Review of 'Brightly Burning'

Stella Ainsley leaves poverty behind when she quits her engineering job aboard the Stalwart to become a governess on a private ship. On the Rochester, there’s no water ration, more books than one person could devour in a lifetime, and an AI who seems more friend than robot. But something sinister lurks beneath the Rochester’s immaculate façade.

When Stella meets Hugo, the nineteen-year-old captain at the helm of the ship, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious boy who’s as unpredictable and broody as he is kind. But Stella’s suspicions against Hugo mount as the ship is plagued by ghostly hauntings and deadly assassination attempts. Now, she must choose between following her heart or listening to her head.

Review

Thoroughly engaging, Brightly Burning is a unique retelling of a classic that does not fail to build up its own story with thrilling plot twists.

Inventive, Gothic & Romantic

I love Jane Eyre, the classic is one of my favorites, right next to Wuthering Heights, so when I saw this, I had to have it. After reading it, I’m a little angry at myself for letting it sit on my shelf for many years.

Due to a severe ice age, Stella and much of Earth’s civilization live on space shuttles orbiting Earth’s orbit. At the moment, no one knows when the ice age will finally dissipate. But time is running short as most of the ships were not built to survive past the initial projection.

For Stella, that’s her ship. Eager to escape the role of engineering and the death sentence of her ship that is slowly failing and crumbling around her, she applies to be a teacher/governess on the Rochester. And much to her luck, she succeeds.

A lot of mystery surrounds the Rochester that pulled out of orbit with the rest of the ships to orbit the moon. With a small tight crew, Stella can’t help but feel as though they are hiding something. Readers familiar with the tale can guess who and what they are hiding. But 18-year-old Stella is not faced with a scorned wife but rather with the scorned mother of Hugo, captain of the Rochester.

I love that plot twists because it allows the characters to truly bond with one another, especially over their love of reading. And it also gives some more depth and dimension to Hugo’s alcoholism and relationship with his little sister. At such a young age, he was robbed of a father and became the sole caretaker to his sister and mad mother.

But more secrets linger within the dark confines of the ship that threaten more than his family’s safety, putting the well-being of the fleet in danger. Secrets Stella uncovers, making her public enemy number one. Save one or save thousands? Stella would rather sacrifice her happiness to reveal the corruption and save thousands.

Final Thoughts

I absolutely loved this novel. Brightly Burning took something I loved and breathed new and inventive life into it.

• Writing Quality : 9/10
• Character Development :9/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 10/10
• Intellectual Depth: 9/10
• Originality: 9/10
• Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.