This week, I’m reviewing one of the most intense contemporary novels to teach in high school. This one wasn’t easy to read, but I feel like the characters and lessons in this novel will follow me for a long time.
On my search to find some of the best contemporary novels for high school English students, I found this gem! It’s one of those books that I devoured after reading one of the most shocking first lines I’ve seen. Heroine will give you a shocking glimpse into the opioid crisis and how even the “good kids” can be sucked into the horrifying spiral of addiction.
Title: Heroine
Author: Mindy McGinnis
“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.”
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Mental Health
Rating: 5 STARS – And ya’ll know that I am STINGY with the 5-star ratings.
Description:
High school senior, Mickey, is a softball superstar. She is focused on having a winning season and obtaining a college scholarship. But when Mickey and her best friend/D1 college-bound pitcher are in a car crash that leaves both of them with potentially career-ending injuries, Mickey makes a choice that changes everything.
They both have extensive injuries and prescriptions for pain medication. However, Mickey is already struggling with social anxiety, the divorce of her parents, and scars from previous injuries. She has 3 screws in her hip, but there’s only 1 answer to her problems: Oxycontin.
When Mickey must depend on a new circle of “friends” to get what she needs, she starts to discover that a softball career-ending injury is the least of her worries. As the pressure to perform increases, Mickey’s dependence on Oxy becomes less of a need for pain relief and more of an insatiable want. When she starts to realize that her life is spiraling out of control, Mickey sets a timeline for getting clean. However, what happens when the timeline runs out proves to be the most shocking act of devastation Mickey has ever had to face.
Memorable Quote: “I am not a wasted person. I am not prowling the streets. I am not an addict. I am a girl spinning her locker combination. I am a girl who got a B on her math test. I am a girl who has two holes on the inside of her arm, but they do not tell the whole story of me.”
Why I loved it:
I’m going to be honest here, this book was HARD to read. You need to be well aware that there are graphic depictions of drug use that could be very triggering to some readers. The book starts with the line, “When I wake up, all my friends are dead.” From here, the reader learns about Mickey’s life in reverse order. I literally could not stop trying to figure out how a smart, sweet, well-loved girl with great parents ended up saying, “all my friends are dead.”
This novel was a 5-star read, not because it was a fun read, but because it’s a book that needs to be read. Often, many students believe that “bad kids” fall into drug use. However, this could not be farther from the truth and Mindy McGinnis makes this VERY apparent. I like how the main character, Mickey, is well-rounded and college-bound, yet makes ONE choice that changes everything. The characters within the text were so beautifully complex that I could also see how their actions had major ripple effects. Something that I always try to emphasize to my own students is that your actions do not impact only YOU. Those around us often carry the greatest burden of our own actions. Heroine illustrates this concept perfectly as Mickey begins to isolate herself, lie in order to get what she “needs,” and hurt those who love her the most.
I also really appreciated the focus on how addiction removes a person’s sense of shame or guilt. This book helped me to understand, on a biological and psychological level, some of the addicts in my own life. The reader feels anger and compassion for Mickey at the same time. Mickey is adopted, her parents are divorced, and she has trouble feeling comfortable in social situations. A relationship starts to form as Mickey comes to learn that her Dad’s new wife, Devra, is a recovering addict. These additional layers to Mickey’s character make her more relatable and also provide welcomed commentary on the complexity of relationships.
This is definitely one of the most highly engaging contemporary novels to teach in high school. I think it is an important and valid text for our time. However, I do want to caution you that this is a dark tale. It is horrifying and depressing at times, and it will leave you haunted. HOWEVER, it is a book that helped me to understand the opioid crisis more clearly.
Sketchy stuff:
Prepare yourself, because there are A LOT of hard-to-read parts of this book. Readers will see how a “great kid gets pulled into addiction. There’s hardly any mention of sex. However, graphic images of drug use are plentiful. There are extensive details of how drugs make the body feel and what withdrawal looks and feels like. There are discussions on snorting pills and shooting heroin. Mickey lies to her mother and friends on several occasions in order to obtain drugs. There are also a few times the F-word is used, as well as shit or damn.
What it would be great for teaching:
- The Opioid Crisis
- Characterization + Analyzing Complex Characters
- Social Emotional Learning: Self Respect
- Theme
Where to read it:
I read SO many books for FREE through my favorite apps: Libby and Hoopla! I actually listened to the audiobook version (which was GREAT!) on the Hoopla App.
