BOOK REVIEW | Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Title: Breathe
Author: Sarah Crossan
Series? Yes, the first in a duology
Pages: 373
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Source: I checked out the hardcover edition of Breathe from my local library.

The world has no air. If you want to survive, you pay to breathe. But what if you can't? And what if you think everything could be different? Three teens will leave everything they know behind in Sarah Crossan's gripping and original dystopian teen novel of danger, longing, and glimmering hope.

Ever since the Switch, when the oxygen levels plummeted and most of humanity died, the survivors have been protected in glass domes full of manufactured air. Protected . . . or trapped? Or controlled? Alina's a revolutionary who believes we can save the environment. Quinn's a Premium who's never had to worry about having enough air. His best friend, Bea, is an Auxiliary who's never worried about anything but having enough air. When the three cross paths, they will change everything.

Goodreads

Breathe has been on my TBR ever since 2014. The dystopian craze was at its height: I read (and reread) The Hunger Games, watched the movies, collected pins and cards, etc. Even though I loved the dystopian sub-genre, I never got around to Breathe, which centers around a society where air is only available in a place called the "pod," and people have to pay for their air. Though it took me a while, I'm glad that I finally got around to the book. Even though I didn't love Breathe, I thought it was a solid addition into the foray. 

What I really liked about Breathe was its premise. The plot itself isn't too far fetched. When reading classic YA dystopias, like The Hunger Games or Divergent, I was always thinking in the back of my mind, "but how did we get here?". But this society actually makes sense. In a future that might not be too far away from ours, industry has polluted the world to the point that humans cannot breathe without machines, air tanks, or by living in a pod. In the world we live in today, where our Earth is constantly polluted, this idea isn't too far fetched. Would we start to live in pods to ensure our safety? Would dissidents be exiled? Not only does the plot serve as commentary to our modern day, it also ensures that there is a certain sense of reality throughout the novel.

My main issue with Breathe were the characters. By themselves, they were fine, and none of them annoyed me. However, their relationships seemed flimsy. We're supposed to believe that Quinn and Bea have been best friends for years, and that Bea is in love with Quinn. The unrequited love aspect was believable, but the friendship wasn't. Quinn has several revelations about what Bea's life must be like as an Auxillary (think second class citizen) throughout the book. As someone who has been her friend for years, wouldn't he have already noticed these things? Wouldn't Bea and Quinn have these conversations before this book? My other issue was Alina's friendship with Bea and Quinn. The book takes place in the span of, at most, a month. Nearing the end, Alina reflects back on Bea and Quinn and realizes that they are her best friends. This is sweet and everything, but I didn't feel that throughout the book. Yes, they are all friendly with each other, but I wouldn't call them best friends based on what I read. 

At the end of the day, I recommend Breathe. It might not be the best dystopian out there, but it was entertaining. Since the series is only two books long, starting Breathe isn't too much of a commitment. The concept is interesting, and was executed pretty well. The characters could have been developed more, but I'm looking forward to continuing their story and reading their conclusion in Resist. 

With that, I give Breathe
3 out of 5 Stars!