Review: Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina (L)

Synopsis: Nora Lopez is seventeen during the infamous New York summer of 1977, when the city is besieged by arson, a massive blackout, and a serial killer named Son of Sam who shoots young women on the streets. Nora’s family life isn’t going so well either: her bullying brother, Hector, is growing more threatening by the day, her mother is helpless and falling behind on the rent, and her father calls only on holidays. All Nora wants is to turn eighteen and be on her own. And while there is a cute new guy who started working with her at the deli, is dating even worth the risk when the killer likes picking off couples who stay out too late? Award-winning author Meg Medina transports us to a time when New York seemed balanced on a knife-edge, with tempers and temperatures running high, to share the story of a young woman who discovers that the greatest dangers are often closer than we like to admit—and the hardest to accept. (from the online description)

Review: I picked this up from the library after reading Medina’s newest work, Merci Suarez Changes Gear. Having loved that one, I was rather disappointed in this work.

Set during the record-breaking and historic New York City Summer of 1977, we follow Nora as she struggles to settle the many broken pieces of her life. An absent father, abusive brother, and uncertainty about her future combine with the fear of Son of Sam and the record-breaking oppressive heat.

I failed to connect with Nora, although I am not certain that is due to a failing on the author. Her brother, the main antagonist for the story, seems almost like a trope of the violent drug-addled boy of the era. I wish Medina has explored more about why he made the choices that he did, to give him depth and prevent him from just being The Bad Guy in the story. Several of the side characters felt like two-dimensional arc-types – The Friendly Grocery, the Sleazy Janitor, the Angry Feminist. More attention to the complexity of the background characters would have improved the story.

Brisk plot, realistic dialogue, and action, mixed with actual historical events, salvaged the story and made it worth reading. Not a bad story, just not as good as it could be.  There are people who will greatly profit from the story.

Note: This book deals heavily with domestic abuse and violence. It also mentions sex (just in passing). Be advised when reading. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-0-7636-7467-0
Year Published: 2016
Date Finished:  5-21-2018
Pages: 310