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Burn

by Patrick Ness

A dragon, a prophecy, and Cold War suspicion

Regular price $12.14 USD
Regular price $20.24 USD Sale price $12.14 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A dragon, a prophecy, and Cold War suspicion

Set in rural Washington in 1957, Burn brings dragons into a town already shaped by exclusion and mistrust. Sarah Dewhurst and her father hire Kazimir to work their farm; his arrival links Sarah to a prophecy, a pursuing assassin, a dragon-worshipping cult, and FBI agents. The Cold War backdrop makes secrets and suspicion part of the story’s landscape, while Sarah’s experience as a mixed-race outcast connects the fantasy elements to prejudice in her community. The novel combines historical and supernatural conflicts around a farm, a family, and a dragon whose purpose reaches beyond farm work.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Young adult readers interested in fantasy involving dragons and prophecy.
  • Readers drawn to historical fantasy set in 1950s America.
  • Readers interested in stories addressing prejudice, secrecy, and social exclusion.

Themes

Dragons and prophecyCold War suspicionPrejudice and exclusionSecrets and protection

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

On a cold Sunday evening in early 1957, Sarah Dewhurst waited with her father in the parking lot of the Chevron gas station for the dragon he'd hired to help on the farm...

Sarah Dewhurst and her father, outcasts in their little town of Frome, Washington, are forced to hire a dragon to work their farm, something only the poorest of the poor ever have to resort to.

The dragon, Kazimir, has more to him than meets the eye, though. Sarah can't help but be curious about him, an animal who supposedly doesn't have a soul but who is seemingly intent on keeping her safe.

Because the dragon knows something she doesn't. He has arrived at the farm with a prophecy on his mind. A prophecy that involves a deadly assassin, a cult of dragon worshippers, two FBI agents in hot pursuit--and somehow, Sarah Dewhurst herself.

 

  • Cold War Fantasy: In an America gripped by the paranoia of spies and secrets, the arrival of a mysterious blue Russian dragon named Kazimir lights a fuse that could lead to war.
  • A Deadly Prophecy: A trained assassin is on the move, and a shadowy cult believes Sarah is the key to an earth-shattering event. But they aren't the only ones watching her.
  • Historical Fantasy: Grounded in the rural Pacific Northwest of 1957, this is a world of farm chores and school days turned upside down by the raw power of dragons and the looming threat of the FBI.
  • Prejudice and Secrets: As a mixed-race girl in a small town, Sarah is already an outcast. Now, she's hiding a dangerous secret about the dragon sworn to protect her--and an even bigger one about herself.
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