A review by mmccombs
Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

This is a book that makes me so excited about young adult lit and the wonderful new stories that young folks get to read! This was a very warm novel that powerfully reflected on consent, ownership of our own bodies, and the impact of disability and culture on identity. While I sometimes felt things got quite repetitive, the musings Verónica has on her relationship to her body and to her family and friends were so compelling and made me think of all the ways young adulthood (especially when disability, immigration status, and ableism are in the mix) can render you out of control of your body and your choices. I’m also a sucker for mermaid content (don’t we all have a secret mermaid nook in our brains??) so that was really fun to include. Highly recommend this book for a cozy story and really beautiful messages!
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