What do you think?
Rate this book
The Arsonist
It starts with a fire. A diary. A murder.
Molly Mavity is not a normal teenage girl. For one thing, she doesn’t believe that her mother killed herself three years ago. And since her father is about to be executed for his crimes, Molly is convinced that her mother will return to her soon. Finally, the hole in her heart will stop hurting.
Pepper Al-Yusef is not your average teenage boy. A Kuwaiti immigrant with serious girl problems and the most embarrassing seizure dog in existence, he has to write a series of essays over the summer…or fail out of school.
And Ava Dreyman—the brave and beautiful East German resistance fighter whose murder at seventeen led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall—is unlike anyone you’ve met before.
When Molly and Pepper are tasked with finding Ava’s murderer, they realize there’s more to her life—and death—than meets the eye. Someone is lying to them. And someone out there is guiding them along, desperate for answers.
Molly Mavity is not a normal teenage girl. For one thing, she doesn’t believe that her mother killed herself three years ago. And since her father is about to be executed for his crimes, Molly is convinced that her mother will return to her soon. Finally, the hole in her heart will stop hurting.
Pepper Al-Yusef is not your average teenage boy. A Kuwaiti immigrant with serious girl problems and the most embarrassing seizure dog in existence, he has to write a series of essays over the summer…or fail out of school.
And Ava Dreyman—the brave and beautiful East German resistance fighter whose murder at seventeen led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall—is unlike anyone you’ve met before.
When Molly and Pepper are tasked with finding Ava’s murderer, they realize there’s more to her life—and death—than meets the eye. Someone is lying to them. And someone out there is guiding them along, desperate for answers.
493 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2017
110 people are currently reading
6623 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Oakes
4 books489 followersStephanie Oakes is the author of THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY, which was a Morris Award finalist and a Golden Kite Honor book, THE ARSONIST, which won the Washington State Book Award and was an ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick, and THE MEADOWS, published in 2023. Stephanie lives in Spokane, Washington with her wife and family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
July 31, 2017
“We sound like really dumb comic book characters,” I said. “The cabbage and the pepper, out to solve an epic mystery.”
What a seriously bizarre and random book.
I was a huge fan of Oakes's debut - The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly - a couple of years back, and I was really excited to get my hands on her second YA novel, but The Arsonist was SO WEIRD. I love books that do something different, but it was almost like this book was trying too hard to be quirky.
How can I even explain? Well... it's a story with three perspectives - Molly, Pepper and Ava. Molly addresses her perspective to Pepper, who we learn is in a coma. We also learn that Molly believes her deceased mother to be alive and living in secret. Pepper's perspective takes us back in time to his childhood in Kuwait and to how he met Molly and got himself dragged into solving the mystery of her mother's supposed suicide. Ava's perspective is set in East Berlin during the Cold War.
Eventually, it becomes clear that Ava's past is tied up with Molly and Pepper's present. In an extremely convoluted mystery, we see Molly and Pepper travelling to Berlin to solve the mystery of Ava's death.
Some of the plot choices seemed very strange to me, almost coming across as slapstick in their execution. The bad guys make lengthy (and really convenient) speeches, and the plot is furthered by strange coincidences, weird bouts of luck, and a lot of jumping to seemingly out of reach conclusions.
Overall, it’s just such a weird and convoluted narrative, with lots of silly and random additions. For one example, the scene where Molly drinks 30+ cartons of milk and pees herself in the classroom. For another, the part where Pepper makes himself drink ipecac, throws up, and then goes out to a karaoke bar to sing "I Will Survive". For one more, the fact that Pepper's service animal (for his seizures) is a useless pug called Bertrand. Everything is bizarrely comical.
Is this book meant to be a complex mystery? An interesting intertwining of history and the present day? Or a weirdass comedy? I don't know. I just know it didn't work for me.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
November 23, 2017
Very interesting and has some good twists and turns. Love how the story came together throughout. Was a little slow for about the first half but overall it was entertaining.
Overall, I good mystery and it has diary entries! I love books with letters, diary or journal entries. Adds so much to a story!
Overall, I good mystery and it has diary entries! I love books with letters, diary or journal entries. Adds so much to a story!
February 18, 2017
[NOTE: This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy and contains no deliberate spoilers.]
From now on, any time I hear somebody claim that YA is not complex, thoughtful or literary I am going to smack them about the head and shoulders with a copy of this book.
THE ARSONIST is literary in all the best senses of the word. Smart, searching, inventive, beautifully written and characterized, funny (as in genuinely, unexpectedly witty and sometimes straight-up hilarious, especially the sections narrated by Pepper), poignant, multilayered and fascinating. It deals with big, serious themes but doesn't get bogged down by them; it believably touches on all the standard facets of adolescent life (school, friends, romance) without limiting itself; it's a gripping Cold War drama and a psychological study (or several) and a daring adventure and a murder mystery thriller all at once without any of those elements feeling shortchanged in the process. If this weren't enough, Stephanie Oakes manages the virtuoso feat of creating not one, not even two, but three distinct first-person narrators whose voices and personalities are completely different from one another, and each of whom has an equally interesting story to tell.
If that weren't enough to recommend the book, Ibrahim "Pepper" Al-Yusef has now become one of my favorite adolescent boy characters of all time. Trust me on this one. (Also, his dog is hilarious.)
I would particularly recommend this book to high school teachers looking for strong, multifaceted teen fiction with a historical component (agh, the 1980's are history now I feel so old), big themes, and lots of scope for analysis and discussion. If I had to give a "content warning" I'd advise that there's the occasional bit of crude adolescent boy-type humour, a few swear words, and a couple of graphic descriptions of violence, but none of it was pervasive or worse than many other books teens are usually given to read in high school (if anything it's probably better).
N.B. For those interested in diversity, Molly is strongly implied to be asexual; Pepper is Kuwaiti Arab and has a service dog for his epileptic seizures; and there are several sympathetic and non-stereotypical characters with mental illnesses.
From now on, any time I hear somebody claim that YA is not complex, thoughtful or literary I am going to smack them about the head and shoulders with a copy of this book.
THE ARSONIST is literary in all the best senses of the word. Smart, searching, inventive, beautifully written and characterized, funny (as in genuinely, unexpectedly witty and sometimes straight-up hilarious, especially the sections narrated by Pepper), poignant, multilayered and fascinating. It deals with big, serious themes but doesn't get bogged down by them; it believably touches on all the standard facets of adolescent life (school, friends, romance) without limiting itself; it's a gripping Cold War drama and a psychological study (or several) and a daring adventure and a murder mystery thriller all at once without any of those elements feeling shortchanged in the process. If this weren't enough, Stephanie Oakes manages the virtuoso feat of creating not one, not even two, but three distinct first-person narrators whose voices and personalities are completely different from one another, and each of whom has an equally interesting story to tell.
If that weren't enough to recommend the book, Ibrahim "Pepper" Al-Yusef has now become one of my favorite adolescent boy characters of all time. Trust me on this one. (Also, his dog is hilarious.)
I would particularly recommend this book to high school teachers looking for strong, multifaceted teen fiction with a historical component (agh, the 1980's are history now I feel so old), big themes, and lots of scope for analysis and discussion. If I had to give a "content warning" I'd advise that there's the occasional bit of crude adolescent boy-type humour, a few swear words, and a couple of graphic descriptions of violence, but none of it was pervasive or worse than many other books teens are usually given to read in high school (if anything it's probably better).
N.B. For those interested in diversity, Molly is strongly implied to be asexual; Pepper is Kuwaiti Arab and has a service dog for his epileptic seizures; and there are several sympathetic and non-stereotypical characters with mental illnesses.
August 28, 2017
Uuummmmm....
I am an indisputable fan of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly as is evidenced by my review of it.
But, The Arsonist is, well, it's caca.
I have no other way of describing it. I can't even point the genre in which this book belongs to. The book is convoluted, scattered, idiotic and simply plain boorish.
I am an indisputable fan of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly as is evidenced by my review of it.
But, The Arsonist is, well, it's caca.
I have no other way of describing it. I can't even point the genre in which this book belongs to. The book is convoluted, scattered, idiotic and simply plain boorish.
February 25, 2018
2.5 stars
What an odd book. Usually I'm a fan of eccentric titles but unfortunately I had to suspend too much disbelief to really enjoy & absorb the story. We are introduced to 3 individuals who, on the surface, seem to have nothing in common. We have: Molly, who's father is currently on death row awaiting execution for the murder of six people. She is also holding onto the hope that she mother will reappear after her disappearance years ago, yet there is no evidence that this will ever happen, other than a teenager's sheer determination & faith that it will. This leads to her meeting Pepper, a Kuwaiti immigrant who lost his mother to an oil fire. Pepper lives with his father, who is grieving this loss heavily with collecting fish in the sense it will make her proud of him. Pepper does not how to be himself & is having a difficult time at school, ultimately dropping out with the arrangement of writing essays for his teacher. Molly & Pepper meet when Molly is sent a book titled "The Arsonist" with a photo of Pepper & the message that 'he has the answers'.
"The Arsonist" is about the life of Ava, an East German teenager who fights to destroy the Berlin Wall. Sadly, her murder accomplishes this but her murder is still unsolved. Molly & Pepper set out to discover Ava's killer as Molly feels that this is a message from her mother, that she must find the answer in order to get her mother back. They end up getting sent a pair of tickets to Berlin & head off to solve the case. (A pair of teens can decide to go to another country just like that? Hmm... 🤔convenient.) Along the way, a bunch of twists & turns happen all while the execution date for Molly's father is fast approaching...
There are a lot of factors in here that I liked in theory, including each teen's desperate escape from reality (as Pepper asks "Why do they (parents) make us carry their burdens?"), & brings up the harsh truth of the damage parents (inadvertently) can cause. I wish Oakes had put more emphasis on the execution & the prison system itself, but I'm aware that wasn't her intention for ARSONIST. The Cold War concept was fascinating & probably my favorite aspect of the book. I liked learning about Ava & looking back on it, I think a separate title all from her side would make an interesting novel all on its own. It got to be too much of a stretch for me when adding Molly & Pepper to the mix & how their worlds all somehow intertwine together. Too much convenience & trying too hard to make the pieces of a puzzle fit. While it didn't work for me, I can definitely see this appealing to those who enjoy mysteries with a bit of historical fiction.
What an odd book. Usually I'm a fan of eccentric titles but unfortunately I had to suspend too much disbelief to really enjoy & absorb the story. We are introduced to 3 individuals who, on the surface, seem to have nothing in common. We have: Molly, who's father is currently on death row awaiting execution for the murder of six people. She is also holding onto the hope that she mother will reappear after her disappearance years ago, yet there is no evidence that this will ever happen, other than a teenager's sheer determination & faith that it will. This leads to her meeting Pepper, a Kuwaiti immigrant who lost his mother to an oil fire. Pepper lives with his father, who is grieving this loss heavily with collecting fish in the sense it will make her proud of him. Pepper does not how to be himself & is having a difficult time at school, ultimately dropping out with the arrangement of writing essays for his teacher. Molly & Pepper meet when Molly is sent a book titled "The Arsonist" with a photo of Pepper & the message that 'he has the answers'.
"The Arsonist" is about the life of Ava, an East German teenager who fights to destroy the Berlin Wall. Sadly, her murder accomplishes this but her murder is still unsolved. Molly & Pepper set out to discover Ava's killer as Molly feels that this is a message from her mother, that she must find the answer in order to get her mother back. They end up getting sent a pair of tickets to Berlin & head off to solve the case. (A pair of teens can decide to go to another country just like that? Hmm... 🤔convenient.) Along the way, a bunch of twists & turns happen all while the execution date for Molly's father is fast approaching...
There are a lot of factors in here that I liked in theory, including each teen's desperate escape from reality (as Pepper asks "Why do they (parents) make us carry their burdens?"), & brings up the harsh truth of the damage parents (inadvertently) can cause. I wish Oakes had put more emphasis on the execution & the prison system itself, but I'm aware that wasn't her intention for ARSONIST. The Cold War concept was fascinating & probably my favorite aspect of the book. I liked learning about Ava & looking back on it, I think a separate title all from her side would make an interesting novel all on its own. It got to be too much of a stretch for me when adding Molly & Pepper to the mix & how their worlds all somehow intertwine together. Too much convenience & trying too hard to make the pieces of a puzzle fit. While it didn't work for me, I can definitely see this appealing to those who enjoy mysteries with a bit of historical fiction.
August 10, 2017
This review was originally posted at Dual Reads
ARC received for an honest review.
I went into The Arsonist pretty much blind. All I knew was that it was about a girl whose father was imprisoned for arson. I knew nothing of Ava's viewpoint or Pepper's or just how emotionally intense this book would wind up being.
The Arsonist is the sort of book that consumes you. The difference from first page to last wasn't just character growth - I feel different too. And I love when a book can do that. This wasn't a quick read at all. It's a fairly long book and the intensity of it meant that I put it down a few times to breathe. But it was an experience of a book. And those are one of my favourite kinds.
In The Arsonist you read from three different perspectives. I struggle to pick a favourite to read from because they were all excellent and distinctive but I definitely related a lot to Ava. I've never been in her situation obviously, but her character and her beliefs and her actions resonated so strongly with me and I absolutely adored her sections. I admired Molly and Pepper in a different way. They were both so unique and so brave in their own ways and it broke my heart a little every time they had to go through something awful. There were a couple of scenes where I had a lump in my throat - the kind where it's too sad even to cry.
The central mystery I found very compelling. True the "Who killed Ava" mystery was relatively clear but it was so exciting and interesting to watch the connections fall together. It felt a little like one of those crime maps on TV with all the pins and string? I was adding every clue to that board inside my head all the way through and by the end it felt so satisfying and complete to have all the connections make sense. And there were plenty of things, even towards the end, that took me by surprise.
I mentioned that this isn't a one-sitting kind of read and I will admit that once I had put this book down it took me a while to pick back up. The truth being that at times it just felt too heavy for my brain. So this probably isn't the book to choose when you're in a reading slump. It is however, a book I think you should definitely read. It taught me and changed me and emotionally tore me apart and I am so grateful that I had the chance to read it.
ARC received for an honest review.
I went into The Arsonist pretty much blind. All I knew was that it was about a girl whose father was imprisoned for arson. I knew nothing of Ava's viewpoint or Pepper's or just how emotionally intense this book would wind up being.
The Arsonist is the sort of book that consumes you. The difference from first page to last wasn't just character growth - I feel different too. And I love when a book can do that. This wasn't a quick read at all. It's a fairly long book and the intensity of it meant that I put it down a few times to breathe. But it was an experience of a book. And those are one of my favourite kinds.
In The Arsonist you read from three different perspectives. I struggle to pick a favourite to read from because they were all excellent and distinctive but I definitely related a lot to Ava. I've never been in her situation obviously, but her character and her beliefs and her actions resonated so strongly with me and I absolutely adored her sections. I admired Molly and Pepper in a different way. They were both so unique and so brave in their own ways and it broke my heart a little every time they had to go through something awful. There were a couple of scenes where I had a lump in my throat - the kind where it's too sad even to cry.
The central mystery I found very compelling. True the "Who killed Ava" mystery was relatively clear but it was so exciting and interesting to watch the connections fall together. It felt a little like one of those crime maps on TV with all the pins and string? I was adding every clue to that board inside my head all the way through and by the end it felt so satisfying and complete to have all the connections make sense. And there were plenty of things, even towards the end, that took me by surprise.
I mentioned that this isn't a one-sitting kind of read and I will admit that once I had put this book down it took me a while to pick back up. The truth being that at times it just felt too heavy for my brain. So this probably isn't the book to choose when you're in a reading slump. It is however, a book I think you should definitely read. It taught me and changed me and emotionally tore me apart and I am so grateful that I had the chance to read it.
August 16, 2017
WELL WASN'T THIS MOTHER-FLIPPIN' AMAZING
This book. Oh my gosh. After I finished the final page, I closed the book slowly and just sat there staring out of my window. I cannot believe that there are books that I've been waiting for for months, sat on my TBR pile physically and on Goodreads, and The Arsonist hasn't been on any of them. Not even that, but I didn't know it existed until I saw it on a table at the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) and all I had to do was sign up to a newsletter and I would receive it for free.
I had the choice of any one of the books on the table, and yes, I may have chosen The Arsonist because of that pretty cover and because my friends' also picked it up. But what was inside? WHY HADN'T I KNOWN ABOUT IT BEFORE?
The Arsonist is a story told through three perspectives that flow so well together, Molly, the girl with no friends, with a broken family with a father on death row and a burning idea that a mother didn't kill herself and is actually in hiding, Pepper, a boy failing school and figuring out whether he cares or not (plus he's got a hilarious seizure pug called Bertrand), and Ava, a young girl living in East Berlin in the 1980s, imprisoned behind the wall and away from the rest of the world.
I loved every single perspective in a different way, and it would be cruel to pick favourites. I loved Molly for her inquisitive mind, her determination, Pepper for his comedy gems, his willingness to go along for the adventure, and of course Ava for her harrowing life in East Berlin and the journey she took in search for freedom, right up until her death (this isn't a spoiler it says it on the blurb, kids). Everything was gripping, everything, I hated putting this book down because I felt like I was wasting time doing other things.
I actually, for a short period of time, thought Ava Dreyman was a real person in history and a quick Google search found me back at The Arsonist's Goodreads page, whoops.
This book comes out 22nd August. Please, if you're looking for a new release that has intrigue, drama, adventure, incredible friendships, history, and a useless but lovable doggo, then read The Arsonist. What a treat.
This book. Oh my gosh. After I finished the final page, I closed the book slowly and just sat there staring out of my window. I cannot believe that there are books that I've been waiting for for months, sat on my TBR pile physically and on Goodreads, and The Arsonist hasn't been on any of them. Not even that, but I didn't know it existed until I saw it on a table at the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) and all I had to do was sign up to a newsletter and I would receive it for free.
I had the choice of any one of the books on the table, and yes, I may have chosen The Arsonist because of that pretty cover and because my friends' also picked it up. But what was inside? WHY HADN'T I KNOWN ABOUT IT BEFORE?
The Arsonist is a story told through three perspectives that flow so well together, Molly, the girl with no friends, with a broken family with a father on death row and a burning idea that a mother didn't kill herself and is actually in hiding, Pepper, a boy failing school and figuring out whether he cares or not (plus he's got a hilarious seizure pug called Bertrand), and Ava, a young girl living in East Berlin in the 1980s, imprisoned behind the wall and away from the rest of the world.
I loved every single perspective in a different way, and it would be cruel to pick favourites. I loved Molly for her inquisitive mind, her determination, Pepper for his comedy gems, his willingness to go along for the adventure, and of course Ava for her harrowing life in East Berlin and the journey she took in search for freedom, right up until her death (this isn't a spoiler it says it on the blurb, kids). Everything was gripping, everything, I hated putting this book down because I felt like I was wasting time doing other things.
I actually, for a short period of time, thought Ava Dreyman was a real person in history and a quick Google search found me back at The Arsonist's Goodreads page, whoops.
This book comes out 22nd August. Please, if you're looking for a new release that has intrigue, drama, adventure, incredible friendships, history, and a useless but lovable doggo, then read The Arsonist. What a treat.
November 19, 2017
Great writing but an overwrought plot. The story takes place in the present day, mainly in the California town of Monterey. Pepper is a very endearing Kuwaiti immigrant with epilepsy and a service dog. Molly has anger management issues and lives with her aunt and unstable cousin Margaret after her mother's suicide and father's imprisonment for arson. Pepper's POV is conveyed through essays to his teacher, Molly's through a confessional of sorts to her friend Pepper, and then there's Ava, whose story is revealed through diary entries dated during the end of the Cold War. THE ARSONIST has so many strong elements--too many. Reading it feels like simultaneously trying to eat too many foods that each has a separate and distinct flavor. Your taste buds get confused, and the spices and textures don't sit right in your stomach.
There's lots of fabulous writing, though. Here are some of the best lines:
". . . the glass of storefronts passing her warped image around like a ghost's."
"Maybe another person would break down right now, but my veins are filled with Novocain."
"She would tell me to never change for anyone, because the people you change for are the people who control you."
"I cry memories. . ."
"I don't know what words I'm even speaking, probably not even English but some invented language of grief."
There's lots of fabulous writing, though. Here are some of the best lines:
". . . the glass of storefronts passing her warped image around like a ghost's."
"Maybe another person would break down right now, but my veins are filled with Novocain."
"She would tell me to never change for anyone, because the people you change for are the people who control you."
"I cry memories. . ."
"I don't know what words I'm even speaking, probably not even English but some invented language of grief."
June 20, 2022
dnf @ 50 pages
i'm bored, i'm so bored and confused and idk what's going on, but i'm not intrigued enough to keep going and i'm sad, because i loved The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly
sigh
i'm bored, i'm so bored and confused and idk what's going on, but i'm not intrigued enough to keep going and i'm sad, because i loved The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly
sigh
September 16, 2017
I have been waiting what feels like forever to read this book. Last year I fell head over heels for The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly and immediately added The Arsonist to by TBR. I was super lucky to get my hands on an ARC of this at YALC and was thrilled as it wasn’t a book I was expecting to see there! Nevertheless, I have finally read it and I was absolutely blown away by how gorgeous it was.
The Arsonist was nothing like I expected it to be. I’ll be honest and say that I hadn’t really read the blurb as I knew I wanted this book regardless of what it was about because I loved Oakes’ writing so much in her debut. This is such a gorgeous story of finding yourself and friendship and it is written in the most beautiful way. By the end of the book I had tears pouring down my face because I was just so attached to the characters and it really mattered to me what happened next. I did foresee where the story would lead but I certainly did not make the connections in the way they were actually made in the book and they were so well woven together.
The story is told from three perspectives and Stephanie Oakes has done a marvellous job at creating three unique voices and somehow managing to weave all of their stories together. Even many of the secondary characters were somehow woven into the bigger picture and it all seems so effortless by the end. I rarely write physical notes whilst reading but after every few chapters of this book I found myself theorising and writing down how Molly, Pepper and Ava could be connected. On many of those pages after my notes, I’ve just written ‘WHAT?’. For once I actually really enjoyed feeling quite lost in the story and not being 100% aware of what the connections were, it meant I really had to get to know the characters and I grew to love them quickly. It may not have the quickest plot but as someone who lives for well written characters, this book was marvellous. In fact, I read the whole thing in 24 hours and at 496 pages that is saying quite something!
A bit about our characters but don’t worry, there will be no spoilers from me!
Molly Mavity is the daughter of the Arsonist, her father has committed terrible crimes and is sentenced to death on death row. Her mother committed suicide several years ago but Molly refuses to believe this and thinks her mother is still out there somewhere. Molly is an outsider and I love her for that. She doesn’t want to fit it, she just wants to be herself and if that means she is a bit of a loner then so be it. Molly is so determined and curious about everything and I really valued those traits in her. I loved her journey and development throughout the book and although her story is tainted with huge sadness, Molly comes out on top.
Pepper is just an absolute sweetheart. We read his POV through a series of essays he has to write in order to graduate high school. Pepper lives with his father, a fisherman, after they moved to the US from Kuwait, where his mother died shortly after giving birth to him. He is epileptic and has a seizure dog called Bertrand, who appears to be pretty useless but is a great companion nonetheless. I loved Pepper’s humour and he provided some of the best laugh out loud moments of the book. Pepper’s life changes rather drastically when Molly comes crashing into it, but why have they been brought together?
Ava Dreyman provides our third POV through a series of diary entries, think Anne Frank style. Ava is a young girl living in East Berlin during the 1980s and we see her many struggles with the system, love and family. I really enjoyed reading her diary entries as they were interesting and informative but the whole time I was reading them I couldn’t help but try and figure out what the connection was. It becomes slightly clearer towards the end but even these diary entries come with their own sets of twists and turns.
Each chapter peels back a layer from the relevant character and brings you a step closer to revealing the truth. I couldn’t pick a favourite POV to read from as each had their own endearing quality to them. What I can say is that these characters are exceptionally well written and it doesn’t take long to build a connection with them. The question you will want answered is how are they connected to each other?
The Arsonist is a magnificent read, it is beautifully written and will keep you interested and intrigued right up until the end.
The Arsonist was nothing like I expected it to be. I’ll be honest and say that I hadn’t really read the blurb as I knew I wanted this book regardless of what it was about because I loved Oakes’ writing so much in her debut. This is such a gorgeous story of finding yourself and friendship and it is written in the most beautiful way. By the end of the book I had tears pouring down my face because I was just so attached to the characters and it really mattered to me what happened next. I did foresee where the story would lead but I certainly did not make the connections in the way they were actually made in the book and they were so well woven together.
The story is told from three perspectives and Stephanie Oakes has done a marvellous job at creating three unique voices and somehow managing to weave all of their stories together. Even many of the secondary characters were somehow woven into the bigger picture and it all seems so effortless by the end. I rarely write physical notes whilst reading but after every few chapters of this book I found myself theorising and writing down how Molly, Pepper and Ava could be connected. On many of those pages after my notes, I’ve just written ‘WHAT?’. For once I actually really enjoyed feeling quite lost in the story and not being 100% aware of what the connections were, it meant I really had to get to know the characters and I grew to love them quickly. It may not have the quickest plot but as someone who lives for well written characters, this book was marvellous. In fact, I read the whole thing in 24 hours and at 496 pages that is saying quite something!
A bit about our characters but don’t worry, there will be no spoilers from me!
Molly Mavity is the daughter of the Arsonist, her father has committed terrible crimes and is sentenced to death on death row. Her mother committed suicide several years ago but Molly refuses to believe this and thinks her mother is still out there somewhere. Molly is an outsider and I love her for that. She doesn’t want to fit it, she just wants to be herself and if that means she is a bit of a loner then so be it. Molly is so determined and curious about everything and I really valued those traits in her. I loved her journey and development throughout the book and although her story is tainted with huge sadness, Molly comes out on top.
Pepper is just an absolute sweetheart. We read his POV through a series of essays he has to write in order to graduate high school. Pepper lives with his father, a fisherman, after they moved to the US from Kuwait, where his mother died shortly after giving birth to him. He is epileptic and has a seizure dog called Bertrand, who appears to be pretty useless but is a great companion nonetheless. I loved Pepper’s humour and he provided some of the best laugh out loud moments of the book. Pepper’s life changes rather drastically when Molly comes crashing into it, but why have they been brought together?
Ava Dreyman provides our third POV through a series of diary entries, think Anne Frank style. Ava is a young girl living in East Berlin during the 1980s and we see her many struggles with the system, love and family. I really enjoyed reading her diary entries as they were interesting and informative but the whole time I was reading them I couldn’t help but try and figure out what the connection was. It becomes slightly clearer towards the end but even these diary entries come with their own sets of twists and turns.
Each chapter peels back a layer from the relevant character and brings you a step closer to revealing the truth. I couldn’t pick a favourite POV to read from as each had their own endearing quality to them. What I can say is that these characters are exceptionally well written and it doesn’t take long to build a connection with them. The question you will want answered is how are they connected to each other?
The Arsonist is a magnificent read, it is beautifully written and will keep you interested and intrigued right up until the end.
April 14, 2019
Stephanie Oakes’s first book, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is one of my favorite fictional cult books. I’ve read a lot of cult novels, so that’s not faint praise. It’s a seriously good book. That’s why I had high hopes for The Arsonist.
After I finished it, I was conflicted!
The Arsonist follows the lives of three teenagers. One of them became a mystery, and the other two are trying to find out what happened to her. Ava Dreyman was an East German girl whose protest against the Berlin Wall led to her murder—supposedly. Decades later, two American teens, Molly and Pepper, find a copy of Ava’s diary and think parts of it sound fishy. Is Ava really dead, or is someone trying to keep her hidden? If she was murdered, can they track down her killer?
This book kept me awake for most of the night. I read the majority of it in one sitting, and it’s nearly 500 pages! The characters are unique and have led unusual lives. Nobody knows if Ava is alive or what her connection is to Molly’s family. Molly’s mother reportedly committed suicide, but Molly thinks that isn’t true. Her father is on death row for arson and murder. Pepper is a Kuwaiti immigrant who has epilepsy and goes to school with Molly. Something connects these three teens. I couldn’t put the book down until I figured out how their lives overlap.
This book is full of mysteries, and they’re all compelling. I wanted to know if Ava’s diary is true or if it’s just a shield to protect her real identity. I wanted to know if Molly’s mom is alive and why her father burnt a house. There were just so many things I wanted to know!
I enjoyed all three point-of-view characters, but Pepper is my favorite. This book tackles many heavy issues. It could have been depressing, but Pepper doesn’t allow that to happen. I love his sense of humor and his nerdy friends. I also love his not-very-bright pug dog. For a mystery involving arson and murder, this novel is very funny. I appreciate that. The humor keeps all of the issues from becoming overwhelming.
Here’s why I’m conflicted. I adore the characters and the mystery, but they both kind of let me down in the end.
Molly spends the whole beginning of the book telling the reader how weird and impulsive she is. That’s fine, but I expected her to do something weird and impulsive to solve the mystery. She doesn’t. She makes a few dangerous decisions, but they’re all logical. Pepper’s personality is weirder than Molly’s. I guess her “I’m so weird” chapters show that she’s determined enough to solve a dangerous mystery? Still, I wanted her to do something weird! You can’t promise weirdness and then not give me any.
The mystery also let me down at the end because there isn’t really a point to it. It could have been unraveled with one conversation. The adults in Molly’s life could have behaved like adults and talked to her. If she didn’t believe what they were saying, then okay. Maybe she’d believe them someday. I didn’t see the point of sending two teenagers gallivanting around Germany on their own. Molly steals a cell phone, Pepper breaks into an apartment, and they both almost get killed. The “bad guys” give long “bad guy” speeches to force Molly to keep solving the mystery when she gets discouraged. It’s all dangerous and elaborate. Wouldn’t it be simpler to just tell the kids the truth? Use your words!
This is why I’m conflicted. I loved the experience of reading this book. It has a twisty plot and quirky characters. But, when I got to the end, I was like, “Oh. That’s it?”
If you like mysteries, I recommend giving this one a try because I had fun reading it. I’ll definitely read whatever Stephanie Oakes writes next. I like her characters and the strange situations they find themselves in. Still, I wish the ending was more satisfying!
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense?
I have a blog for that.
After I finished it, I was conflicted!
The Arsonist follows the lives of three teenagers. One of them became a mystery, and the other two are trying to find out what happened to her. Ava Dreyman was an East German girl whose protest against the Berlin Wall led to her murder—supposedly. Decades later, two American teens, Molly and Pepper, find a copy of Ava’s diary and think parts of it sound fishy. Is Ava really dead, or is someone trying to keep her hidden? If she was murdered, can they track down her killer?
This book kept me awake for most of the night. I read the majority of it in one sitting, and it’s nearly 500 pages! The characters are unique and have led unusual lives. Nobody knows if Ava is alive or what her connection is to Molly’s family. Molly’s mother reportedly committed suicide, but Molly thinks that isn’t true. Her father is on death row for arson and murder. Pepper is a Kuwaiti immigrant who has epilepsy and goes to school with Molly. Something connects these three teens. I couldn’t put the book down until I figured out how their lives overlap.
This book is full of mysteries, and they’re all compelling. I wanted to know if Ava’s diary is true or if it’s just a shield to protect her real identity. I wanted to know if Molly’s mom is alive and why her father burnt a house. There were just so many things I wanted to know!
I enjoyed all three point-of-view characters, but Pepper is my favorite. This book tackles many heavy issues. It could have been depressing, but Pepper doesn’t allow that to happen. I love his sense of humor and his nerdy friends. I also love his not-very-bright pug dog. For a mystery involving arson and murder, this novel is very funny. I appreciate that. The humor keeps all of the issues from becoming overwhelming.
“The worst crime you can do to yourself is to forget why you chose the path you're on, but keep walking down it anyway.” – The Arsonist
Here’s why I’m conflicted. I adore the characters and the mystery, but they both kind of let me down in the end.
Molly spends the whole beginning of the book telling the reader how weird and impulsive she is. That’s fine, but I expected her to do something weird and impulsive to solve the mystery. She doesn’t. She makes a few dangerous decisions, but they’re all logical. Pepper’s personality is weirder than Molly’s. I guess her “I’m so weird” chapters show that she’s determined enough to solve a dangerous mystery? Still, I wanted her to do something weird! You can’t promise weirdness and then not give me any.
The mystery also let me down at the end because there isn’t really a point to it. It could have been unraveled with one conversation. The adults in Molly’s life could have behaved like adults and talked to her. If she didn’t believe what they were saying, then okay. Maybe she’d believe them someday. I didn’t see the point of sending two teenagers gallivanting around Germany on their own. Molly steals a cell phone, Pepper breaks into an apartment, and they both almost get killed. The “bad guys” give long “bad guy” speeches to force Molly to keep solving the mystery when she gets discouraged. It’s all dangerous and elaborate. Wouldn’t it be simpler to just tell the kids the truth? Use your words!
This is why I’m conflicted. I loved the experience of reading this book. It has a twisty plot and quirky characters. But, when I got to the end, I was like, “Oh. That’s it?”
If you like mysteries, I recommend giving this one a try because I had fun reading it. I’ll definitely read whatever Stephanie Oakes writes next. I like her characters and the strange situations they find themselves in. Still, I wish the ending was more satisfying!
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense?
I have a blog for that.
July 15, 2018
Through a series of circumstances, two California teens become involved with solving a mystery that happened in 1989 in Cold War East Germany. I liked the characters and the mystery, but thought the story bogged down at the half way point. I also wanted to know more about Molly's dad and why he committed the crimes. With a bit more editing, this could've been an even better book.
Want to read
July 2, 2015I CAN'T WAIT.
February 27, 2020
3.5 stars
June 28, 2017
~ review copy provided
I was intrigued but uncertain about THE ARSONIST so I trotted off to the library to get Stephanie Oakes' other book, THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY. MINNOW blew me away with it's great characters, superb writing, and unique story. I plowed through that book, but not before choosing this new one.
~
THE ARSONIST did not disappoint. In fact, it was even better. With MINNOW you saw the world from one perspective. In THE ARSONISTS three very different voices are present and they are all captivating. I loved Molly and Pepper. She is thoughtfully shown as someone seeking the truth and trying to retrieve her life from where her parents have seemingly destroyed it. Pepper is so funny and quirky that I had to share bits of his narrative with my husband. Pepper is snickering out loud funny at times.
And Ava. What to say about Ava's story. I didn't like her much but I clung to every word about her and her life in East Berlin. The author did an amazing job of creating tension and stress and bringing to life the horrors of living under that totalitarian government. It was gripping.
And this is why I now adore Oakes. There aren't many YA authors who can weave angst and humor together this well. In fact, when I finished ARSONIST I was in that fuzzy, real life is out of focus state that really good books leave you in. None of the characters were flat. Not even Margaret, Molly's cousin --and 3rd tier player-- who is there just to antagonize her.
~
THE ARSONIST has young characters but it's Adult at heart. The depth of the characters, the intricacies of the writing and plotting.... Honestly, I had no idea how this book was going to end.
**Candidate for one of slots in my personal Top Ten Reads list.
I was intrigued but uncertain about THE ARSONIST so I trotted off to the library to get Stephanie Oakes' other book, THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY. MINNOW blew me away with it's great characters, superb writing, and unique story. I plowed through that book, but not before choosing this new one.
~
THE ARSONIST did not disappoint. In fact, it was even better. With MINNOW you saw the world from one perspective. In THE ARSONISTS three very different voices are present and they are all captivating. I loved Molly and Pepper. She is thoughtfully shown as someone seeking the truth and trying to retrieve her life from where her parents have seemingly destroyed it. Pepper is so funny and quirky that I had to share bits of his narrative with my husband. Pepper is snickering out loud funny at times.
And Ava. What to say about Ava's story. I didn't like her much but I clung to every word about her and her life in East Berlin. The author did an amazing job of creating tension and stress and bringing to life the horrors of living under that totalitarian government. It was gripping.
And this is why I now adore Oakes. There aren't many YA authors who can weave angst and humor together this well. In fact, when I finished ARSONIST I was in that fuzzy, real life is out of focus state that really good books leave you in. None of the characters were flat. Not even Margaret, Molly's cousin --and 3rd tier player-- who is there just to antagonize her.
~
THE ARSONIST has young characters but it's Adult at heart. The depth of the characters, the intricacies of the writing and plotting.... Honestly, I had no idea how this book was going to end.
**Candidate for one of slots in my personal Top Ten Reads list.
April 12, 2017
Man. That was unexpectedly brilliant.
--
"It was a pleasure to burn." A chilling, magnetic story, I had to keep reminding myself it was fiction. I don't think I've read anything like this before, but the historical style reminded me of Julie Berry. You will find little romance within these pages. There is mystery, friendship, and of course, arson in many forms. This book is more than its beautiful cover hints at, I can't even begin to explain it. The Arsonist is one of my favorite reads this year, let it be yours too.
--
Can I nominate it for next year's awards already?
--
"It was a pleasure to burn." A chilling, magnetic story, I had to keep reminding myself it was fiction. I don't think I've read anything like this before, but the historical style reminded me of Julie Berry. You will find little romance within these pages. There is mystery, friendship, and of course, arson in many forms. This book is more than its beautiful cover hints at, I can't even begin to explain it. The Arsonist is one of my favorite reads this year, let it be yours too.
--
Can I nominate it for next year's awards already?
November 22, 2016
The Arsonist might be the best book I've read in 2016. The story takes place in two settings, Monterey, California, in the present, and East Berlin before the fall of the wall. The protagonists are two daughters desperately looking for their mothers and struggling to understand how their lives intersect. Oakes writes prose with a stylistic flair I've not seen before. You really must add The Arsonist to your reading list!
February 14, 2019
I want to tell you right off the bat that this review will not come close to doing this book justice. I want to tell you all how amazing and awesome this book is in a coherent way that really conveys the perfection of this book. But I am going to fail.
This book is amazing and awesome-- wait, I already said that. Okay, let me try again. This book is about so much more than I thought it would be about. I thought I was getting a story about a serial arsonist-- and it WAS about that-- but it was about so much more. It was about Ava Dreyman, a historical figure who became the Anne Frank of 1980's Berlin. It was about Pepper and his smooshy dog Bertrand and his dad's sadness. It was about Molly's complicated family and their story. But it all wove together so beautifully and perfectly, that I couldn't believe I was reading YA.
Not to say YA isn't smart or detailed, but this felt like more than what I think of YA to be. Again, I'm not explaining that well because I LOVE YA. I would defend YA to the death. But I don't necessarily equate YA with super literary books (and I think that's a good thing)-- THE ARSONIST is literary. It should be read in classrooms.
I FELT like I was reading something real. I FELT Ava's story as real. I FELT like I was on Pepper and Molly's epic adventure, and the implications of it felt real.
Was I 100% happy with the way the ending came together?? No. I was hoping for a much neater bow to put on the top of this package-- but that fact didn't diminish my love for the experience of this book.
Friendship, Adventure, History, Family. That's what this book was. It was a journey and a mystery, and I was glad to be along for the ride.
OVERALL: Do you want to go on a journey to unravel a historical mystery that could change EVERYTHING for 2 unlikely friends?? This book was exceptional, and definitely one of the best books I've read in 2017. I highly recommend for fans of adventure, mystery, and historical elements in books.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
This book is amazing and awesome-- wait, I already said that. Okay, let me try again. This book is about so much more than I thought it would be about. I thought I was getting a story about a serial arsonist-- and it WAS about that-- but it was about so much more. It was about Ava Dreyman, a historical figure who became the Anne Frank of 1980's Berlin. It was about Pepper and his smooshy dog Bertrand and his dad's sadness. It was about Molly's complicated family and their story. But it all wove together so beautifully and perfectly, that I couldn't believe I was reading YA.
Not to say YA isn't smart or detailed, but this felt like more than what I think of YA to be. Again, I'm not explaining that well because I LOVE YA. I would defend YA to the death. But I don't necessarily equate YA with super literary books (and I think that's a good thing)-- THE ARSONIST is literary. It should be read in classrooms.
I FELT like I was reading something real. I FELT Ava's story as real. I FELT like I was on Pepper and Molly's epic adventure, and the implications of it felt real.
Was I 100% happy with the way the ending came together?? No. I was hoping for a much neater bow to put on the top of this package-- but that fact didn't diminish my love for the experience of this book.
Friendship, Adventure, History, Family. That's what this book was. It was a journey and a mystery, and I was glad to be along for the ride.
OVERALL: Do you want to go on a journey to unravel a historical mystery that could change EVERYTHING for 2 unlikely friends?? This book was exceptional, and definitely one of the best books I've read in 2017. I highly recommend for fans of adventure, mystery, and historical elements in books.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
August 10, 2017
If you think the cover is stunning, what until you read the book! Part contemporary, part historical (1980s Berlin), part mystery, part coming-of-age...it's hard to categorize this story, but the parts all weave into an utterly compelling read. I'm a huge fan of everything A.S. King writes as well as Markus Zusak's I am the Messenger, and would place The Arsonist on a par with those books.
June 11, 2020
I am thinking about the first words of another book.
It was a pleasure to burn.
More than anything, it was a pleasure to live.
I am utterly SHOCKED that no one talks about this book!!! Please, please go out and read it! It's one of the most unique YA books I've ever read, and I mean this in every possible way.
First of all, it is not at all what I was expecting it to be. I typically don't read very much of the synopses of thrillers because I don't want to spoil myself, so my expectations going into this book were purely based on the cover. I thought it was going to be a standard contemporary YA thriller about an arsonist. I couldn't be more wrong.
Not only is this book actually historical fiction for much of it, but it definitely has a much heavier focus on the characters than I was expecting. Don't get me wrong though, the plot is still incredibly engaging; I couldn't stop reading.
However, the characters here are what really sold it to me. There are three POVs in this book, and they come from some of the most unique perspectives I've ever read from. Not only are they so unique, but they are so well executed. I was not once confused by which perspective I was reading from, that's how consistent each voice was.
1. Molly- She is the weird girl at school. No, not the type A "I'm not like other girls" protagonist, I mean the weird girl. Like, she's called "Molly Milk Pee Mavity" for purposely peeing in the middle of the classroom in 7th grade. She is the girl with no friends. Legitimately zero. It was so interesting to get to see what goes on inside her head and why she acts the way she does. What troubles her, what she yearns for, what she doesn't understand- all of it.
2. Pepper- A boy from Kuwait who is officially not going to graduate. Again, this is another character that I never expected to read from. His voice was also incredibly well-done, from minor slips of English proficiency, to the control of his chapters. They were written in essay form, each with a central theme, and they each tied into his account of the story seamlessly.
3. Ava- A girl trapped in East Berlin under the GDR and Stasi regime during the Cold War. To me, Ava was the most compelling character because through her account, a resilient and unbreakable woman was unveiled.
I could go on and on about how having unique structure for each POV enhanced the reading experience just as much as each unique voice, but I think that at this point you should just read the book for yourself to experience it.
Oddly enough, this book also had a lot of relevance to stuff going on in the world today. It touches on themes of rebellion and doing what it takes to cause a regime to crumble. Despite being written in 2017, and being about a completely different country, its commentary completely echoes the arguments that many are making surrounding the police in America today.
I haven't really touched the plot yet, but that's because that too is something you should just dive into on your own. This book is a whirlwind of so much that I love in literature, and I am still amazed that I found it in a book that has been sitting on my shelf for years, never having been opened.
I'm so glad that I gave this random book a try, and it really reminds me that every book has the power to surprise you.
Seriously, give this one a try. For Ava Dreyman (even if you don't know her quite yet).
It was a pleasure to burn.
More than anything, it was a pleasure to live.
I am utterly SHOCKED that no one talks about this book!!! Please, please go out and read it! It's one of the most unique YA books I've ever read, and I mean this in every possible way.
First of all, it is not at all what I was expecting it to be. I typically don't read very much of the synopses of thrillers because I don't want to spoil myself, so my expectations going into this book were purely based on the cover. I thought it was going to be a standard contemporary YA thriller about an arsonist. I couldn't be more wrong.
Not only is this book actually historical fiction for much of it, but it definitely has a much heavier focus on the characters than I was expecting. Don't get me wrong though, the plot is still incredibly engaging; I couldn't stop reading.
However, the characters here are what really sold it to me. There are three POVs in this book, and they come from some of the most unique perspectives I've ever read from. Not only are they so unique, but they are so well executed. I was not once confused by which perspective I was reading from, that's how consistent each voice was.
1. Molly- She is the weird girl at school. No, not the type A "I'm not like other girls" protagonist, I mean the weird girl. Like, she's called "Molly Milk Pee Mavity" for purposely peeing in the middle of the classroom in 7th grade. She is the girl with no friends. Legitimately zero. It was so interesting to get to see what goes on inside her head and why she acts the way she does. What troubles her, what she yearns for, what she doesn't understand- all of it.
2. Pepper- A boy from Kuwait who is officially not going to graduate. Again, this is another character that I never expected to read from. His voice was also incredibly well-done, from minor slips of English proficiency, to the control of his chapters. They were written in essay form, each with a central theme, and they each tied into his account of the story seamlessly.
3. Ava- A girl trapped in East Berlin under the GDR and Stasi regime during the Cold War. To me, Ava was the most compelling character because through her account, a resilient and unbreakable woman was unveiled.
I could go on and on about how having unique structure for each POV enhanced the reading experience just as much as each unique voice, but I think that at this point you should just read the book for yourself to experience it.
Oddly enough, this book also had a lot of relevance to stuff going on in the world today. It touches on themes of rebellion and doing what it takes to cause a regime to crumble. Despite being written in 2017, and being about a completely different country, its commentary completely echoes the arguments that many are making surrounding the police in America today.
I haven't really touched the plot yet, but that's because that too is something you should just dive into on your own. This book is a whirlwind of so much that I love in literature, and I am still amazed that I found it in a book that has been sitting on my shelf for years, never having been opened.
I'm so glad that I gave this random book a try, and it really reminds me that every book has the power to surprise you.
Seriously, give this one a try. For Ava Dreyman (even if you don't know her quite yet).
Read
September 13, 2017Molly Mavity is definitely not your average teenage girl. Her father is on death row for murder, with his execution date steadily approaching. She steadfastly believes that her mother is alive, despite all evidence to the contrary and the fact that she's the only one who believes. She's waiting for the day they'll be reunited. Pepper Yusef is not your typical woman teenage boy. He is an epileptic immigrant from Kuwait who has no idea how to talk to girls and has the most useless seizure dog ever. Pepper's also been given the choice of writing a series of essays over the summer or failing out of school. Ava Dreyman was the beautiful resistance fighter who was murdered when she was seventeen years old. The backlash of her death led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall. But, after all these years, nobody knows who killed Ava or exactly how she died. Molly receives a package that challenges her and Pepper to solve this decades old mystery. Using Ava's diary, they travel from California to Germany and learn more about this historical figure, their families, and even themselves. They learn that history isn't always what they think it is and that who they are isn't necessarily set in stone.
This is the first book I've ever read by Stephanie Oakes before and I enjoyed it a great deal. She has a great talent for story telling and making you feel like you're actually there as the story progresses. The Arsonist was told from Molly's, Pepper's, and Ava's points of view and not all authors are able to change back and forth like that and keep track. But Stephanie did a remarkable job. I was never confused or wondering which narrator experienced what event. All of the characters were very well developed, even the ones that weren't mentioned a lot. Like I said, this was my first book by this author, but I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her writing.
This is the first book I've ever read by Stephanie Oakes before and I enjoyed it a great deal. She has a great talent for story telling and making you feel like you're actually there as the story progresses. The Arsonist was told from Molly's, Pepper's, and Ava's points of view and not all authors are able to change back and forth like that and keep track. But Stephanie did a remarkable job. I was never confused or wondering which narrator experienced what event. All of the characters were very well developed, even the ones that weren't mentioned a lot. Like I said, this was my first book by this author, but I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her writing.
September 13, 2017
This novel right here, is a literary accomplishment for YA. The Arsonist took me through a whirlwind of emotions and memories, storytelling not one or even two young adults lives. Visits to the past and the present, memories and first hand accounts - the point of view from each character was unique. I had to push myself to finish the book because I didn't want it to end. It was very odd some moments but I appreciate the overall platonic relationship through and through the book - I hate it when the love interests are the only "character development" and this book strayed away from doing that.
September 3, 2017
This is an amazing book that a wide variety of ages would enjoy. It is 493 pages that I plowed through!
Read
March 15, 2021DNF at around 1/3. Just too slow and weird. I could not understand the character arcs.
August 11, 2018
Loved it, but umm Molly wasn't very likeable lol
August 31, 2019
A wonderful, high-quality novel. Characters I immediately connected with, farked-up pasts, and uncertain futures. And the mystery, of course. An extraordinary read.
August 25, 2017
Wow... I haven't been so disappointed in a book in a while. I loved this author's debut book (The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly) and have been anticipating her next novel for about two years now. When the summary and cover were released I was even more excited. The characters sounded interesting and unique. I love non-chronological storytelling. I was counting down the days to this book's release.
Maybe I set it up so that it couldn't meet my expectations. But I don't think so. One of the frustrating aspects is all the glimmers of quality that point to how much better this book could have been. The prose is seriously beautiful and evocative in many, many places. The recurring themes and motifs are pretty cool. The pacing is great.
But there's nothing to be done for how illogical everything about it feels. Literally no one feels human in this. Everyone seems to be operating under some kind of weird moon logic. People will do the most outlandish, self-destructive things and everything (the characters, the prose, the narrative) will have this sense of 'oh, yeah, people totally act this way, duh.' It's a mystery that's somehow wholly predictable, but also impossible to predict because everyone just kind of does things with no rhyme or reason. It's not that I'm against characters being illogical or foolish. I love flawed characters. I'm not against dramatic, improbably things happen either because often that's the whole point of reading fiction. But there's a fine line books have to manage where you can understand why things are unfolding the way they are unfolding even if you're reading about something over the top and rare. This book doesn't manage that fine line at all.
I love epistolary fiction a lot, but it just beggars belief here. Only one of the narrators makes sense as someone who would be sitting down and taking the time to write what they're writing because she has nothing but time, and a lot of things to untangle. The other two have narratives where they're very frequently in danger, but sit down to write some truly beautiful and long descriptions of what they've been up to. Even if you're a really good writer, that shit still takes time. And one of the others is frequently in locations where it seems like personal belongings would have been confiscated.
I just didn't believe anything that was happening. This book was plot holes all the way down. The characters are interesting in theory, but the narrative also keeps you at a remove from them (except Molly and Pepper in some rare places. Ava never came across as real.) Most of the time they're more of a personification of dark wit rather than believable facsimiles of people.
I feel bad about how rancorous this review is. I'm just really let down and surprised because The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly really was wonderful and one of my favorite books the year it came out. I'll likely read what this author releases next but I think I will have to add this book to Minnow Bly, average them out, and adjust expectations accordingly.
Maybe I set it up so that it couldn't meet my expectations. But I don't think so. One of the frustrating aspects is all the glimmers of quality that point to how much better this book could have been. The prose is seriously beautiful and evocative in many, many places. The recurring themes and motifs are pretty cool. The pacing is great.
But there's nothing to be done for how illogical everything about it feels. Literally no one feels human in this. Everyone seems to be operating under some kind of weird moon logic. People will do the most outlandish, self-destructive things and everything (the characters, the prose, the narrative) will have this sense of 'oh, yeah, people totally act this way, duh.' It's a mystery that's somehow wholly predictable, but also impossible to predict because everyone just kind of does things with no rhyme or reason. It's not that I'm against characters being illogical or foolish. I love flawed characters. I'm not against dramatic, improbably things happen either because often that's the whole point of reading fiction. But there's a fine line books have to manage where you can understand why things are unfolding the way they are unfolding even if you're reading about something over the top and rare. This book doesn't manage that fine line at all.
I love epistolary fiction a lot, but it just beggars belief here. Only one of the narrators makes sense as someone who would be sitting down and taking the time to write what they're writing because she has nothing but time, and a lot of things to untangle. The other two have narratives where they're very frequently in danger, but sit down to write some truly beautiful and long descriptions of what they've been up to. Even if you're a really good writer, that shit still takes time. And one of the others is frequently in locations where it seems like personal belongings would have been confiscated.
I just didn't believe anything that was happening. This book was plot holes all the way down. The characters are interesting in theory, but the narrative also keeps you at a remove from them (except Molly and Pepper in some rare places. Ava never came across as real.) Most of the time they're more of a personification of dark wit rather than believable facsimiles of people.
I feel bad about how rancorous this review is. I'm just really let down and surprised because The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly really was wonderful and one of my favorite books the year it came out. I'll likely read what this author releases next but I think I will have to add this book to Minnow Bly, average them out, and adjust expectations accordingly.
July 30, 2018
Oakes does not disappoint in her second novel. I was worried she would fall victim to the sophomore slump because I found The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly enthralling, but Oakes delivers. I know some reviewers faulted her for the serendipitous connections (life is happenstance, is it not?), but I had no problem suspending my disbelief.
I had to actually remind myself more than once that this was fiction and Ava Dreyman really does not exist. Oakes weaves three voices/stories together to create a tale of loyalty, love, loss, and luck. Despite great oppression and hardships, the human spirit prevails, and there are always those who are brave enough to fight our battles even at great costs to themselves.
The title aptly describes the blazing path forged by (sometimes seemingly innocent) decisions. Family secrets are highly combustible, simmering beneath the surface waiting to devour our long-held beliefs and scorch our security and safety. But fire is not merely destructive. In its wake, new life grows, new chances arise, and sometimes the truth left from the flame's path enriches beyond our expectations. This is what Oakes gives us with this story.
This book could be a good introduction to the Berlin Wall and life in the 1980s and 1990s in East Germany. It could also be a springboard to discussions about PTSD. Psychology classes certainly have much fodder to analyze in the character's decisions. Yes, this is fiction, but this is a story that will compel the reader to learn more.
I had to actually remind myself more than once that this was fiction and Ava Dreyman really does not exist. Oakes weaves three voices/stories together to create a tale of loyalty, love, loss, and luck. Despite great oppression and hardships, the human spirit prevails, and there are always those who are brave enough to fight our battles even at great costs to themselves.
The title aptly describes the blazing path forged by (sometimes seemingly innocent) decisions. Family secrets are highly combustible, simmering beneath the surface waiting to devour our long-held beliefs and scorch our security and safety. But fire is not merely destructive. In its wake, new life grows, new chances arise, and sometimes the truth left from the flame's path enriches beyond our expectations. This is what Oakes gives us with this story.
This book could be a good introduction to the Berlin Wall and life in the 1980s and 1990s in East Germany. It could also be a springboard to discussions about PTSD. Psychology classes certainly have much fodder to analyze in the character's decisions. Yes, this is fiction, but this is a story that will compel the reader to learn more.
October 7, 2024
What a weird, convoluted story. The word that comes to mind is frenetic.
There are three points of view: Ava - the focus of the intrigue - is told through her diary, which the characters are reading. That makes sense. Molly is writing chapter length letters to Pepper detailing every moment of their adventures, including the parts he was there for. That seems weird. But weirdest of all is Pepper, who is telling his side of the who-killed-Ava story by addressing it to his teacher in lieu of the essays he is supposed to be writing in order to not flunk school. Surely receiving these they should be calling a psychiatrist or the police or at least Pepper's father. They are breaking laws, they're flying to Germany without telling their families (and how did they afford that anyway?). Wouldn't a teacher be obliged to say something?
The characters are either able to make wild illogical leaps of deduction from the barest hint, else are oblivious to the completely obvious. Also, I just didn't really like them. Molly kept expecting Pepper to drop everything and do her bidding from the moment she turned up - demanding the answers he supposedly has - until she decided to throw a fit because they are "not friends". What is that about? Why did her cousin go from treating her like dirt to helping her commandeer a boat? Why is her mother a mythological figure but her father lower than dirt? Were they never close before the arson? The only character I liked was Bertrand - but who ever heard of a pug as a service animal?
There are three points of view: Ava - the focus of the intrigue - is told through her diary, which the characters are reading. That makes sense. Molly is writing chapter length letters to Pepper detailing every moment of their adventures, including the parts he was there for. That seems weird. But weirdest of all is Pepper, who is telling his side of the who-killed-Ava story by addressing it to his teacher in lieu of the essays he is supposed to be writing in order to not flunk school. Surely receiving these they should be calling a psychiatrist or the police or at least Pepper's father. They are breaking laws, they're flying to Germany without telling their families (and how did they afford that anyway?). Wouldn't a teacher be obliged to say something?
The characters are either able to make wild illogical leaps of deduction from the barest hint, else are oblivious to the completely obvious. Also, I just didn't really like them. Molly kept expecting Pepper to drop everything and do her bidding from the moment she turned up - demanding the answers he supposedly has - until she decided to throw a fit because they are "not friends". What is that about? Why did her cousin go from treating her like dirt to helping her commandeer a boat? Why is her mother a mythological figure but her father lower than dirt? Were they never close before the arson? The only character I liked was Bertrand - but who ever heard of a pug as a service animal?
April 9, 2020
what i loved the most about this book is that it featured a male and a female character together and did not force the book into any sort of romance. it was just two teens trying to find their way through this sort of "quest" they had been sent on together and dealing with their own personal struggles. Ava's diary entries sent a course of adrenaline just when it was needed most. There was one which bothered me through the book. Pepper's character's actual name is Ibrahim and he chose Pepper as a nickname. however, he was born and lived most of his life in an Arab country, speaking Arabic as his first language. It is also mentioned that he has a thick accent. With all of this in mind, the author made a mistake by naming him Pepper, because if you have an Arabic accent, you can't pronounce the letter P, it comes out sounding like a B. So his name would sound like Behbbarr??? It doesn't make sense for him to choose a nickname for himself that he wouldn't be able to pronounce correctly. Otherwise great book, five stars!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews