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faithbrownie's review against another edition
3.0
really not for me but not terrible, i would call this around a 3.5. maybe it was the writing style, maybe it was the story itself but i did not super enjoy
fonkun's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rounded up.
Loneliness is being there for everyone, everyone, in the hope that someone will be there for you. But no one ever is. You are the sun, lighting the world of another, while setting yourself on fire.
The Selfless Act of Breathing is a tender look at what it is like to move through the world feeling too much through the eyes of Michael Kabongo, a British Congolese teacher based in London.
"I quit my job; I am taking my life savings, $9,201, and when it runs out, I am going to kill myself." And so Michael's story begins. We follow present-day Michael as he travels in the United States, while we learn about Michael's backstory - how he got to where he is - through flashbacks to the past.
The Selfless Act of Breathing isn't flashy. It's quiet and meditative. In some ways, it can be described as a collection of musings, a journal of sorts. I have to admit J.J. Bola is a master of prose, but...
- A few chapters in, I thought this was *the* book because I could really connect with Michael. The state of caring too much about the world, yet feeling abandoned by it. Then the book took a turn and for the rest of the chapters, the intensity of Michael's feelings wasn't captured as well compared to the beginning.
- I wonder if the book would've conveyed Michael's emotions better if the destinations were cut down.
- I wasn't a fan of the portrayal of the female characters. Felt like a lot more effort could've been put in to ensuring these characters are not reduced to an afterthought.
- The book ended rather abruptly. As in I couldn't reconcile the ending with everything that came before. Maybe most readers expected an epiphany, a feel-good ending, which this book provides, but I think the book would've elicited a greater emotional response with a vague ending.
Takeaway: "You can't save everyone, Michael. Life just isn't designed like that. You have to find the one or two people in your life who you truly care about, who you truly love, and give them all of your heart; sometimes that person is yourself. Everything else will work itself out."
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher, Atria Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Loneliness is being there for everyone, everyone, in the hope that someone will be there for you. But no one ever is. You are the sun, lighting the world of another, while setting yourself on fire.
The Selfless Act of Breathing is a tender look at what it is like to move through the world feeling too much through the eyes of Michael Kabongo, a British Congolese teacher based in London.
"I quit my job; I am taking my life savings, $9,201, and when it runs out, I am going to kill myself." And so Michael's story begins. We follow present-day Michael as he travels in the United States, while we learn about Michael's backstory - how he got to where he is - through flashbacks to the past.
The Selfless Act of Breathing isn't flashy. It's quiet and meditative. In some ways, it can be described as a collection of musings, a journal of sorts. I have to admit J.J. Bola is a master of prose, but...
- A few chapters in, I thought this was *the* book because I could really connect with Michael. The state of caring too much about the world, yet feeling abandoned by it. Then the book took a turn and for the rest of the chapters, the intensity of Michael's feelings wasn't captured as well compared to the beginning.
- I wonder if the book would've conveyed Michael's emotions better if the destinations were cut down.
- I wasn't a fan of the portrayal of the female characters. Felt like a lot more effort could've been put in to ensuring these characters are not reduced to an afterthought.
- The book ended rather abruptly. As in I couldn't reconcile the ending with everything that came before. Maybe most readers expected an epiphany, a feel-good ending, which this book provides, but I think the book would've elicited a greater emotional response with a vague ending.
Takeaway: "You can't save everyone, Michael. Life just isn't designed like that. You have to find the one or two people in your life who you truly care about, who you truly love, and give them all of your heart; sometimes that person is yourself. Everything else will work itself out."
@movedbyprose's rating system
★★★★★: i love everything about this book
★★★★✩: notable with minor issues
★★★✩✩: mediocre but slightly enjoyable
★★✩✩✩: struggled to finish / forgettable
★✩✩✩✩: problematic
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher, Atria Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
instagram | goodreads | storygraph
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
mollie1h's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bookrecsondeck's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Racism
the_abundant_word's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
seaswift14's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
denimbaobab's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0