Reviews

! Do not read if you're feeling mentally unwell !

I really don't know where to start. I had no expectations prior to reading and I was blown away.
First of all: that writing. I have no words, I have not yet read anything nearly as beautifully and imergingly written as this story! I loved the changing between 3rd person and first person as it changes between flashbacks and the now. It really offered a chance to fully understand Michael and his thoughts. I really don't recall ever reading a story that's been able to portrait depression and suicidal thoughts as accurate as this - it took me a lot longer to read than I expected tho which just underlines how well crafted the way of story telling is, since I found it really really hard to continue mentally from time to time.
I only did not give complete 5 stars because I did feel like I was missing a bit of context in some scenes in the story (especially in the middle portion) but otherwise it was impressively amazing!

kathryn_mcb's review

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reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

erinmae's review against another edition

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5.0

I try to always write a review for a book that I won in a giveaway. I needed time to process this book, before I did. I waited a bit too long, but thinking back, this book gives all the feels. I could have read this all in one sitting if I had had the time. My thoughts raced as I wondered where this book was going to end up. How was the Author going to end the story? was I going to be very sad or very happy? It was both. Read the book to find out how selfless it is to continue or to not continue breathing.

thewordwitch's review against another edition

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2.0

I'd like to thank the publisher for an arc of this book. In exchange, here is my honest review.

J.J. Bola knows how to use words well, he winds them in a rhythmic pattern that reads like a smooth silken ribbon, flowing effortlessly from one sentence to the next. I am not surprised given Bola's back catalogue of poetry. There are some sections in this book where the poetic rhythm is so strong that it actually withdrew me from the story itself, holding me at arm's length because I was too focused on the text and not the substance of it.

In fact, I felt that this book held me at arm's length most of the story. I was only riding along with Michael as he went through his thoughts, his emotions, the difficulties in life, but I didn't connect to him. I didn't feel anything for him. I was just a witness. I found that this book was easy for me to put down, to ignore for a few days, and then to pick back up when I came across it and remembered I should read it to give it a review before it was published.

There were also long stretches of dialogue where I lost track of who was talking, and I wanted to know more about the scene. I wanted to see the people's faces as they spoke, and I wanted a description of what they were doing. Here things were lacking for me. For someone who can write so beautifully, I was hungry for more description.

I think Bola is a gifted wordsmith, and I would read a book by him again. I just did not connect with this one on the level that I like to in a book.

A question I had about the book below:

Spoiler

Total side note, but I have no clue how Michael managed to get back home when he had no money. I don't remember his initial plane ticket being round trip. What did I miss?

holley4734's review against another edition

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If you knew how your life was coming to an end, how would you spend your last dime? In The Selfless Act of Breathing, Michael Kabongo seems to have so much to live for but he doesn’t feel that way. Instead of going to therapy, he decides to cash in his life savings and travel to America. Michael’s intention is to end his life when the money is gone.

“Do you ever wish that you could die… but without all of the dying?” he says, “Like, not die, but just cease to exist, disappear, be invisible, every trace of your life, even the memories of you in other people’s hearts and minds, all gone.”

Michael, a Congolese-British teacher in London, has spent his career connecting with his students and trying to make a difference. He endures a loss that affects him deeply. Michael believes that all of the work that he has done to end the disparagement of and violence against Black men in his community has been in vain.

So he travels around the United States meeting interesting people, spending money, and counting down the days until his last day.

JJ Bolla is an excellent writer. Every word is like poetry, which makes sense since Bolla is also a poet. The mental health issues and suicidal thoughts are difficult to read about so if you are sensitive – proceed with caution.

If you are interested in issues like mental health and racism, then this might be a book for your TBR list.

Honestly, I think this should be on a list of required reading for Proud Boy members and recruits.

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