Book Review: Burned by Ellen Hopkins

by Poetic Enigma, Nov 11, 2007

Burned, written by Ellen Hopkins is a worth the read novel full of excitement, tragedy and surprise. Written in verse, every page is set up creatively. Hopkins verse style of novel writing is a very exciting new way of reading and writing.

Hopkins book shows the life of a Mormon girl; Pattyn Scarlet Von Stratten. Pattyn is tired of the Mormon lifestyle and rebels against her family and the rules of her home and church. Her father spends most of the time drunk and angry and her mother has a whole household to take care of.

After Pattyn gets in a fight and breaks glass, her family has had enough of her rebelling so they send her to live with her Aunt, out in the middle of nowhere, for the summer, so she can no longer get in trouble.

It turns out that she has fun on her stay with her aunt, she learns how to drive and ride a horse, and meets the love of her life. She fell in love with Ethan, the son of her aunts friend. He is not Mormon and her father would kill the both of them if they were together.

After returning home things start to go bad again. She mouths off to her father and gets beaten. She takes the rap for something her sister does, and gets beaten to save her life. She also learns that she will have Ethan’s baby.

Like all of Hopkins novels, Burned also has a tragic ending. Ethan and Pattyn get in a car wreck and she wakes up in the hospital to learn that she lost Ethan and her baby. In the end she says that God could not be love because love was a corpse, because she lost the love of her life, and the only thing remnant of him.

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Comments (64)

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#1 by claire, Jan 6, 2008

It was a great book until the last 20 pages....I'm a fan of happy ending cause books are my get-away from the real world,so I thought the ending sucked. So I wrote a new one... and I suggest you do that too[unless you liked the the ending of course].

#2 by H-DuBb, Mar 27, 2008

I thought it was a good book. But the ending was dissapointing!

#3 by Poetic Enigma, Mar 31, 2008

I find all of her books interesting, but I agree about the ending being disappointing. Sometimes just got to remember life does not always turn out like a fairytale, so all writers are not going to write that way.

#4 by darkshadow, Mar 31, 2008

i love this book. i started to cry at the end.
i never see my dad anymore. he is in jail and i live with my uncle. i can almost relate to this girl

#5 by Charlie, Apr 8, 2008

I liked all of her books,
her style is so interesting
never lets you lose interest.
great review.

#6 by John, Apr 16, 2008

This book was amazing! I have never offically completed a book, And this was the first offical book that I can say I read all the way through. Each page was more exciting then the next. I couldnt put it down. But The ending pissed me off. errrr I mean why couldnt she just end it with pattyn and ethan being together. I mean pattyn deserved something good and its ruined..lol bad ending ellen hopkins!

#7 by merideth blake., Apr 18, 2008

i have to say, this book was incredible! ellen hopkins is such an inspiration and her style really grasps my attention. a few of my friends hated that pattyn and ethan didnt get to be together, but i think thats what makes hopkins' books so good; the "real-ness" in them. she really wakes us up with reality, many of us dont enjoy reading about sad endings but, its life and i'm glad somebody isnt afraid to write about it. good job:)

#8 by poetic enigma*, Apr 19, 2008

I am glad that you guys liked the book, I agree...
with the statement about her real-ness in her verse
novels.

Thanks for the comments so far!

#9 by brandon, May 1, 2008

i just bought the book and havent read it yet
i was looking threw book reviews and ead this one
so the ending is pretty much ruined for meh.
:(

#10 by Cerentra, May 4, 2008

I was so amazed by this book, though I'm only 13, it doesn't mean I didn't get any of the sex parts, it was actually awesome knowing that these kind of books exist, 'cause I thought that all authors can only use the right language as in without cussing, and by these books by Ellen Hopkins, I really felt the emotions or the anger of the characters and it expanded my imagination. It was really worth it :) I love all Ellen Hopkins' books :x

#11 by Chy, May 6, 2008

ok i read this book and i cried my eyes out. i loved the ending but thought that it could be better but besides the point does anyone know when this book was published and how many pages there are? if so thank you=)

#12 by poetic enigma *, May 7, 2008

Chy, if you come back and see this,
it has 531 pages

and was published in 2006

thanks for all your comments :)

#13 by God, May 11, 2008

This isn't a book review, it's a synopsis.

#14 by poetic enigma, May 13, 2008

book review, synopsis...whatever...it is what it is

#15 by Well..., May 14, 2008

I agree about the synopsis part,
but it was a good book.
so I enjoyed the recap

#16 by Katie, May 18, 2008

I thought this book was one of the best I\'ve ever read...until the end. What happened to closure and happy endings? If you can\'t find those things in a book where can you find them? Is this the kind of hopelessness that everyone is doomed to? Are we supposed to lose it all like Pattyn did? If this is reality, I wish that I hadn\'t read this book and discovered it.

#17 by P!atdfan, May 20, 2008

this was definately a good book,
but so sad an ending,
wish it ended better.

#18 by chris, May 22, 2008

like brit i wasn't sure if she killed herself, killed her dad, or both.
i absolutelty loved the book, and cried my eyes out in the end. i really wanted eathan and pattyn to have a happy ending.

#19 by Amazing, May 27, 2008

book...
Her style is very neat...

nice review!

#20 by bri, May 31, 2008

I agree with most here
the ending was sad...
wish it would have ended better.

#21 by poet prodigy, Jun 6, 2008

nice review
this is a good book.
her books r so great

#22 by Nicely done, Jun 10, 2008

great review,
this was a good book,
she writes really well.

#23 by Drew, Jun 10, 2008

I know people who do the drug,
and this story is so true
about that life

#24 by J, Jun 12, 2008

Oh my, great recap of the book.
her book felt so real..

#25 by It was..., Jun 14, 2008

The best book out of Ellen's works. I really loved the ending. I'm probably the few that likes tragic endings like this, but I think this ending was more likely to happen rather than everything turning out alright in the end.

#26 by ATL, Jun 14, 2008

I agree witht he last comment, it being the best of her books,
and her ending being better than a happy ending.
it shows how it really is rather than giving a
fantasy type ending.

and when i lost the one I loved I thought love was just a corpse too, so I can relate to this book.

#27 by dain, Jun 17, 2008

this book was rad,
her books are the bomb

#28 by jessicasarah, Jun 17, 2008

this book was really captivating.
and i agree with the others;; it could have ended a little better.
very nicely written review !

#29 by POET, Jul 7, 2008

I loved this book, very inspiring
and so captivating.

#30 by =], Jul 10, 2008

i can relate alot to pattyn
-the things she went through with derek
-&& how she can only date mormon boys, but with me its nationality lol
-rebelling =] ahah
and

but i truley loved the book.. i couldnt put it down

the end was disappointing cuz she desvered to be with ethan
but it was still a very emotional book

#31 by She's..., Jul 12, 2008

my favorite author,
and this was my favorite book
of hers.
thanx for the review.

#32 by The Hopeless Romantic, Jul 19, 2008

I loved this book and I thought that it was the best out of all her books (not that im saying all her other books are bad I loved all of them). But this one definately stuck in my head. LOVED IT!! great story

#33 by Carrie, Jul 19, 2008

Not that I try to hide from tragedy, but I hated the ending. Not only did Pattyn lose someone she loved, but she lost all hope, and everything that she believed in. This was a girl who truly deserved to have something amazing, and she didn't get it. She'd never get that chance, and would always be stuck with something she needed desperately to escape. Thats what I found most tragic about this story.

#34 by loved it, Aug 4, 2008

i loved burned, i thought it was brilliant. i was sad by the ending, it made me feel sick and depressed. i thought it was real though, not everything ends happy. i love how her novels are very unique, and filled with the unexpected. ellen hopkins is a huge inspiration. my stomache sinks everytime i think about the book though. loved it anyways though, its a "masterpiece".

#35 by Bri, Aug 9, 2008

i have not read this book yet-but i look forward to it! i absolutely love books about torture and sadness-so i think i will love the sad ending.

#36 by Jordan Ann, Aug 14, 2008

I just finished the book, literally. oh man, it made me CRY!! the ending was dramatic. what a twist. everyone seems to be hating the ending, but it is a good change on "happily ever after". I was looking for the official ending actually. Still not quite sure. like, does she die and or kill other people?
I dont know.(??)
Anyways, some of the sentences were very beautiful and well put together. They were not sappy at all.
And also i liked the set up :)
Overall, GREAT BOOOOK!!!!

#37 by IreneIronic, Aug 24, 2008

This bok is amazing. It truley shows what life is about. Life is a series of down notes. But sometimes can be happy. Great book.

#38 by megan loved it , Aug 25, 2008

okay so this book was beyond amazing. I read it so fast and loved the realness of it all. I just wished it would have ended happier even though life never ends like that. Also what happens at the end. does she kill herself or not. im so confused. but this book was on of the best i have ever read.

#39 by Burns, Aug 30, 2008

It was a good book I agree.

#40 by breanna, Aug 31, 2008

this is a amazing book i hate to read but i loved this book i hated the ending though i was hopin for more i hope there is a sequal

#41 by letsdance:], Aug 31, 2008

Burned is fabulous book. I loved reading every sentence of it. I love all her books that I've read so far. This book shows that life cant always have a happy ending.

#42 by catsal, Sep 4, 2008

I could say this one of my favorite books of all time. The ending definitely left me stunned and I cried. But the romantic part of this novel was beautifully written, I always went back to it and read it a million times over. I love this book!

#43 by Jessie, Sep 6, 2008

I bought this book yesterday night and finished it right when I woke up. It really is amazing. Of course, I cryed at the end. I would have been more satisfied if it didn't end like that, but I still liked the ending since it wasn't like anything I've read before. But what I wanted for atleast was a miracle to happen and for her baby to live and her aunt to help her raise it. Anyway, it was the first book I read from Hopkins and I can't wait to catch up on all her other ones. [ The wierd thing is, I have a friend who fits the exact description of how Patyn looks so I just thought about her all through the book. Haha! (: ]

#44 by may, Sep 13, 2008

i didnt buy the book yet and i wanted to until i read the review.
then it told me the ending.
thanks alot now im not buying it

#45 by P.E., Sep 16, 2008

Well I am sorry that it ruined the ending for you now.
Thats why if you doubt if a review will ruin it or not, to read the book first.
I try to put the warning up
but didnt on this review.

#46 by A!MEE,, Sep 16, 2008

:[
i wish i didn't read this review
until after i read the book,
cause it told me the ending:[
you shouldn't have put the ending.

:/

#47 by p.e., Sep 18, 2008

again I am sorry.
but sometimes you gotta use common sense
before reading a review.

#48 by breenee, Sep 30, 2008

this was a good book.
though you kinda said too muchof the ending.
:[

#49 by @|3X!$, Sep 30, 2008

amazing book!!!
i kinda liked the ending but idid she die or what??
and when it said "he doesn't know" or something like that does that mean God? and that since it wasnt capitaillized she didnt believe? idk it was confusing but i really LOVEDDD this book..ethan sounded like a hawteeeee (:

#50 by @|3X!$, Sep 30, 2008

and the ending just needed more detail

#51 by Paul, Oct 1, 2008

I just finished
it was incredible!
The emotions that it evoked from me were insanely real, I had to stop reading and look around to remind myself that it wasn't happening to me.
When the dad beat her, I really truly hated him.
Of course I hated the ending, but you cant deny that it was affective.
I love books that make me feel, and this one did that and more.
And yes I cried...

#52 by ..., Oct 1, 2008

... but he wont
:(
tears

#53 by shelby, Oct 3, 2008

i know that this book isn't real, but after reading it, i couldn't help but think that it was. the end just affected me SO much: i swear i was depressed the rest of the day. like everyone else, i wanted this to be a happy ending for her, because this boy was so perfect. she deserved it. but i admire ms hopkins for ending it this way, because it's defintely stuck with all who read the book, right?

the best of ellen hopkins, in my opinion.
--shelby

#54 by em crem, Oct 7, 2008

i loved this book so much. the writing was beautiful. but i wasent a big fan of the ending. but hey, i didnt write the book.

#55 by gabbie, Oct 9, 2008

this book was so depressing yet amazing im a teen mom and ihave been through a lot and i couldnt imagine being in her situation

#56 by teleigh IDAHO, Oct 10, 2008

no one knnows what thir talking about. i LOVED the ending. it was pure genius. my absolute favorite book!

#57 by A.B., Oct 11, 2008

I loved this book and the fact that it was pretty easy to read since it was written in verse. I was angry at the ending at first because I had just finished 1984 which ended unhappy also. I just don't understand if she ended up killing all the people she said she was, herself, or just her dad. Maybe we're not meant to know. As much as I was initially disappointed in the ending, I realize that it made the book real. After all shes been through, I would have snapped way before Pattyn did.

#58 by yeahyeah..., Oct 13, 2008

this book was great :D

#59 by malmal, Oct 14, 2008

i havent read this book yet. but im so excited to read itt!!!!!!

#60 by Gretel , Oct 15, 2008

I thought this book was the best book i have ever read!.. It was truely amazing..

#61 by Ashley, Oct 17, 2008

This book was absolutely amazing! It makes you have such a great imagination, and you will feel like your Pattyn. The ending was soo surprising. Right when you think there's going to be a happy ending, Hopkins turns your thoughts 360 degrees. This is what makes her such an incredible author. I love all of her books! :)

#62 by Kim, Oct 25, 2008

Ellen Hopkin\'s books are amazing whether
you have done drugs or not. There are ways
in which you find yourself relating to the
book and I think that\'s awesome. I loved Burned.
Yes, the ending was disappointing and it brought
reality back into this amazing dream Pattyn felt
she was in.

One of my favorite lines in the book is from Ethan:
\"You\'re like the ocean, Pattyn. Pretty enough on the surface, but dive down into your depths, you\'ll find beauty most people never see. Lucky me, I fell in, headfirst.\"

I was like, wowwwww. I like that, haha.

#63 by juliA, Nov 6, 2008

well i know that the book is probably good, i mean i haven\'t read it yet. but just because bad things happen doesnt mean that god doesn\'t love you. sometimes its just a persons time to go. and also, being mormon doesn\'t mean that you can\'t lead a happy life. i would know. i have the best life i could ever wish for and i\'m happily mormon. religion doesn\'t restrict you. you restrict you.

#64 by mattea, Nov 10, 2008

i just finished this book and OMG i cried!!! It was such a bad ending. i wish she would have made it a happy ending cause now verytime i think i about it my heart sinks. it is truely sad.

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Book Review: Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Burned, written by Ellen Hopkins is a worth the read novel full of excitement, tragedy and surprise. Written in verse, every page is set up creatively. Hopkins verse style of novel writing is a very exciting new way of reading and writing.

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