#166 Book Review: Breathe

Breathe
Release Date: November 2012
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy:  Fishpond | Booktopia
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

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 the 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.

Cover:
The cracked soils and the pod really represents the book. I like the background and how the three people on the cover stands out with the light illuminating them! It's really eye-catching.

Story:

Only 2 days worth of oxygen to survive...

Breathe is a book full of promises, starting from the premise, the combination of dystopian and theme of survival with a touch of romance. I wanted to enjoy this book as much as I thought I would but unfortunately, Breathe seemed to lack that 'something' that would have kept me hooked into the story.

I have to admit, the concept of Breathe is brilliant. I never thought of such circumstances explored in Breathe where one day, oxygen becomes scarce and a matter as simple as breathing is a challenge. It is not often that we take breathing for granted and reading this book opens my mind towards an alternative future where oxygen is the main problem. Can you imagine living the rest of your life inside a pod? The story is written from different perspectives; Alina, Quinn and Bea. However, I find the story a bit typical for a dystopian book. The story plot confuses me at times and sometimes I have to stop and grasp the ideas introduced before returning to the story. The first 80% of the book did not manage to grab me but the last 20% did. Although, what I thought stands out particularly in this book besides the concept is the theme of survival. The theme of survival enhances the strong premise of the book. When I read the book, I was not expecting romance but it is in the book. I think the romance was not fully explored and annoyed me sometimes although it does get sweet and heart-warming.

Characters:
There are three main characters in this book; Alina, Quinn and Bea and the one I felt connected most with is actually Bea. Alina is a part of the Resistance and she is strong and highly-trained but I did not like her personality. The one that felt 'humane' out of all the characters is Bea. Her kindness becomes her will to survive and help out others. She is an auxiliary, not a Premium meaning that she is one of the poor people living in the Pod. She is friends with Quinn although Quinn is a Premium. There is a story of what seems like an 'unrequited love' but turns into a 'love story'. Quinn is somewhat likeable and also annoying. He is ignorant although he can be truly kind. His best moments are the events leading to the end of the book. I liked him in those moments and I wished he was like that from the beginning. Quinn's father is a surprising character. He appears as if he is the 'bad guy' but there is something more to him. There are also other characters, part of the Resistance and they are all interesting. I hope we can still meet them in the next book!

Overall:
What would life be like if breathing is a challenge? If oxygen is scarce? Breathe ventures the concept of an alternative dystopian future where oxygen becomes the major problem of survival. While the premise is definitely promising, the story plot lacked that 'something' to hook me into the story although the characters are more enjoyable to read about. If you love dystopian books with a brilliant premise, then Breathe might just be for you!

3 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Breathe!

Thank you Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy!

Check out the book trailer below!