Customer Reviews

Don't Cry Now

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"dumque petit, petitur, pariterque accendit et ardet" (he seeks, is sought, he burns and he is burnt) --Ovid

Ella is rooted in Porter, immobile. She stands before the mirror transfixed by the lacey patchwork of scars that wreathe her body. No one can touch her heart. She and the fires she starts reflect each other. In the end, she burns up most of the memorabilia that, with softer light, might illuminate deeper sources of herself. Why does she cherish the flames, why is it easier to burn things than to save them? Because the bright light of their combustion bleaches out the shadowy imperfections, bringing the narcissist as close as she'll come to a sense of self. But this sense of Ella's is not esteem. Any esteem she feels comes to her temporarily, from a bottle of bourbon. She, along with the reader, look inside her for the small, improbable spark that somehow saves her from meeting her most logical end. Ella is the most engaging depressed alcoholic pyromaniac that you are likely to encounter.

René Steinke's The Fires is the story of a young women in herearly twenty's who not only suffers from pyromania but also frompromiscuity. Ella lives in a small town of Indiana. She dropped out of college and abandoned her teaching career because she felt that all she could teach her students was how to wait. She now works at the Porter local hotel. The novel starts off with Ella's grnadfather's death. She is torn by his death, and the fact that he committed suicide. Ella decides to go out and find her aunt Hanna, although nobody knows where she is. Ella feels she has the right to know about the death of her father. Ella slowly begins to realize that there are many loose ends and secrets surrounding her family. Ella's passion for fire can be compared with the passion one feels when in love. Whenever she feels depressed or angry. She has the need to set a fire and soothe her own inner fire and anger. She started off by burning little things, but with time the fires grew bigger and more dangerous. She blames her promiscuity on her scars. She seduces men in order to test her femininity and physical beauty. She wants to see if men will still want her if they see her scars. Although Ella is a fictional character she seems entirely real, and her tormenting yet captivating story entangles the reader's interest.

"The Fires" is a very complex book about the troubled state of main character Ella and her downward spirl to pyromania. She sets fires to release herself, and in this novel you take this very emotional and thought provoking journey with her. It's a draining book that can take a lot out of you...but, if you just keep focused it's well worth your time. I found it to be one I had to take my time with and really think about. This isn't a easy nor fast read....it's one to spend sometime on. BUT, very good.

Reminds me of "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, in that we delve into the head of a troubled woman whose life is marked by tragedy, neurosis, self-destruction, and painful family relationships.

An interesting and descriptive account of what provokes a woman into pyromania and sexual promiscuity, and the links between the two.

Rene Steinke has written a novel filled with pyromania and promiscuity. The story is about Ella, a young woman controlled by an urge to act out her desires. Ella, unlike many women, does not want to practice self-control; she pushes way beyond the levels she has attained over the years.

This is a very sexy and disturbing novel. The language is beautiful; Rene is a great writer. A nice read!

I recommended this book to my book group largely based on reviews found here. I have to wonder if I have read the same book as you other reviewers! I never connected with any of the characters -- the author never followed through with a relationship. There was much potential, but I found the book unfulfilling. The author has a lovely style of writing and in some places uses great descriptive language. However, she took on too much for her first effort. Maybe she'll improve with experience.

This novel is my great new find!!! I almost wish I could keep this book to myself because I loved it so much. To use an old cliche', you cannot put it down. That being said, I wish Oprah would put it on her show so others can feel what I felt for Ella the main character. This story is heartwarming and sad at the same time. Not since I read ORDINARY PEOPLE or CATCHER IN THE RYE have I felt so connected to a character.

One of the most compelling novels I have read in years. Steinke writes with such beautiful metaphors but her style of writing does not alienate the reader. Ella is a complicated character and unbelievably rich. This is a fantastic and quick read. I highly recommend it.

The writing is wonderful. Like poetry. This could win a Pulitzer. I felt liek I felt reading SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, where the sense of place is so strong and the characters come alive. Highly recommended.

While this novel and its characters were intriguing to me, it was unsatisfying. Steinke piles dysfunction on top of dysfunction and trauma on top of trauma to somehow explain Ella's behavior. I never felt like I understood Ella or her gallery of insane relatives. Steinke's prose is very beautiful and evocative but her plot and character development left me wanting a whole lot more.