are only select moments throughout the book, and the majority of the story is spread out very well. The story also takes place in many drastically different scenarios and settings, such as Jim being tied up in a cave, or Ruth Rose being locked up in prison, or something as simple as Jim and his mother just relaxing at home. It makes the story stay very interesting and due to this the story never really gets boring. Altogether, the more in-depth writing and the thinking that went into it is pretty impressive.
Overall, The Boy in the Burning House is a well written, intense story with quickly maturing characters and deep storytelling. Tim Wynne-Jones does a very good job at presenting a story about two troubled kids and the kids dealing with their struggles together.
Jim Hawkins is a very troubled kid, having a deceased father, a girl by the name of Ruth Rose constantly bugging him, and in the past dealing with mental health issues. The author, Tim Wynne-Jones, portrays this very well through his writing, captivating the reader so that they feel related in a way to the main character. Jim is impacted by many different entities throughout the story, which causes him to mature at a very rapid pace. Jim’s relationship with the other characters is portrayed in the book very well, which gives depth to the story. The second most important character, Ruth Rose, is a girl whose father happens to be a pastor and a murderer. She deals with trust issues and people disrespecting her in the story. The author impressively finds many different creative ways to incorporate her into the majority of the story. Other characters, such as Jim’s mother, and Father (the murderer), aren’t given enough time in the story to make them feel super important, but nonetheless, they are still portrayed through the writing very well at the points in the story that they do appear. Generally characters are written into the story very successfully.
The length of the book directly impacts how condensed certain parts of the story are, such as very intense parts like Jim Hawkins and Ruth Rose being chased by Father, which isn’t significantly long even though it is a moment of danger which impacts the whole entire second half of the book. Other parts feel as though they are too long, such as when Jim is reading through old newspapers for information to try to clear up the truth behind his father’s death. Now, this may seem like a very intense problem with the story, but these are only select moments throughout the book, and the majority of the story is spread out very well. The story also takes place in many drastically different scenarios and settings, such as Jim being tied up in a cave, or Ruth Rose being locked up in prison, or something as simple as Jim and his mother just relaxing at home. It makes the story stay very interesting and due to this the story never really gets boring. Altogether, the more in-depth writing and the thinking that went into it is pretty impressive.
Overall, The Boy in the Burning House is a well written, intense story with quickly maturing characters and deep storytelling. Tim Wynne-Jones does a very good job at presenting a story about two troubled kids and the kids dealing with their struggles together.
October 28, 2024
Jim Hawkins recently lost his father, where his car is left behind and no trace of him was ever found. It's been difficult to deal with, as Jim and his mother are working the debt their farm owes, but Father Fisher, the renowned pastor of their town, is offering them to be free from it. While it seems promising, Ruth Rose, Fisher's stepdaughter, reveals to Jim that Fisher killed his father, he thinks she's crazy. Ruth tells him of an incident decades ago of a death by a mysterious fire, and somehow Fisher and Jim's father were involved in it. Now Jim is out to seek the truth behind his dad and the pastor, as long as the truth doesn't kill him.
As a YA mystery, it does well in building up the mystery of the unknown fire and how it links to the disappearance of Jim's dad. As the plot thickens, you are left guessing what is fact and what is fiction as new revelations are shown throughout and no concrete proof links Fisher to a murder. Jim is a good protagonist, though I feel he was not as fleshed out. Ruth is more developed, but hard to like, as she has also her own issues revealed early on. I will say the reveal does connect nicely with the clues, though I also feel like the development of the characters are not fully done to their potential, aside from Jim. It is still a good mystery story for young readers and learn how the past can be quite haunting in how it impacts our futures.
As a YA mystery, it does well in building up the mystery of the unknown fire and how it links to the disappearance of Jim's dad. As the plot thickens, you are left guessing what is fact and what is fiction as new revelations are shown throughout and no concrete proof links Fisher to a murder. Jim is a good protagonist, though I feel he was not as fleshed out. Ruth is more developed, but hard to like, as she has also her own issues revealed early on. I will say the reveal does connect nicely with the clues, though I also feel like the development of the characters are not fully done to their potential, aside from Jim. It is still a good mystery story for young readers and learn how the past can be quite haunting in how it impacts our futures.
February 14, 2025
you know when you get a book and feel like it would be a good read, and you read it and it doesn't disappoint you, yep it was one of those, I truly liked it, I love me those in country side mysteries, full of thrilling moments . but one thing which was subtle here, was the touch of losing faith in religion part, so you be careful if you made your kids read this cos of these triggers
other than that another enjoyable fast paced mystery read.
other than that another enjoyable fast paced mystery read.
January 25, 2024
"Parlandogli della morte di suo padre per mano di Padre Fisher, Ruth Rose lo aveva atterrito. Non riusciva a crederle, ma nemmeno a togliersi di mente quella terribile visione. Era come se fosse stato in mare per un anno e lei gli avesse lanciato un salvagente, qualcosa a cui aggrapparsi. Non aveva la minima idea di dove lo avrebbe portato, ma in qualche modo gli stava impedendo di andare a fondo"
"Il ragazzo in fiamme" di Tim Wynne-Jones (traduzione di Beatrice Visconti). Junior Mondadori 2003.
"Il ragazzo in fiamme" di Tim Wynne-Jones (traduzione di Beatrice Visconti). Junior Mondadori 2003.
August 10, 2021
I was intrigued. Interesting plot and a group of random highly unlikely characters. One or two more normal people everyone else had some huge issue they were working through. It had potential to be thrilling and scary but didn’t end up being that way which is probably okay since it’s written for kids. It could have been better though which makes me sad. And the ending dribbled off in a pathetic way. Only an author like Jane Austen can pull off that style of ending successfully.
October 1, 2024
Esta en realidad fue una re-lectura ya que el libro lo leí por primera vez cuando era adolescente, y me sorprendió comprobar que me seguía acordando bastante bien de la historia. Es un buen libro de misterio juvenil, muy rápido de leer ya que no es muy largo y utiliza un lenguaje sencillo, y el misterio no es muy rebuscado. A pesar de ser un libro juvenil me siguió gustando ahorita a los casi 30 años, y creo que eso habla de que el libro envejeció bien y de que la historia está bien hecha.
January 16, 2021
El chicho de la casa en llamas es por mucho mi libro favorito. Comienza fuerte desde un principio y se mantiene, lo leí rapidísimo y Lo leo frecuentemente. No soy fanático de los libros de asesinato y suspenso pero me atrapo. 🥰😍
December 31, 2017
Dendam dan penyakit hati.
March 1, 2018
Average read. I thought that I would enjoy it more and anticipated it very much, but was disappointed.
October 23, 2019
So many twists and it felt like my breath was constantly being held.
May 12, 2021
A librarian I worked with in 2004 said this book was good and I’ve meant go read it ever since.
She was not wrong. Thoroughly enjoyable and suspenseful and full of great characters.
She was not wrong. Thoroughly enjoyable and suspenseful and full of great characters.
January 5, 2022
Decent quick read. Characters were fun, the plot wasn’t too intricate but still had you guessing a bit and very engaging.
March 27, 2024
A fairly good book, worth a read, but won't go into the keep pile for me.
August 9, 2025
Two teenagers bond to solve their triubled spirits
primary-school-books
November 8, 2025:)
March 17, 2022
Read and enjoyed this when it first came out in paperback.
April 5, 2013
The book “The Boy in the Burning House” written by Tim Wynne-Jones is a non-fiction mystery. The novel shows the events of a teenage boy named Jim Hawkins whose father had disappeared 2 years earlier. All seemed to have settle in his life before meeting Ruth Rose a seemingly psychotic girl who is on anti-depressants. When Ruth Rose surprises Jim while he is taking down a beaver dam on his farm one day he thinks she is playing some sort of elaborate game on him. She has been spying on Jim and his mother for long enough to know both of their schedules. Even freakier, Ruth-Rose insists that Jim's father, Hub Hawkins, who's been missing for over a year, is dead and has been murdered by Ruth Rose's step-father, Father Fisher, to be exact. Jim doesn't want to believe Ruth Rose, but when the crazy-bad girl tells him about a fire that links Father and Hub, he begins to think that maybe Ruth Rose isn't completely insane in this case and that there may be a connection between the long-ago fire and his father's disappearance. Jim doesn't want to believe Ruth Rose, but when the crazy-bad girl tells him about a fire that links Father and Hub, he begins to think that maybe Ruth Rose isn't completely insane in this case and that there may be a connection between the long-ago fire and his father's disappearance.
Wynne-Jones created a book that is captivating from the start. The plot is shown at the start in a fragmented way, so as the reader moves forward through the book, the pieces begin to come together to form the story. This was a great choice for Wynne-Jones, as it makes the reader want to continue filling in the blanks. The straightforward storyline and relatable characters make for a great mystery novel. I also enjoyed how the book setting took place in Canada. Although in an unfamiliar location, just the country alone made it feel more relatable.
The biggest thing I did not like about the book was the typical cliché characters. I wish the characters had a few more dimensions to them rather than just, “curious boy”, “crazy girl”, “creepy stepfather”. It would have made the characters and the story more interesting to follow.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a quality mystery/suspense novel, which is easy to follow. The lack of complexity may bore some, but if you are into books where you can stay engaged from the first page through, without becoming confused, then this is the book for you.
Wynne-Jones created a book that is captivating from the start. The plot is shown at the start in a fragmented way, so as the reader moves forward through the book, the pieces begin to come together to form the story. This was a great choice for Wynne-Jones, as it makes the reader want to continue filling in the blanks. The straightforward storyline and relatable characters make for a great mystery novel. I also enjoyed how the book setting took place in Canada. Although in an unfamiliar location, just the country alone made it feel more relatable.
The biggest thing I did not like about the book was the typical cliché characters. I wish the characters had a few more dimensions to them rather than just, “curious boy”, “crazy girl”, “creepy stepfather”. It would have made the characters and the story more interesting to follow.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a quality mystery/suspense novel, which is easy to follow. The lack of complexity may bore some, but if you are into books where you can stay engaged from the first page through, without becoming confused, then this is the book for you.
April 6, 2012
CAUTION: Spoilers ahead!
CATEGORY SATISFIED: Tim Wynne-Jones
I'd read Wynne-Jone's The Maestro before, and thought it was good. But I wasn't prepared for The Boy in the Burning House. This book was compelling and great and—well, it was great!
The novel follows Jim Hawkins, who has lived a life of turmoil ever since the disappearance of his father. He's had a hard time of it since then—he's even attempted suicide (and failed) a couple of times—but things seem to be looking up. Then, without warning, a crazily compelling girl named Ruth Rose shoots into his life to shake things up. Her story? That her stepfather, the priest Father Fisher, is actually a murderer, and maybe a crazy one at that. The catch that gets Jim involved? That his father is somehow involved, and that learning the truth about Father Fisher may finally tell him what happened to his father.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, this novel is compelling! It's basically a combination action novel/murder mystery, and everything kept pulling (or dragging) me on—especially Ruth Rose, who is wild and unpredictable and intense and maybe just a little crazy (as we all are). But she's sincere. Some of the scenes in this novel are filled with adrenaline, such as when someone breaks into Jim's house and pursues Jim and Ruth Rose (who juuuust get away); I felt kind of like I was watching a movie. (I hate to say that because I think novels are usually superior to movies in terms of content and detail, but there is a definite cinematic quality to much of the book.) Pacing was a little slow in some parts, but overall I was pulled somewhat breathlessly from one chapter to the next.
There are obviously some dark themes in this book: its main premise is a murder/disappearance, and references are made to mental illness and attempted suicide—but it's nothing overly heavy, and it ends with the bad guy getting caught and everyone getting served a healthy dose of closure and hope. I highly recommend this book to readers young and old, and I think junior high- and high school-age and adult readers will especially enjoy it.
CATEGORY SATISFIED: Tim Wynne-Jones
I'd read Wynne-Jone's The Maestro before, and thought it was good. But I wasn't prepared for The Boy in the Burning House. This book was compelling and great and—well, it was great!
The novel follows Jim Hawkins, who has lived a life of turmoil ever since the disappearance of his father. He's had a hard time of it since then—he's even attempted suicide (and failed) a couple of times—but things seem to be looking up. Then, without warning, a crazily compelling girl named Ruth Rose shoots into his life to shake things up. Her story? That her stepfather, the priest Father Fisher, is actually a murderer, and maybe a crazy one at that. The catch that gets Jim involved? That his father is somehow involved, and that learning the truth about Father Fisher may finally tell him what happened to his father.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, this novel is compelling! It's basically a combination action novel/murder mystery, and everything kept pulling (or dragging) me on—especially Ruth Rose, who is wild and unpredictable and intense and maybe just a little crazy (as we all are). But she's sincere. Some of the scenes in this novel are filled with adrenaline, such as when someone breaks into Jim's house and pursues Jim and Ruth Rose (who juuuust get away); I felt kind of like I was watching a movie. (I hate to say that because I think novels are usually superior to movies in terms of content and detail, but there is a definite cinematic quality to much of the book.) Pacing was a little slow in some parts, but overall I was pulled somewhat breathlessly from one chapter to the next.
There are obviously some dark themes in this book: its main premise is a murder/disappearance, and references are made to mental illness and attempted suicide—but it's nothing overly heavy, and it ends with the bad guy getting caught and everyone getting served a healthy dose of closure and hope. I highly recommend this book to readers young and old, and I think junior high- and high school-age and adult readers will especially enjoy it.
December 10, 2009
When Jim Hawkins loses his father, his whole world crashes down around him. Left to man the farm with only his mother and his anger to guide him, Jim just floats along... unitl he meets Ruth Rose, the step-daughter of the town pastor, who is convinced that Father Fisher is a murderer who wants her dead as well. To get Jim to join her quest in bringing down Fisher, she attempts to convince him that Fisher is the one who had his father killed. As the evidence piles up, Jim begins to feel convinced that something is not right, despite the seemingly well-intentioned actions of Father Fisher. Yet as the craziness of Ruth Rose catches hold of Jim, he begins to see that craziness is a relative term and maybe everyone else is crazy for allowing themselves to be blinded to the truth. When Ruth Rose and Jim uncover a death in the past that implicates his own father as well as Fisher, Jim learns the danger of unburying secrets that some people would do anything to keep secret. This books shows that just because someone is in a position of power does not preclude them from being corrupt. In this novel, the two kids who are considered to be unstable are actually the only ones who can see clearly through the pretenses of Father Fisher. This is a good book in showing that we cannot allow people to hide behind their titles and that to learn the truth, we must look beneath surfaces and charades. This book is a rather gripping and suspenseful mystery which refuses to be put down or to leave its readers complacent in their inaction.
April 9, 2012
TIM WYNNE JONES
This book had an intriguing story about a boy striving to solve the mystery of his father's death. There are lots of plot twists and surprises, and the story is inventive and original. Jim Hawkins is trying to figure out what happened to his father who everyone presumes dead. It is a mystery how he disappeared two years ago. Enter Ruth Rose, a girl he wants nothing to do with, but says she knows who killed her father. Ruth is the step daughter of a local pastor--a corrupt one--who gives Jim the creeps. Together, Jim and Ruth Rose try to figure out what happened to Jim's father. The process involves talking to community people who don't want to believe the truth and who don't want to tell the truth. Ruth's step father ends up acting unbelievably evil for a "man of God," and it gave me the creeps to think about how easily people can be deceived. The story ends after a horrible incident involving the pastor and Jim and Ruth Rose. Jim knows that has happened to his father, and now he can move on. The odd girl who everyone thinks is a lost cause, ends up being the one Jim can rely on. There are kind characters in this book. Jim's mother is hardworking and attentive; a newspaper editor tries to help Jim put together the mystery; and the local bus driver just a nice guy who tries to befriend Jim on the long bus rides home from school. The plot development is strong, and Wynne-Jones excels at building suspense. I think an older young adult would enjoy this book more than a younger one.
This book had an intriguing story about a boy striving to solve the mystery of his father's death. There are lots of plot twists and surprises, and the story is inventive and original. Jim Hawkins is trying to figure out what happened to his father who everyone presumes dead. It is a mystery how he disappeared two years ago. Enter Ruth Rose, a girl he wants nothing to do with, but says she knows who killed her father. Ruth is the step daughter of a local pastor--a corrupt one--who gives Jim the creeps. Together, Jim and Ruth Rose try to figure out what happened to Jim's father. The process involves talking to community people who don't want to believe the truth and who don't want to tell the truth. Ruth's step father ends up acting unbelievably evil for a "man of God," and it gave me the creeps to think about how easily people can be deceived. The story ends after a horrible incident involving the pastor and Jim and Ruth Rose. Jim knows that has happened to his father, and now he can move on. The odd girl who everyone thinks is a lost cause, ends up being the one Jim can rely on. There are kind characters in this book. Jim's mother is hardworking and attentive; a newspaper editor tries to help Jim put together the mystery; and the local bus driver just a nice guy who tries to befriend Jim on the long bus rides home from school. The plot development is strong, and Wynne-Jones excels at building suspense. I think an older young adult would enjoy this book more than a younger one.
April 10, 2012
TIM WYNNE-JONES
Jim Hawkins' life turned upside down when his father went missing unexpectedly. All evidence points to suicide, but Jim's convinced his father would never hurt himself. As Jim and his mother begin to piece their lives together again--Jim's come out of his constant silence and he and his mom talk and work with each other again. When Jim goes into the woods one day to break the beaver dam near his house, he meets Ruth Rose, stepdaughter of the town's beloved pastor Father Fisher. Ruth Rose is maniacal, dressed in all black, running from tree to tree, and yelling that Father is going to kill her. She pleads for Jim's help to expose Fisher of his crimes, but Jim's not convinced. Why does she want him? Because Father Fisher murdered his dad, and Ruth Rose's got proof. As Jim digs deeper into the mysteries of his father's disappearance, he uncovers a past that he never knew existed, one that he might not have wanted to know. Wynne-Jones' novel is fast-paced and thrilling from beginning to end, filled with surprises. It's not necesarily classic who-dunnit as we already know the killer, but we keep reading to know how, when, where, and why? Wynne-Jones' writing is clear and natural and guides the reader all the way to justice. The Boy in the Burning House would be a great read for middle-grade readers, and some young adults. Though it might be a little young for older young adults.
Jim Hawkins' life turned upside down when his father went missing unexpectedly. All evidence points to suicide, but Jim's convinced his father would never hurt himself. As Jim and his mother begin to piece their lives together again--Jim's come out of his constant silence and he and his mom talk and work with each other again. When Jim goes into the woods one day to break the beaver dam near his house, he meets Ruth Rose, stepdaughter of the town's beloved pastor Father Fisher. Ruth Rose is maniacal, dressed in all black, running from tree to tree, and yelling that Father is going to kill her. She pleads for Jim's help to expose Fisher of his crimes, but Jim's not convinced. Why does she want him? Because Father Fisher murdered his dad, and Ruth Rose's got proof. As Jim digs deeper into the mysteries of his father's disappearance, he uncovers a past that he never knew existed, one that he might not have wanted to know. Wynne-Jones' novel is fast-paced and thrilling from beginning to end, filled with surprises. It's not necesarily classic who-dunnit as we already know the killer, but we keep reading to know how, when, where, and why? Wynne-Jones' writing is clear and natural and guides the reader all the way to justice. The Boy in the Burning House would be a great read for middle-grade readers, and some young adults. Though it might be a little young for older young adults.
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