motherbooker's reviews
599 reviews

Fire is the third book in John Boyne's Elements series. All three books have dealt with difficult subject matter and this is the darkest so far. The first, Water, revolved around a woman whose husband was found guilty of abusing the girls he was coaching. The second, Earth, centred on two footballers embroiled in a rape trial. Fire introduces us to Dr Freya Petrus, a 30-something surgeon specialising in skin grafts. Freya's life looks great on the outside but it's a very different story inside. As a child, Freya went through a traumatic experience that continues to haunt her every decision. Unfortunately, a lot of those decisions involve underage boys. Something she justifies because of what she went through as a child. She was abandoned by her unloving mother and raised by a grandmother who didn't care for her. When she was 12, two old boys abused her during her summer holiday. She believes these experiences made her the person she is today but is that true? Or was she destined to turn out this way?

Fire explores the nature vs nurture debate by exploring Freya's past. Did everything that happened to her as a child shape her future? Or is she just using that as an excuse for the awful things that she's done? It's an interesting idea and it will take you to some very dark places. Freya is guilty of some awful things and we experience it all from her point of view. She is presented as an unfeeling and remorseless figure, so she spends most of the book getting away with everything. It won't be to everyone's taste but it's an interesting narrative choice. However, I don't think the characterisation was quite strong enough. The previous two books worked so well because the characters felt so real. Freya isn't given the same depth and often feels like a cartoon villain. I would have preferred a bit more from this book. Of course, the writing is still amazing and it was so easy to get through this book. John Boyne manages to create engaging works that you can't help but dive into. This isn't the strongest in this series but it's still a good addition.

The underlying factor in all of these books is the dual nature of the elements. Just as water can heal or destroy, fire can be seen in two ways. It can be a helpful tool or it can utterly ruin a person. We know that humans have harnessed fire to provide warmth and light. It can be a tool for comfort. However, we also see the destructive power of fire thanks to Freya's job. People die from smoke inhalation while some face a life with disfiguring and painful injuries. It can tear down people's homes and be used as a weapon in the wrong hands. Fire can also be used to get rid of anything you don't want people to find. We soon realise that Freya's work with burn patients is perhaps some form of recompense for her past actions. It also allows her to maintain her life without being questioned too much. She helps people resume their lives, so she can successfully hide her true self.

As with the other books in this series, Fire references the books that have come before. Freya, it turns out, served as foreman on the jury in the trial from the previous instalment. She also comes face-to-face with someone connected to the first book. It's the kind of coincidence that shouldn't work but it does. It allows John Boyne to keep reflecting on the same themes throughout his books. They focus on the idea of victims and who is affected by an individual's actions. Freya was one of the people that found the footballers not guilty but it was later revealed that they were. She has to live with the fact that the evidence (or lack of it) doesn't always reveal the truth and that situations can be presented in a totally different light. It's interesting to see how the different narratives connect and drive the story forward. I can't wait to read Air when it comes out next year and see how that fits in.

Ultimately, Fire is a good book but it's not a pleasant one. The subject matter isn't always easy to swallow and you'll definitely hate Freya. It's got plenty in common with Lolita but, unlike  Humbert Humbert, Freya never tries to justify her actions using romance. John Boyne does an incredible job of flipping the reader's opinion of his protagonist. You feel sorry for everything she experienced as a child but quickly come to see how awful she really is. Obviously, this book doesn't champion Freya's actions and there is a very important discussion about the very topic. People can have traumatic pasts but that doesn't mean they can decide to act abhorrently. It is up to an individual to deal with their past without hurting anyone else.