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A review by kenzi_mack
Vein Fire by Lucia Adams
4.0
The first thing I have to say is that this book is incredibly graphic. If non-consensual sex and/or self-harm bothers you, put the book down now. I read reviews prior to reading, so I was somewhat prepared but I don't think anyone can fully prepare you for this book.
Hannah is an emotional trainwreck, to put it lightly. Her neighborhood "friend" Matt crushed her legs in an act of rage when they were thirteen, and Hannah has been self-harming and unable to say no to anyone or anything since. After Matt is released from the institution he has been committed to for the past five years, he is reunited with Hannah and introduces her to his world of heroin and other drugs, while eventually trying to protect her from a former acquaintance from the institution, the disturbed Jared who is fixated on Hannah and wants to make her fly.
This book was fascinating to me; all the characters were greatly disturbed but I found myself having moments where I liked each of them. I don't know if you can call Hannah the heroine as much as you can call her the damsel in distress, but the moments where she took control where the best parts of her story. I found myself extremely drawn to Matt, someone who knew he had issues but tried to overcome them in order to somewhat protect Hannah from Jared. Although he would protect her from such harm, he still encouraged her drug use and sexually objectified her. Jared, although wanting to essentially kill her in his twisted way of appreciating Hannah's beauty, seemed to be the most gentle and loving towards her, even discouraging her from drugs. This is one of my most favorite things about this book; there is so much chaos and complexity underneath the surface chaos of each character. I was hooked on this book and couldn't stop reading, not necessarily because it was an amazing read but because I had to find out what happened to these twisted characters. As far as the ending goes, I don't think it could have ended better.
Hannah is an emotional trainwreck, to put it lightly. Her neighborhood "friend" Matt crushed her legs in an act of rage when they were thirteen, and Hannah has been self-harming and unable to say no to anyone or anything since. After Matt is released from the institution he has been committed to for the past five years, he is reunited with Hannah and introduces her to his world of heroin and other drugs, while eventually trying to protect her from a former acquaintance from the institution, the disturbed Jared who is fixated on Hannah and wants to make her fly.
This book was fascinating to me; all the characters were greatly disturbed but I found myself having moments where I liked each of them. I don't know if you can call Hannah the heroine as much as you can call her the damsel in distress, but the moments where she took control where the best parts of her story. I found myself extremely drawn to Matt, someone who knew he had issues but tried to overcome them in order to somewhat protect Hannah from Jared. Although he would protect her from such harm, he still encouraged her drug use and sexually objectified her. Jared, although wanting to essentially kill her in his twisted way of appreciating Hannah's beauty, seemed to be the most gentle and loving towards her, even discouraging her from drugs. This is one of my most favorite things about this book; there is so much chaos and complexity underneath the surface chaos of each character. I was hooked on this book and couldn't stop reading, not necessarily because it was an amazing read but because I had to find out what happened to these twisted characters. As far as the ending goes, I don't think it could have ended better.