Book Review: Breathe - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

Media Type: Print Book
Title: Breathe
* Series: Breathe #1
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Greenwillow
Pages: Hardcover; 373
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Source: Library
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Intended Reading Group: Young Adult
Content Screening: Mild Violence
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HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Lovers of dystopian fiction. Readers who are okay with a little violence in their reading.

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . . The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Bea lives in a world where breathing is no longer a right, but a privilege. The rich have ample amounts of oxygen, while the poor have to perform the most menial work to earn a minimal amount. I have to admit that I was totally drawn in by the world that Sarah Crossan built in Breathe. I settled in and prepared to find out what was in store for her characters.

That being said, there are some great ideas presented here. The concept of the POD world that Bea lives in is amazing. Watching her visit the only living trees left in the world, courtesy of course of the “generous” government, was heart wrenching. I couldn’t imagine living in a world where being outside was a thing of the past. Sadly, there wasn’t a lot of time spent here, and that was one of the things I had the most problem with. I had so many questions that were left unanswered when the action started picking up.

Then there were the characters themselves. While I liked Bea, she was pretty much the only one I actually felt anything for. Quinn is a rich boy through and through. It’s hard to see past his spoiled exterior, even when he is being sweet. Plus, well, having two girls fawn over you is all well and good. Still, I can’t deny I all but hated the way he treated Bea. Personal opinion, I know. This lackluster romance, this love triangle, just didn’t work for me.

Breathe was a mixed bag for me, if I’m being honest. While there were parts of it that I was hooked into, the remainder of it really fell short for me. I’m a very character driven person. The fact that I didn’t feel anything for Bea and her cohorts really made me sad. Give this a shot if you are a fan of gritty dystopian books.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.

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