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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You were my first. Not just sex, although that was part of it, but the first to look past everything else into me. Some of the names and places have been changed, but the story is true. It's all here because one day this will be the past, and I don't want to forget what I went through, what I thought, what I felt, who I was. I don't want to forget you. But most of all, I don't want to forget me.
This book follows the journey of Claude, our FL, who embarks on this adventure on an island after her parents decide to get separated. This story centers more on friendship, self-discovery, and some romance.
This is heavily character-driven, it felt as if you were reading a diary of someone who talks about their 30+ days vacation. It felt realistic and maybe because it is, this book was quite personal to the author, Jennifer Niven during her teenage days.
I was enjoying the writing of this at the beginning of the story, however, along the way I felt like I'd lost interest, and felt the story was a bit dragging. But then again, if you see it from a perspective of reality, not every day has an extraordinary experience. Somedays would just feel normal, and some days are better than others.
The story was initially promising with having that enemies-to-lovers vibes on an island vacation, but I guess I didn't feel like the buildup of their relationship was for me.
All in all, would I recommend this?
Hmm.. maybe 50/50? Depending on your interest. It's not THAT bad, but it isn't the best out there. I do hear a lot of good things about the other books Jennifer Niven has written though.
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Anyway, I would just like to share some of my favorite quotes from this book
"You have to let the tears come", she always says. "Because if you don't, they'll come out eventually–maybe not as tears, but as anger or something worse"
"I've never realized how hard we are on our bodies. I think, Why are we so mean to ourselves? Why aren't we happy with what we have"
"What makes someone stop loving you? One day there's love; the next day there's not. Where does it go? Something that lived and breathed like that–how can it just vanish as if it never really existed? I imagine a room or maybe an entire planet where all the love goes to live once we're done with it. Like a junkyard. Little remnants of love scattered everywhere. People picking through, collecting the strongest, biggest pieces, and trying to make something of them again.
Isn't this what we do every time we meet someone new or fall for someone new or start loving someone new? Pick up the old battered bits of ourselves and try again"
considering i’ve owned this book for a solid 4 or so years i can’t believe i waited so long to read this. jennifer niven doesn’t miss. this book was surprisingly relatable and i really enjoyed it
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book was disappointing. it felt very lacking, unfinished, and messy. there were several plot lines that didn’t have any resolution. it’s like nothing really happens in this book.
I'm shocked and surprised to realise that the author's husband was a real-life Jeremiah Crew. A real flex for Miss Jennifer Niven
I feel a little bit bad giving this one star since I usually save those ratings for books I DNF. I listened to this one and did not care for the narrator. She read the majority of the book trying to sound choked up and that grated on my nerves. I also didn't care for the way the book was set up (ex. Day 8, Part 2) - very distracting.
All that said, I really enjoyed Niven's All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe, but for some reason I was never that interested in picking up this one. I saw on Instagram last week that this one, as well as ATBP, had been banned or labeled with content warnings so I needed to see what the fuss was about. There is an overwhelming amount of talk about sex in this book, but the sex itself really isn't graphic. It's probably a fairly accurate portrayal of the thoughts of an 18-year-old girl.
Not for me, but its intended audience will probably enjoy it, and while I can understand the reason behind the content warning label, I'm not a fan of censorship and I'd have no issue with this book being on the shelf of my kids' high school library.
All that said, I really enjoyed Niven's All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe, but for some reason I was never that interested in picking up this one. I saw on Instagram last week that this one, as well as ATBP, had been banned or labeled with content warnings so I needed to see what the fuss was about. There is an overwhelming amount of talk about sex in this book, but the sex itself really isn't graphic. It's probably a fairly accurate portrayal of the thoughts of an 18-year-old girl.
Not for me, but its intended audience will probably enjoy it, and while I can understand the reason behind the content warning label, I'm not a fan of censorship and I'd have no issue with this book being on the shelf of my kids' high school library.
Holding up the universe and all the bright places are two of my favourite books so I had such high hops for breathless but honestly I’m actually really disappointed. I found the book to be very uneventful and quite boring. Claude really annoyed me as a character. I felt she was very selfish and caught up in her own life and her own drama without thinking about those around her. Maybe it’s because my parents separated when I was a baby and I was brought up by just my mum, but I found Claude’s reaction to her parents separating way too dramatic and quite childish. I didn’t like the way she treated miah or her best friend saz. She just felt very spoiled to me. I did enjoy the writing style and the imagery of the island was beautiful. I also loved miah and really rooted for him. Overall I really didn’t like the book and wouldn’t read it again.
Would be better if she had other goals besides just getting laid
Jennifer Niven KNOWS feelings. She is a mf EXPERT at emotions and making me cry. She knows how to take something specific and make it super relatable to all audiences. My parents are 30+ years happy yet I could totally understand everything Claude was going through, how she felt.
But most of all, the coming-of-age. Discovering your body, discovering body autonomy - especially knowing it’s all up to you, nobody else. I think there were several great quotes where Claude and Jeremiah were describing basically “my body, my choice”, and I think that’s a powerful lesson to learn, especially when you’re young and even when you’re older.
Also loved loved loved the accountability of when Claude fucks up.
Yet again, everything was realistic and emotional and I got sooo invested that it’ll stick with me for a while, as did All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe. I just love her writing dude
But most of all, the coming-of-age. Discovering your body, discovering body autonomy - especially knowing it’s all up to you, nobody else. I think there were several great quotes where Claude and Jeremiah were describing basically “my body, my choice”, and I think that’s a powerful lesson to learn, especially when you’re young and even when you’re older.
Also loved loved loved the accountability of when Claude fucks up.
Yet again, everything was realistic and emotional and I got sooo invested that it’ll stick with me for a while, as did All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe. I just love her writing dude
1.5 stars
Niven is one of my favorite authors of all time. All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe touched places that I didn’t know existed.
But Breathless was an absolute disappointment. Breathless was such an infuriating book. The male protagonist Jeremiah was raising SO many red flags throughout the book that I never liked him. None of his struggles that were described in the book ever felt real. Claude was also a completely flat character who had no substance though Niven tried hard to make her into something. The side characters were nothing and didn’t add anything to the main story. The plot was nonexistent and forgettable.
I’m mad at myself for spending my money on this book. I only buy books that I know I’ll like and I took my chances on this one. Never again.
Niven is one of my favorite authors of all time. All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe touched places that I didn’t know existed.
But Breathless was an absolute disappointment. Breathless was such an infuriating book. The male protagonist Jeremiah was raising SO many red flags throughout the book that I never liked him. None of his struggles that were described in the book ever felt real. Claude was also a completely flat character who had no substance though Niven tried hard to make her into something. The side characters were nothing and didn’t add anything to the main story. The plot was nonexistent and forgettable.
I’m mad at myself for spending my money on this book. I only buy books that I know I’ll like and I took my chances on this one. Never again.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes