The Burning

April 20, 2020
Bates’s powerful debut roars with feminist themes and #MeToo awareness. Grieving the death of her father, 16-year-old Anna Clark and her mother move from England to a Scottish fishing village to distance themselves from online slut-shaming that occurred in Anna’s past. At St. Margaret’s Academy, Anna makes friends with Cat and Alisha, but is surprised when she’s groped in the pool and a group of popular boys harass and circulate vicious rumors about other female students. Adjusting to life in her new town, Anna is immersed in the local history of Maggie Morgan, an unwed mother accused of witchcraft and publicly shamed around 1650. As Anna’s former life is revealed through invasive social media posts, she experiences Maggie’s persecution through vivid dreams. Anna’s voice radiates with a blend of fear and building anger as she seeks justice for herself and the other girls at St. Margaret’s. Bates incorporates poetic descriptions (“tongues like blades”) while clearly connecting the inhumane treatment of 17th-century women through witch hunts with harmful attitudes held toward today’s young women. A smart, explosive examination of gender discrimination and its ramifications. Ages 14–up. Agent: Stephanie Purcell, Simon & Schuster UK.