Breathe (Breathe #1)
Publication: October 2, 2012
Pages: 373
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Publisher: Greenwillow Books
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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?
Can you imagine the world without oxygen? It is what happens in Breathe. Oxygen is a precious commodity. Only the rich can freely take deep breaths; the poor must live on less air. I like how the story is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of the three main characters. Each of the them is from a different level of society and has another perspective to contribute. Quinn is a rich Premium and can have oxygen whenever he wants without even having to worry about paying for oxygen. The poor Auxiliary like Bea need to pay for oxygen and must to be careful not to use more than their quota of oxygen. Then there is Alina, who belongs to the Resistance, a group that opposes the government and tries to grow trees to replenish the planet.
As part of Auxiliary, Bea’s parents work endlessly to supply her with oxygen. That’s why she wants to be a Premium, so they don’t need to work so hard for oxygen. She is also in love with Quinn, a Premium, and believes that The Pod is there to protect them. However, she starts to change when Quinn invites her to go camping outside the Pod and she learns more about the world she lives in. I love Bea because she is tenderhearted and sees the best in people. Instead of killing someone who has just tried to kill her, she tries to make friends with that person. She also dares to take a stand against injustice even though her enemies are the most powerful people.
In contrast, Alina is cold and very rude to everyone and has been suffering from Abel’s death, whom she liked a lot. Then she finds herself on the run with Quinn and Bea after her mission goes wrong and Quinn mistakenly smuggles her out of Pod. I don’t really like Alina since she tends to make decisions without thinking about the outcome.
Quinn has everything, unlike the two girls, and doesn’t know what it’s like to be starved for air. He is also oblivious to lots of things around him, like Bea’s feelings for him. When he and Bea help Alina escapes from the pod, he starts to see the world in a completely different way as well, and instead of running away from the truth, he chooses to battle on with courage.
Breathe is an exciting book. It is fast paced with action and adventure. I am looking forward to reading book 2.
I received an ARC of the book from Kris for review
Author: alice
Alice is a stay-at-home mom of two children. Her favorite books are those send icy tingles down her spine, such as a good mystery or thriller, but she also enjoys a good hear-throbbing romance. She enjoys listening to music and drinking a cup of tea while reading and working.
alice says
Natalie, thanks. You will enjoy the book.
Natalie Aguirre says
I've seen this book around. Your review is great and is making me want to read it.