Breathe

I can only think of one word to describe this novel. MEH.

Yet another dystopian novel that I really enjoyed! This book has three POVs; Alina, Bea and Quinn. It did get a bit confusing at times, especially when the chapters were short, but it was alright most of the time. Sarah Crossan managed to make me develop real emotions while reading the book. I hated certain characters - not because they were badly written but the opposite: they were really well written. I liked Bea a lot. Probably because I could relate to her the most, and she was so kind towards Maude Blue. I loved that this novel was set in Britain instead of America. A world without oxygen is scary.

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.