Will End in Fire

July 1, 2024
In Bokat's novel of upheaval, uncertainty, and revelation, there's more to one young woman's traumatic story than meets the eye. In 2019, twenty-something Eleanor "Ellie" Stone is staying in her childhood home in suburban New Jersey for the weekend with her younger brother, Josh. She's there to keep him safe, since he's a drug addict. They have an argument, and she leaves the house for about an hour; while she's away, the family home suddenly catches fire, claiming Josh's life and leaving Ellie grieving. Soon, she reconnects with her past: The trauma of going largely unnoticed by her mother, the hurt of being bullied by her peers, and her infamous nickname, "Firestarter" (which she received after an accident involving a school friend), all come back to haunt her as she struggles emotionally. "There it was: caught in my throat. My chest. In the back of my eyes. All of these places in my body congested with grief, guilt." A new relationship blossoms with Josh's best friend, Drew Colins, who might turn out to be too good to be true. But Josh's girlfriend, Audrey Findley, uncovers more details about the night of the fire each day. Readers soon learn that almost nothing about the incident is as it seems. By allowing certain details of the narrative to fade into the background over time, Bokat gives readers the opportunity to think about these aspects on their own while connecting the dots and assigning importance to other elements of the story. This plot structure develops the story as the main character develops an elusive, ever-shifting sense of justice. Bokat reveals the solution to the mystery bit by bit, like a jigsaw puzzle, leaving the full picture obscured until the final piece is finally in place. A tumultuous narrative that will confound readers' expectations and keep them guessing.

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