jenmat1197 's review for:

How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer

3.5

dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is a book of short stories.  Among the tales is a story of a young girl who, after a car crash where she had to escape drowning, she takes scuba lessons to concur her fear of water.  Another is a girl whose mother is very sick and they spend a day at a healing commune when tragedy strikes.  Another is a young Jewish girl who befriends a Christian girl and wonders what she is missing by being Jewish.  And yet another where a young girl spends the day in Disney world with her sick mother and a family friend as she contemplates life after her mother is gone.

This was an interesting book.  I have mentioned several times before that I am not a fan of short story books.  I read this one for a reading challenge and honestly it wasn't terrible.  The writing is very good and the stories interesting....until the ends.  Not one story has a satisfying ending. Each one left on a cliff hanger which, I know was the author's intention, but that isn't for me.  It drove me crazy.