Jacks was just a simple pickpocket on the streets of the London Ruins, trying to survive by staying under the radar. That is until she had an encounter with the mysterious resistance group, the Flames. Soon she finds herself pulled into the underground fight to take down the rule of Donovan, the self-serving and corrupt monarch who is in control of the ruined Western Europe.
The Last Burning of New London is a 2013 Young Adult novel by Danielle Myers available through Rain Town Press, set in a post-apocalyptic London about the group of rebels, the Flames, and their attempts to bring the empire they live under to its knees.
Tropes present in this work:
- Arc Words: “Fire Warning”
- Big Brother Is Watching: Computer chips are implanted into citizens of the Empire, so that they can always be tracked.
- Calling Card: The Flames leave a candle at each place they strike.
- Cool Bike: Zira has an antique motorcycle. Corry speculates that she stole it from a museum.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Zira, towards the Flames, especially Corry and later Jacks. Jacks is this to a lesser degree.
-
Dye Hard: Corry dyes the tips of his hair and Addy’s signature pink hair is obviously dyed. Jeremy constantly changes his hair color to the point that Jacks wonders what his natural hair color even is. It’s black. - Dystopia: The Empire, particularly New London. There’s a reason why most of the characters call it the London Ruins.
- Embarrassing Tattoo: Zira has the DRT tattoo on the backs of her hands, hence why she always wears gloves. She was forced to receive them at a young age.
- To a lesser degree, Jacks' old gang tattoo.
- Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter: Zira’s father is Donovan.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Zira's full name is Tanzira.
- Parental Abandonment: Pretty much every member of the Flames. Jacks and Jeremy are orphans, Corry’s mother works in the palace, so he’s separated from her, Addy and Finn’s mother is sick, and Zira’s father is Donovan.
- Pet the Dog: Jacks and Zira both seem to have soft spots for children and are less guarded around them.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Addy is very cheerful, friendly, fashionable and colorful. Her twin, Finn, on the other hand, is pretty pessimistic, a bit anti-social, and doesn’t seem to have much of an interest in things outside of computers.
- Street Urchin: Several characters are this, but Jacks most noticeably. Jeremy used to be one of these.
- Switching P.O.V.: Each chapter, the narrator switches from between Jacks, Jeremy, Zira, and Corry.
- Victorious Childhood Friend: Corry to Zira.
