Heroine

by Mindy McGinnis

• ISBN10: 006284721X
• ISBN13: 9780062847218
• Publish Date: 12 March 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Katherine Tegen Books
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[lisbethwhite]

Dammit, Mindy McGinnis, always making me cry when I least expect it.

[liz089]

This was a really intense novel. It was very sad, and difficult to read.
You really need to be in a good mindset to read this, because it gets really heavy and it is difficult to read about Mickey getting in deeper and deeper, to see someone who had a lot of potential and had it all together, spiral out of control like that. It keeps getting worse, and worse. This is not a happy, cute novel, but one that really makes you think.
Very well done.

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

When I wake up, all my friends are dead.

Well. That's how you start a book. I mean, talk about grabbing me from the start! Not that it even needed to, because I'd read Mindy McGinnis's shopping list, so. Okay look, I think it's pretty clear by the subject matter, synopsis, and first line that this book is going to be dark as hell. But also, most of Mindy's stuff is, so again, no surprise.

We meet Mickey, after that killer (ha, sorry, had to) opening, as her car crashes. And then we travel to actual hell and back with her. Mickey's life completely revolves around softball. This is something I wholly related to, as my entire world from the ages of 7-20 revolved around swimming. Mickey would have done straight up anything to keep playing softball, and I feel like I'd have done the same. I think a lot of athletes can relate to Mickey's situation- who among us hasn't pushed through injuries we shouldn't? Only, Mickey's is worse than tendinitis or some such problem, Mickey's is legit life-changing surgery.

So, she does what she has to. And this is where the author excels, at making it wholly believable that this kid who has spent her whole life otherwise on the straight-and-narrow is now a drug addict. Sure, it starts out as a prescription, which is often the case. And then... it morphs into something more sinister. Truly, it's such an important message. Drug addicts are often looked down upon, when in reality, it can happen to any of us. 

The book not only explores Mickey's addiction, but it explores every other aspect of her life.  Friendships (both her teammates pre-accident, and new friends post-accident), are incredibly fleshed out. And the drug-addicted friends, even the dealers, are as a whole a very likable bunch! The destruction of stereotypes here is not only refreshing, but incredibly important. None of these people are monsters, they have a legitimate illness. It also explores Mickey's family dynamics in-depth, in a way that feels incredibly honest and realistic.

I only had one issue that saved this from being a full five-star for me. 'Tis spoilery, so proceed with caution! So we know from the first page that her friends are dead. But the book doesn't end at their death, it delves deeper into her recovery. And while I fully understand why she is in panic/self-preservation mode at the time of their death (this isn't a spoiler by the way- it's in the first chapter) why she never fully seems to like, grieve them confuses me. Like- she feels bad, yes. Survivor's guilt, yes. But the actual feelings for them seem missing, and I feel like as she recovered, she'd have to deal with a LOT of residual feelings? But anyway, yeah, after spending a huge chunk of the book caring for these young people taken from the world too soon, I wanted Mickey to care as much as I did, I suppose.

Bottom Line: Dark, compelling, timely, and wholly necessary, this is a book that will break your heart as you weave your way through Mickey's life- and start to care for all the players.

[Amber]

I received Heroine as a review copy from NetGalley. Obviously, these are my honest thoughts and feelings about the book. I also posted this review on my book blog if you'd like to check it out!

I always enjoy Mindy McGinnis’ books, and Heroine is no exception. I went into this book knowing that it was going to be dark and difficult, and it was, but I also greatly appreciated reading about Mickey’s story.


Before I continue, let me reiterate that this book is dark. I’m normally ok with dark subject matters (the only thing that got to me recently was that chapter in The Poppy War), and even I found Heroine mildly uncomfortable. I wouldn’t recommend this book for people who struggle with drug abuse (currently or previously), and I probably wouldn’t recommend it for people who know people who struggle with it.

I thought it was incredibly interesting to read about Mickey’s journey, but it was also incredibly heartbreaking. As the reader, you know what is coming from the first page, and when Mickey and her friends think it starts out as perfectly innocent – Mickey was on painkillers for a broken leg – but you know where this path is going to lead and it’s painful. There’s a tonne of tension throughout, and just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse it did.

I absolutely adored Mickey’s relationship with her stepmother. It really grows and develops through the book, and by the end they had me sobbing. It’s so well done, and I applaud McGinnis for writing such an intricate relationship between a stepmother and stepdaughter! Those relationships aren’t always done well in YA, but this one was perfect.

I think Heroine does a great job of showing the reader how addiction can happen, and how it can progress rapidly and how addicts can start to spiral. It would hopefully allow people to feel empathy and understanding, and it shows that some things are out of people’s control.

I would highly recommend this book!

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