Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 384pgs
The Story
When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? A dystopian thriller about courage and freedom, with a love story at its heart.
The Review
A big thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!
A big thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!
As much as I love unique concepts, different character perspectives, and the dystopian genre within itself, but unfortunately for Sarah Crossan's debut book BREATHE, the first installment of a YA series, it was not the story I was hoping for nor was it one I particularly enjoyed as much as the other readers who have previously reviewed prior to me reading it (Goodreads definitely had some great reviews on it). So even with the book having some interesting moments here and there, and even when I - at times - had liked some of the characters we were quickly introduced to, but like I said . . . it was NOT what I was expecting in the end and I guess it just wasn't the right book for me as sad as it is to say.
For me the only redeeming factor of this book was the world Sarah Crossan had manage to create. Even though some may question the believability of how all of these people managed to survive on so little oxygen in this particular (good god knows how!) but I still thought it was an interesting premise and one I can see many readers enjoying for a quick, little read. Think Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky book meets Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death. If you like something like those two titles, you may enjoy this one as well!
Overall, BREATHE, unfortunately, was a great struggle for me and I only just managed to finish it. While I won't be continuing with this series unless the sequel offers up something interesting to me, do not simply go by my own opinion because many other readers have liked this book and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones!
For me the only redeeming factor of this book was the world Sarah Crossan had manage to create. Even though some may question the believability of how all of these people managed to survive on so little oxygen in this particular (good god knows how!) but I still thought it was an interesting premise and one I can see many readers enjoying for a quick, little read. Think Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky book meets Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death. If you like something like those two titles, you may enjoy this one as well!
Overall, BREATHE, unfortunately, was a great struggle for me and I only just managed to finish it. While I won't be continuing with this series unless the sequel offers up something interesting to me, do not simply go by my own opinion because many other readers have liked this book and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones!
The Rating
2 1/2 / 5 stars
Oh, Erin, I'm sorry you didn't love this. I've actually seen a LOT of lukewarm reviews for it, so I've been kind of ambivelant, but the fact you mentioned UtNS (which I just read and LOVED) is a pretty big tick in its favor for me. I'm INTRIGUED, but totally adjusting my expectations.
ReplyDeleteWonderful review, lovely! ♥
Thanks Sarah! :)
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