Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Atlanta Burns: Nothing good's gonna come out of this, Atlanta Burns. Nothing

I picked up a copy of Chuck Wendig's Atlanta Burns when it was on sale without actually reading what it was about because there is a level of trust there. I've yet to be disappointed in anything of his that I have read* so if I see something come up, I'm going to give it a whirl.

Once again, I'm glad I did. Atlanta Burns is about the titular teenage girl dealing with some high school bullies. Lest you think that sounds very after-school-special, know there are also neo-nazis and dog fighting and a fair amount of violence because this is Wendig we're talking about.

Atlanta Burns has had some horrors in her past and she is determined to not be a victim. She hopes to just keep her head down and just get through school, but she can't abide by others being tormented either and thus she finds herself helping out a few of the school outcasts. And without getting into plot details, let's just say things escalate. There's tension, there's excitement. Edge-of-your-seat kind of stuff.

Wendig has a skill in making characters feel fleshed out. They don't always make smart choices but they feel like real people making real choices in extreme situations. Atlanta is tough but she's still a teenage girl and there is a vulnerability behind her actions.

Warning that the book is violent and that there is dog fighting so there is some violence around the dogs so if that bothers you steer clear. Why did violence against a dog bother me more than violence against people? Well, because dogs are way better. Obviously.

This wasn't my favorite Wendig (Miriam Black, you are the BEST) but I did really enjoy it. Kick ass, teen girl who kicks all kinds of ass, yes please.

(Also, I love that cover. Wendig has some good covers.)

Gif rating:
*What's that? A link roundup of all of the Wendig I have read and reviewed? If you insist.
Blackbirds
The Blue Blazes
Mockingbird
Invasive
Zer0es

Title quote from page 196, location 2392

Wendig, Chuck. Atlanta Burns. Skyscape, 2015. Kindle