Review: The Burning Hill

The Burning Hill by A.D. Flint
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set in the favelas of Brazil, this is the tale of Vilson, a young man, abandoned by his mother as a small child with his elder brother, Gabriel.

The boys are chased by cops, shots are fired and Vilson survives, with only his friend Babão.

Jake, a soldier, hiding in Brazil from an unjust court-martial, trying to blend in and disappear.

One night, Vilson and Babão rob Jake at gunpoint but the gun goes off by accident. Jake survives, but the gunshot had actually saved his life, as doctors found an aneurysm which could have killed him any time.

The boys run away from the scene, but get chased by cops and Babão is shot…..a lawyer witnesses this but the cops send her away.

Vilson returns to their shack, to await Babão’s return….but a local gang leader visits him and wants his money…..or else.

Can Eliane, the lawyer, convince Jake, the boys need his help….

This is an incredible novel, it tells of the harsh life of these street children in deprived areas of the favelas in Brazil. Not only do they have to deal with the everyday struggle, they have death squads, roaming the streets to kill the children to get them off the street and the gangs fighting to keep control. They live in constant fear.

The characters are so well written, I had every sympathy for Vilson, a victim of circumstances. Jake, while disgraced In the UK, he really cares about the situation here and tries his best to help and the corrupt cop Nogueira is just abhorrent.

You really do get emotionally involved in this tale and that’s all credit to A.D. Flint’s creative, immersive writing. A tale of dreams, belief and justice. Absolutely stunning.

Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.


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