Burn the Water – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Dystopian tale of love and war.
YA book title: Burn the Water.
YA author: Billy Ray.
Genre: Dystopian romance.
Published by: Scholastic.
ISBN: 9780702344862.
Recommended for children aged: 12+ year-olds.
First published: Paperback March 2026.
This YA book is ideal for: KS3 children who enjoy romance, dystopian futuristic stories of war and the end of the world as we know it.
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Our review:
Three centuries have passed since the rising seas swallowed most of the English Isle. London lies transformed, now a wilderness of emaciated towers and flooded avenues. In this drowned world, where memories of the past have faded to myth, two rival Houses clash incessantly over what remains: the Crowns and the Rogues, locked in a war as old as the devastation itself.
Eighteen-year-old Rafe commands the Rogue forces with unrivalled strength. Jule leads the Crown army with lethal precision. Both are ruthless in battle, fearless in their loyalty, and respected by their people. Both lead their own House in seeking control of the remaining dry land and the beech trees that produce a treatment for the Yellowing, a disease that diminishes lung capacity and hinders motor function.
They are destined to destroy each other. Instead, they fall desperately in love. To be discovered means execution, but their immediate bond incites the teens to seek an end to the centuries-long feud. But neither the Crowns nor Rogues are willing to consider compromise for the sake of peace.
Yet their passion proves unstoppable. As Rafe and Jule struggle to protect one another amid the chaos of their divided world, darker dangers emerge. Strange vessels appear on the horizon, bringing outsiders to their ruined shores. Now the ancient enemies face a choice: unite behind their ill-fated warriors and forge a new path forward or let centuries of hatred consume them all.
Burn the Water is an exhilarating romance between enemy soldiers in a bleak and fruitless future London. In this YA dystopian adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, two warriors from opposing factions must choose between loyalty to their people and a forbidden love that could cost them their lives.
Our verdict:
Burn the Water is a brutal and memorable post-apocalyptic romance that breathes new life into a classic tale. The novel is a must-read for those who enjoy romance and dystopian themes, and for readers who want their romance with a side of revolution. It is ideal for readers who have enjoyed Lauren Oliver’s Delirium series or Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.
Many thanks to Scholastic for the review copy.
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