We Burned So Bright

arienwen

An Emotional 5-Star Read

"Someone told me the other day that it's better to feel all the emotions than it is to feel no emotions. I feel like this book is a test of that theory, because within the 176 pages, I felt all of the emotions. After being wrung completely dry after finishing the novella, I felt hollow. No emotions at all. But in the best way possible, if that makes sense? It might sound cheesy, but I felt like I experienced an emotional rebirth after I finished this book. But, let's talk about some of the emotions I experienced during Don and Rodney's journey across the country before the end of the world.... These are not in chronological order. Affection: Don and Rodney are seriously an absolutely adorable couple: they complemented each other so well, despite only getting parts of their back story. Despair: The world is ending. What's the point? Eagerness: I finished We Burned So Bright so quickly. I couldn't put it down! Hope: Don and Rodney are going to make it! They're going to get their closure. Nervousness: Are they actually going to make it?! Sadness: How do I even begin to describe the depths of the sadness I felt after finishing this book? And not even just because it was over. That ending made me ugly sob. I cried for a full hour after finishing it. And then the morning after. Shock: I don't want to spoil too much, so I'll just say two things. Abby. Jeremy. If you're looking for more recommendations like this, I would highly recommend TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door. It has many of the same themes (death, regrets, closure, etc), but with a little more lighthearted plot. ["

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May 6, 2026 Verified Purchase

BrisBooks

Will I go first, or will the apples?!🍎🍏

"We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune Narrated by Kirt Graves ALC Review of Advanced Copy Received from Author via NetGalley Honestly this book was nothing I was expecting but still a great read! — I picked this up anticipating the whimsical ✨ style that Klune is famous for and while this certainly had other worldly elements it felt more Dystopian than Fantastical. 🤔 (but not in a bad way) I will say I did not have a clue where the HECK this book was going next as I read and this was one WILD ride! 🎢 I mean there were a few things I saw coming (including an inkling of the “major plot twist”) BUT the details!…shew the DETAILS!!!…I think that’s is where KLUNE’S typical ‘Fantasy’ elements come into play because he painted such a picture that I could truly imagine the world imploding like this 🤯😱 The squirrels just floating off into space as they try to leap from tree to tree 🌳🐿️🌳 or the moment of all the animals coming together to look to the sky?!—because animals have that sixth sense and know things, right?! As the story follows Don and Rodney, an elderly couple that has been married for 40 years and is embarking on their final journey before the world ends, 😳 their journey takes you across the country and through interactions with various people they meet along the way. Families, fun loving hippies🍪😶‍🌫️, couples that have led lives similar 👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻 but quite different from them. They have a few brushes with death that just make them hold each other a little closer and maybe laugh a little too (or maybe I was the only one laughing 🤣). In the final chapter when they reach their destination they talk about why they’ve come on this journey — the life that they’ve lived that led to this point and what/WHO they have come there for. We get hints at this in the beginning, and throughout the book as we are shown Don and Rodney carrying a “chest” around, but never delving into what is in the chest or its importance. Also, at the start, as they are packing up, a neighbor remarks, “Tell him we said ‘hello’…and ‘goodbye’.” But we don’t know who “he” is until these final moments when the revelation is made just before things implode. As the book comes to a close you are left with questions. What would I do if I were in that situation? Could I change something NOW to live more for TODAY? Do I take too much for granted? Will I miss apples, will I go first or will the apples?🍎🍏 My only critiques for this book would be: 👵🏻👴🏻 I feel like the target audience for this book is much older than myself, while I enjoyed it, I feel like more middle-elder age groups would enjoy it more 🤷🏻‍♀️ ♾️The chapters felt insanely longgg 🫠 - doesn’t bother some people, just not my preference. ✔️Check your Trigger Warnings: I’m certain they’re listed somewhere but I did not have a list and found it surprisingly hard to locate on Klune’s website itself (I do not have triggers but am aware some do and found the ability to locate them disconcerting)-So if you do, please CHECK THEM…I will summarize the best that I can here but this is not a comprehensive list and ofc has to be censored 😒: unaliving, self-unaliving, violence (including mention homophobic violence and hate crimes), DV, homophobia, psychological trauma/issues, drug use and addiction, pew-pews, language, end-of-world/apocalyptic themes, grief, loss of child ["

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May 6, 2026

Tammy Ebarb

Just wonderful.

"WOW, just WOW! This short story follows Don and Rodney, an older married couple completing a promise that was made. There's just one problem, the world is being destroyed by a black hole in space and there's only a few weeks to complete the journey from Maine to the state of Washington. So much happens on their trip. They meet the best and worst of people and how learns how everyone is dealing with the end of their lives. It's heartbreakingly sad and yet beautiful. I'm a big fan of TJ Klune from the moment I picked up The Lightning Struck Heart. I've since read pretty much everything he's written, even short stories I've printed out like, Best Friends 5eva and Sandy and Paul's Gay Porno Adventure. He has a way to make you smile, laugh, scream and cry until your eyes are swollen. This book will make you do all of those things. ["

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May 2, 2026 Verified Purchase

Codylee1990

Earth-shattering (literally)

"I did not expect this book to hit me the way it did. TJ Klune tells queer stories the way they deserve to be told. No tokenization, no sexualization standing in for depth, none of the tired stereotypes that flatten queer characters into props. He is just really good at this. And what sets this one apart is who he centers. Elder gay men. Their lives, their loves, their losses, and the people all of those experiences made them into. That is so rare and so needed. There is a section set in Montana that is quietly one of the most profound in the book. Elder queer people passing their lived experience through the AIDS epidemic and one of the darkest periods in gay history down to a younger generation, sitting together at the end of the world sharing stories that needed to be heard. The gratitude, the grief, the way gay men still carry what lesbians did for them when nobody else would show up. Klune honors all of it beautifully. As a gay man actively exploring adoption with my husband, this book found me somewhere I was not expecting. Klune writes about love, loss, guilt, and grief in a way that cracked open thoughts and emotions I genuinely had not sat with before. That is rare for a book to do. I love apocalypse movies and this scratched a completely different itch. The end of the world here is just the backdrop that lets Klune strip everything back and ask what people carry, what they remember, and what it means to have actually lived. My only complaint is that it is short and I wanted more. Just read it. ["

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May 8, 2026 Verified Purchase

Ethan

Love, Legacy, and the Last Days on Earth

"Like many readers, I first became aware of TJ Klune through his novel The House in the Cerulean Sea. That book, and its equally fantastic follow-up, showcased Klune’s ability to explore imaginative fantasy worlds through grounded characters, all while thoughtfully examining themes of found family and the persecution of the LGBTQ+ community. He has a gift for balancing heavy subject matter with warmth, humor, and heart. I became an instant fan. So when I had the opportunity to read his newest release, the adult novel We Burned So Bright, I knew I was in for something special. What would you do if you knew it was the end of the world? Don and Rodney have spent the last forty years building a life together—devoted partners who have grown old side by side, even marrying once it finally became legal. They always imagined a future together, but not one that ends like this. A black hole is tearing through the solar system, swallowing planets in its path and heading straight for Earth. There’s no stopping it. No escaping it. The end is certain. With that reality looming, Don and Rodney leave the comfort of their home in Maine and set out on a final journey west. There’s one last promise they need to keep before everything is gone. As they cross the country, they encounter others grappling with the end in their own ways—some with compassion and grace, others with fear and cruelty. But no matter what they face along the way, Don and Rodney remain determined to reach their destination before time runs out. We Burned So Bright sees TJ Klune step away from his more fantastical storytelling in favor of something quieter and more introspective. Here, he explores the depths of humanity—how we connect, the impact we have on one another, and the choices we make when faced with the inevitable. At first, I was a bit taken aback by just how inward-looking the novel is. Plot-wise, not much happens, but the emotional journey is where the story truly unfolds. This is a novel rooted in reflection, one that asks readers to consider our place in the world and the legacy we leave behind. More than anything, it highlights the enduring power of commitment, community, and the shared experience of navigating life’s highs and lows. There are moments where Klune’s message leans a bit too overt, but for the most part, its sincerity carries through. It’s a contemplative, quietly powerful story that will leave you in deep reflection even after you finish reading. ["

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April 28, 2026