We Burned So Brightly by TJ Klune

Blurb:

We Burned So Bright is the heartfelt, queer, road trip of a novel from TJ Klune, the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Cerulean Chronicles and The Bones Beneath My Skin

Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good, long life. Together, they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world.

Now, the world is ending for real. A wandering black hole is coming for Earth, and in a month, everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.

Suddenly, after forty years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.

On the road, they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how – impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, new friends.

And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.

Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?

Review:

I’ve seen TJ Klune recommended frequently on r/Fantasy. So, when I saw this book up on NetGalley, I didn’t think twice before requesting it. And it got approved!

Okay, I hadn’t read anything about this book, except the author’s name. And I’m glad I took that bet. Because We Burned So Bright ended up being one of the most emotionally moving experiences of this year. 

SPOILERS AHEAD!

What I liked:

We Burned So Bright begins with Don and Rodney finally deciding to take that much delayed road trip just months before the world ends. They’re a gay couple who’ve been together for over four decades, and now that the world is about to end, they have business to take care of. Almost immediately from the opening paragraphs, you feel like you know these two. As if they’re your kind neighbours who you’ve had garden parties with or who are part of your circle of friends. They’ve lived a full life, and the weight of it is apparent in the way they behave along the journey.

Like a true road trip story, we come across a host of different characters. It’s important to note that all of these characters are dealing with their inevitable doom, and the effect of it lingers throughout. While some folks have abandoned all inhibitions and are spending their last days in a bacchanal of everything that makes them happy, others are more restrained in their final acts. There’s that family who hasn’t even told their kids about the end, with the father having bought Pentobarbital to end things humanely for everyone. And then there’s the groups of hippies who celebrate their existence with acceptance and love. 

Between supportive acts of kindness and generosity, and random spurts of violence and barbarism, TJ Klune balances a fine narrative of Don and Rodney’s last chapter. Over the journey, we pretty much learn everything there is to know about these two men. And in learning about them, we also learn about the LGBTQIA community and its past. But, none of it is preachy. Instead, Klune exercises restraint by telling just what’s needed for the scene and the story. Don and Rodney remain the central focus—except when secondary characters come and tell the stories. These interpersonal connections, fleeting and heart-warming, remind you of what life and the world could be like if discrimination and inequality did not exist. 

We Burned So Bright can be counted as a cozy fantasy book, because its tender moments will leave you with a warm feeling in your chest. But, it also features some very harsh realities fitting to the end of the world that will leave you with a lump in your throat. Amelia’s story alone was quite a daunting read. You’d think such extremes of tone would make the read awkward, but Klune balances them brilliantly to tell you this bittersweet story. 

The last chapter, where everything is revealed, was by far my favourite. We finally learn why Don and Rodney are on this trip. After 6 chapters of finding out everything about them, we learn about a major part of their lives. It’s something you can guess, but Klune’s treatment of that story told through Don & Rodney’s eyes makes it a heartbreakingly special moment. And this emotional catharsis comes just moments before the world ends. And Klune tastefully ends this very devastating book. I had tears in my eyes as I read those last lines. And few books have moved as much as this one. 

An absolutely brilliant experience, if you ask me. 

What I didn’t like:

Honestly, I can’t think of any complaints. There were a few minor details that I didn’t enjoy, but it was completely to do with my taste and nothing more. Apart from a few dull moments maybe, there’s nothing in particular about We Burned So Bright that rubbed me the wrong way. I genuinely enjoyed the book. 

Conclusion:

A sensitive exploration of humanity at its best & worst in the face of inevitable doom. I cried reading this bittersweet road trip at the end of the world.

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: Klune’s writing style, loveable characters, sensitive but real exploration of humanity, the ending

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: A few dull moments here and there, but mostly subjective