The Selfless Act of Breathing by J.J. Bola

The Selfless Act of Breathing

J.J. Bola

304 pages • first pub 2021 (editions)

fiction contemporary literary emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Description

A heartbreaking, lyrical story for all of those who have fantasised about escaping their daily lives and starting over.Michael Kabongo is a British-Congolese teacher living in London on the cusp of two identities. On paper, he seems to have it all...

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Community Reviews Summary of 128 reviews

Moods

emotional 87%
sad 81%
reflective 68%
dark 53%
challenging 26%
hopeful 18%
tense 17%
inspiring 10%
mysterious 3%
adventurous 1%

Pace

medium 65%
slow 26%
fast 7%

Plot- or character-driven?

Character: 80% | A mix: 19%

Strong character development?

It's complicated: 45% | Yes: 45% | No: 9%

Loveable characters?

Yes: 45% | It's complicated: 29% | No: 25%

Diverse cast of characters?

Yes: 90% | It's complicated: 4% | No: 4%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 64% | It's complicated: 23% | No: 12%

Average rating

3.71

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Content Warnings

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