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aus10england's review against another edition
dark
emotional
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual content
ashleycmms's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Drug use
rworrall78's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
To (mis)quote Mark Kermode, I'd rather see someone try to do something original and miss the mark than for them to play it safe.
They were bits of this book that worked brilliantly. The main character with a limited amount of money to spend before he plans to kill himself. The abrupt ends to some of the chapters followed by the bank balance. Even the very hit and miss flights of imagery and philosophy sometimes really hit the mark.
But there was so much that just didn't make sense.
<Spoiler>why did Pastor Baptiste kill himself out of nowhere. Why did Michael come back? Why did the headteacher not say a thing when he clearly gives her the speech of a desperate man? Why was Dwayne killed, why was Michael jealous of Jalil's sham marriage? Why does Belle compare compare Michael favourably to a woman, for him to behave exactly like a stereotypical man in the very next chapter. Also, man falls deeply in love with sex worker and then tells her to stop doing her job...I think that was the point I really checked out. What was the Mr Barnes subplot about? there were hints at some really important themes like alienation from heritage, the devastation of war, the expectation and the sacrifice of parents. They were never fully developed. I didn't feel like I understood why Michael felt the was way he did. I know there doesn't have to be a why, but it felt like there were contributing factors that were ignored.
I did get a real sense of distance and dissociation. It made Michael behave despicably particularly towards the women in his life. But maybe that was the message.
All in all interesting and ambitious but a bit of a frustrating read.
They were bits of this book that worked brilliantly. The main character with a limited amount of money to spend before he plans to kill himself. The abrupt ends to some of the chapters followed by the bank balance. Even the very hit and miss flights of imagery and philosophy sometimes really hit the mark.
But there was so much that just didn't make sense.
<Spoiler>why did Pastor Baptiste kill himself out of nowhere. Why did Michael come back? Why did the headteacher not say a thing when he clearly gives her the speech of a desperate man? Why was Dwayne killed, why was Michael jealous of Jalil's sham marriage? Why does Belle compare compare Michael favourably to a woman, for him to behave exactly like a stereotypical man in the very next chapter. Also, man falls deeply in love with sex worker and then tells her to stop doing her job...I think that was the point I really checked out. What was the Mr Barnes subplot about? there were hints at some really important themes like alienation from heritage, the devastation of war, the expectation and the sacrifice of parents. They were never fully developed. I didn't feel like I understood why Michael felt the was way he did. I know there doesn't have to be a why, but it felt like there were contributing factors that were ignored.
I did get a real sense of distance and dissociation. It made Michael behave despicably particularly towards the women in his life. But maybe that was the message.
All in all interesting and ambitious but a bit of a frustrating read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Violence, Suicide, and Sexual content
theskyboi's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Thank you to Book Club Favorites at Simon & Schuster for the free copy for review.
JJ Bola's second novel, The Selfless Act of Breathing, is prose with a poetic sensibility. It relates the story of a teacher from London, Michael Kabongo, who is battling a crisis of identity and desire as he decides to quit his job before embarking to the United States. Plagued by his own inability to sort through the most pressing collateral effects of mental illness, Michael prefers the impulsive yet decisive trip that he hopes will punctuate this chapter of his life.
As intense as it is challenging, Bola's prose accurately reflects how depression can consume the self, leaving fewer doubts clarified than not. For those of us who have dealt with the lowest valleys of depression, Michael's inner monologue and interpersonal interactions are something of a mirror to peer into. Even those not afflicted by this disorder can sympathize with Michael's trip halfway across the world to cope with grief, identity, and mortality.
Told in alternating chapters between different points in Michael's recent history, Bola's novel expertly balances exposition with character development, and the reader's experience is all the richer for it. Something of a contemporary adult companion piece to The Little Prince, Michael Kabongo's journey appeals to the wayward soul in us all, especially as we work to determine where we find our homes. At its core, The Selfless Act of Breathing focuses on the fear of loss—loss of self, home, love, and desire. For those seeking some comfort in knowing that they are not alone, this book answers the call.
As for my qualms, the protagonist ascribes to a certain machismo in his interactions with women, which I could not get past. The relationships he establishes are fraught with issues, which are never truly atoned for or addressed; he simply goes about things with no growth but much room for improvement. Overall, it has a redeeming message that is told in a somewhat incomplete way.
JJ Bola's second novel, The Selfless Act of Breathing, is prose with a poetic sensibility. It relates the story of a teacher from London, Michael Kabongo, who is battling a crisis of identity and desire as he decides to quit his job before embarking to the United States. Plagued by his own inability to sort through the most pressing collateral effects of mental illness, Michael prefers the impulsive yet decisive trip that he hopes will punctuate this chapter of his life.
As intense as it is challenging, Bola's prose accurately reflects how depression can consume the self, leaving fewer doubts clarified than not. For those of us who have dealt with the lowest valleys of depression, Michael's inner monologue and interpersonal interactions are something of a mirror to peer into. Even those not afflicted by this disorder can sympathize with Michael's trip halfway across the world to cope with grief, identity, and mortality.
Told in alternating chapters between different points in Michael's recent history, Bola's novel expertly balances exposition with character development, and the reader's experience is all the richer for it. Something of a contemporary adult companion piece to The Little Prince, Michael Kabongo's journey appeals to the wayward soul in us all, especially as we work to determine where we find our homes. At its core, The Selfless Act of Breathing focuses on the fear of loss—loss of self, home, love, and desire. For those seeking some comfort in knowing that they are not alone, this book answers the call.
As for my qualms, the protagonist ascribes to a certain machismo in his interactions with women, which I could not get past. The relationships he establishes are fraught with issues, which are never truly atoned for or addressed; he simply goes about things with no growth but much room for improvement. Overall, it has a redeeming message that is told in a somewhat incomplete way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Police brutality
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