Review - Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres

Title: Burn Bright - Night Creatures book 1
Author: Marianne de Pierres
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: March 1st 2011
Publishers: Random House Australia
Available from: Amazon (kindle edition)
Dymocks

Into a world of wild secrets and deadly pleasures comes a girl whose innocence may be her greatest strength. 

In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . . 

Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom. 

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother. 

When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion? 

Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness? 

Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

..........

Burn Bright immediately drags you in and doesn't let you go. As soon as I started to read it, I knew it would be a page turner that would have me up all night. The world in which Retra first inhabits seems dull with an underlying darkness, and when she arrives in Ixion - a world of artificial light, pleasure and non stop parties, the dark is even more terrifying. She has grown up in sealed environment where everything is a sin. She escapes her home to find her brother, who already escaped to Ixion. Retra braves the pain of an obedience strip and finds her self on the ship bound for Ixion. To say she doesn't fit in is an understatement. Retra is so far out of her depth, it's not funny. She knows she doesn't belong, but she has an inner strength she doesn't realise. This strength helps her to survive and adapt. You think you've got her character down, but she always did something to surprise me. Ixion seems like the ultimate party place, but it hides so many secrets. My imagination ran wild with Burn Bright. Marianne de Pierres has created an epic sci-fi/fantasy realm that is full of sinister and mysterious characters that you don't know who to trust. Compelling, intriguing, and utterly fantastic, if you haven't read it I highly suggest you do. One of my favourite books this year.

5/5