Freya is a successful, respected surgeon working in a hospital burns unit. She's unmarried, childless and lives life her own way. She drives an expensive car and home is a fancy apartment in an affluent development. To outward appearances she's a strong, independent woman. However, as a child she experienced a trauma. The question now is: did that trauma shape her into the person she's become or was it always her destiny regardless? Inside Freya there's a darkness that's cruel and dangerous. Fire is the third novella in John Boyne's 'Elements' series and my favourite to date. The theme of nurture versus nature is explored. Freya is a fascinating character who appears to be paying the world back for what happened to her as a child. She knows her actions are illegal and abusive but has a craving inside that can't be satiated. The novella is excellent. Boyne has a knack of sucking you in until you're completely immersed. The story is immensely disturbing yet totally gripping. A fantastic read.

Fire is the third of a planned quartet of books by John Boyne and what a series it is turning out to be. The previous two were both superb and, if anything, this latest instalment is even better. None of them have been easy reads due to the subject area of abuse that links them, each dealing with a person affected differently by it either directly or indirectly, but they are beautifully written and say so much. As with the others, this is a short book but it packs an almighty punch. It’s now a few days since I finished reading it but I haven’t stopped thinking about it and seeing new aspects all the time. Fire tells the story of Freya, a burns specialist, who is outwardly quite a cold character but inwardly absolutely burning with rage. I don’t really want to give away too much of the plot as it unfolds in a very powerful way that absolutely knocks you for six, but suffice to say it made me look at a lot of things in new ways and shifted my sympathies repeatedly. Freya is 100% not a likeable character but there is enough there for you to question how she became the person she is and how the behaviour of others has caused her to act as she does. John Boyne is a superb writer and I’ve loved all his works but these are extraordinary. The decision to split it into four separate shorter books rather than one long was brilliant – it would have been impossible to give quite so much space and complexity to each main character in a single volume – but I particularly enjoy the way the characters from each book are popping up as background as the larger story unfolds. There is an obvious connection between all the stories, however distant, and it’s fascinating to see it all unfold. For anyone coming fresh to this book, I would absolutely recommend that you read the other two as well. It’s not essential in order to follow this one but it’s very much worth doing and it definitely adds to the story. And I cannot wait for the fourth and final book to complete this amazing series.

This third instalment in Boyne’s Elemental series has left me completely devastated. It’s uncomfortable, disturbingly dark, and yet undeniably compelling. Boyne’s writing style is immaculate. I first encountered his work when we read The Heart’s Invisible Furies for our book club a couple of years ago, and since then, I've been trying to catch up on his impressive back catalog. I haven’t found a single book of his that I would critique negatively. “He has nothing to fear. If anything, it’s me who should be afraid. After all, a doctor in the burns unit should know better than to play with fire.” This quote appears on page 11, and from that moment on, I was completely hooked. It’s an intense literary revenge thriller that toes the line of urban horror. Boyne paces the story brilliantly, revealing information slowly and teasingly, leading us on a dark, rollercoaster ride. The attention to detail is superb - I loved that one of the characters was called Vidar (Norse God of Revenge). Most chapters end on cliffhangers that keep you turning the pages (I finished this novella in one sitting). Our main character, Freya, is a renowned burns specialist surgeon living a life of luxury and privilege. She’s highly esteemed by her colleagues because she dedicates herself to rescuing those deeply scarred by the devastating effects of fire. She poignantly remarks, “When someone’s physical appearance is damaged by burns, we turn away, repulsed. We don’t want to know,” in response to a question about why she chose her specialty. I have so much to say, but it’s hard to do without giving too much away. I’ll say this, the content can be quite hard to digest and may be triggering for some, but Boyne handles these sensitive topics with great skill. It was rewarding to spot references to the previous two novellas—like Freya serving on the jury for the Earth’s footballers rape trial and discovering that another character is Willow’s daughter from Water . These connections made me reflect on how our choices can have ripple effects that extend far beyond our immediate circles. I can’t wait to see what the final instalment of this series brings!

I think this one might be my favourite book in the series so far! I really like how all the stories are standalone and unique but they do have clever links as different characters make cameo appearances in each story. This story seemed darker than the others to me and perhaps more enjoyable for it! It is actually more thought provoking for it too as it makes you think about your prejudices when it comes to male and female violence and whether we have any control of our choices. Really addictive and thoughtful read.

I really enjoyed reading Water and Earth the first two books in this series and I was delighted to receive a copy of the latest book Fire. I really enjoyed this book about Freya and the difficulties she fought every day. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House, Transworld Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.