Girl on Fire by Eden Hart is a gripping mix of dystopian thrills and deeply personal struggles. The story follows Kassia, a sixteen-year-old girl who’s already grappling with a terminal leukemia diagnosis when the world plunges into chaos. On what seemed like humanity’s last normal day, a mysterious red mist heralds an apocalyptic event. Kassia’s life, already overshadowed by her illness, becomes a frantic fight for survival as the red mist triggers a global collapse. From moments of tender family connections to heart-stopping sequences of disaster, the book manages to weave the personal and the epic seamlessly.

What struck me most was Eden Hart’s ability to humanize the catastrophic. Kassia’s struggle with leukemia adds an emotional weight that’s missing from most apocalyptic novels. Early on, when Kassia receives her death sentence from Dr. McKay, it feels devastating but oddly distant—a reminder of how life continues its cruel march, even as the world burns. Then the red mist arrives, layering her personal battle with a planetary one. Hart’s writing here is haunting; when Kassia touches the alien “terras” sprouting on the Brooklyn Bridge and they scrape her skin, the grotesque beauty of this new reality left me chilled. The ordinary transforming into something alien yet visceral is a recurring theme that Hart handles brilliantly.

The relationships in the book feel real and raw, especially Kassia’s dynamic with her cousin, Charlotte. Their moments of banter and shared danger stand out, like when they navigate the eerie red haze only to find a classmate, Amanda, bleeding and collapsing. This scene perfectly captured both the horror of the new world and the fragility of the old one they’re losing. And then there’s “Loner,” the enigmatic boy whose chemistry with Kassia provides a simmering tension throughout. He’s a frustrating yet magnetic character—mysterious to the point of irritation—and while I’m unsure if he’s a hero or an antihero, his role is undeniably compelling.

Hart’s vivid descriptions of disaster feel cinematic. The fiery destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge and the surreal spread of alien plants, or “terras,” are written with intensity. The pacing slows slightly as Hart balances Kassia’s internal turmoil with the unfolding global crisis. But even in these slower moments, Kassia’s voice—honest, vulnerable, and fiercely determined—kept me hooked.

Girl on Fire is about confronting mortality, finding strength in unexpected places, and holding onto humanity when the world crumbles. This book is perfect for fans of survival stories with a touch of science fiction, like The 5th Wave or Station Eleven. Teen readers will appreciate the raw, relatable protagonist, while adults can delve into the deeper themes of resilience and loss.

Pages: 400 | ASIN: B0CT42C1PG