Heroine

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 822 ratings

Price: 18.89

Last update: 09-09-2024


About this item

A captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis - the deadliest drug epidemic in American history - through the eyes of a college-bound softball star. Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis delivers a visceral and necessary novel about addiction, family, friendship, and hope.

When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there.

The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good.

With a new circle of friends - fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill - Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.

But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.


Top reviews from the United States

Julia12
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2020
TW: addiction

I've never related to a character so much before. This book really spoke to me on so many levels. I understood everything she felt and thought throughout this whole book. This book is really raw and real. This was my first book by Mindy Mcginnis and I was really impressed. Her writing is really great. She really pulls you in with these characters and the story. Mindy Mcginnis did a great job on this book I could tell she did her research on the subject matter. Mickey Catalan is flawed, realistic and natural as well as the rest of the characters. All the relationships and family dynamic in the book is very complex and feel real. Mickey really understands what she is doing and what's right from wrong. She just choses the drugs instead and the guilt/shame is shadowed by the drugs. She eventually pays for her mistakes and tries to make up for what shes done. I feel like people that really need to learn about addicts and what it's like should read this and leaved their outdated opinions at the door. Mindy Mcginnis doesnt sugar coat anything in this book. I think all contemporary fans would really like this book.
K.B.
4.0 out of 5 stars Realistic portrayal of addiction
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2020
4.5 stars
I've read three books by this author and once again, I am impressed with her writing talent. Addiction is a topic that has been explored in many fiction books, but yet after reading this book, I felt like it was covered it in a way that was unique but also very realistic. A worthwhile read for sure.

High school senior Mickey is determined to have a standout softball season this year. The better she plays, the more likely she will receive scholarship offers for college. But a car accident leaves her badly injured right before the start of the season. Mickey is determined to not miss a game and she needs to quickly get her body in shape. Physical therapy by itself isn't going to get her where she needs to be so she turns to painkillers.

Despite the fact the story is about a teenager with an addiction, for the most part I didn't feel like this was a heavy read and I actually think that is one of the strengths of the novel. Don't get me wrong, there are some emotional moments in the book, but I never felt overwhelmed by the story. It was straightforward and was a realistic portrayal of how easy it is to slip into addiction. When comparing it to other books I have read on the topic, this one managed to get all the main points across but in a way that was easier to mentally process. That's my opinion though as maybe other readers will find it to be a difficult read.

What was fascinating to me was Mickey became addicted to painkillers because she had goals and she wasn't going to let anything stand in her way. She wanted the ability to function like she did before the accident and painkillers were supposed to aid her in getting back to normal. The author took a unique approach as most stories would have focused on a teenager using painkillers only as a coping mechanism rather than trying to achieve something. I think as a society we tend to associate teenage drug use with only partying but in doing so you are forgetting about all the kids who are using things like painkillers just to get through life. The story hits close to home because you realize Mickey could be anyone you know.

Definitely recommend as a good book to show how easy it is to slip into drug addiction.
Thebookbella
5.0 out of 5 stars An Honest reflection of addiction and a relatable Heroine
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2019
"There is no hurt, there is no fear, there is no stupidity of awkwardness. I am beautiful to these people and I want to share this warmth with them, press their hands to my skin and let them feel what I feel, absolute acceptance and love."

TW: Addiction, Death, Overdosing, Needles, Addictive behavior and thoughts,

Our heroine, Mickey didn't ever expect to fall into drugs. She was a girl who was clean and played for her Varsity Softball team. She already had college scouts looking at her. She was an all star and she was so passionate about her sport and would let nothing come between her and her love of that sport. Not even the pain of a car accident, that left screws in her hip. She needed baseball like she needed air; so she decided that she needed to take Oxycontin to get through the pain so that she could continue to belong to her team.

This highlighted so many aspects of addiction and was not an easy book to get through emotionally. Mindy McGinnis made this feel so real. The fact that we had an all star Varsity Softball highschooler as our Heroine only contributed to the fact addiction can happen to anyone. This was the perfect main character to highlight how easy it can be to fall into such a destructive habit.

This allowed you to feel and see both sides of the argument clearly. You saw a girl who was fighting for her friends that she had before something happened that changed her life and you saw how alienated she was and how desperate she was to keep up with a social group that was physically more able than she. You saw a destructive habit that allowed her to continue with her old life, and how easily she could justify it. You understood her completely and you loved her, but you also saw her falling into something that became completely out of her control. You saw a desperate girl who loved a sport, and loved the life she still tried to exist in even after her accident. You saw what desperation do can to someone's life when it becomes more than what you originally loved. You saw a girl who believed everything was just fine........ until suddenly it wasn't.

This was heartfelt and so honest. I loved it, and while it was emotionally challenging to read, I flew through it's pages feeling as though I was on this spiral downward with Mickey. I needed to finish it to see where our Heroine ended her journey.

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