The Untended by Mattea Kramer is a short but emotional novel about the struggles of addiction and cycles of abuse. Casch is a single mother with little support who is trying to better herself when she breaks her foot and becomes hooked on a highly addictive pain medication. Topher is a military veteran turned marijuana grower, who falls in love with her drive. Together they form a bond in the midst of Casch’s struggles with motherhood, addiction, and a somewhat broken family.

The pacing of this novel can take some getting used to as it begins by flashing through scenes at a quick rate, and sometimes reads a bit like a fever dream with how days and weeks seem to slip by. However, it is a bit poetic as Casch also seems to slip through time, losing track of herself as her addiction takes hold. The novel really goes to show how quickly things can spiral out of control, and it captures the emotions and chaos of Casch’s addiction beautifully. Topher also has his own struggles as a veteran, and there are some deep scenes where he reflects on how war affected him. The characters feel real and imperfect.

There is also a third viewpoint from the perspective of Casch’s abusive stepfather Russ, although I am not entirely sure on the purpose of this subplot. I kind of wish this had been a bit more in depth as it was getting somewhere but felt a bit incomplete. Maybe a bit of closure from his perspective could have helped.

This book can easily be read in a single setting and anyone who enjoys an emotional roller coaster, and is prepared to read about addiction and implied abuse, will not regret picking it up.

3.5 stars
A fantastic example of great character and development. I really enjoyed Casch as a character, she was complex and diverse and felt real. I did struggle with the writing, at some points it felt overwritten or a little confusing, especially the over describing of the sex scenes. Apart from this, I do think this book was a good example of addiction and all the dangers. An entertaining short read.