A review by charmaineac
Breathless, by Jennifer Niven
4.0
Oh, what a journey.
At first, I had trouble connecting with Claude. She felt melodramatic and naive. But in true coming-of-age fashion, this book lets us in bit by bit, until we're right there in it with her.
The Georgia sun beats down, the dramas come in like a cyclone, and the love leaves you breathless. It is so incredibly romantic. In a way, I'm almost jealous — I've never felt lows so acutely as Jennifer Niven or her characters, probably, but I've also never felt such epic highs. Have I even really lived?
The acknowledgements made so much sense to me. I loved knowing that this story was deeply personal for the author. It is so incredibly romantic and sweet. I want to reach through the pages and shake Jennifer Niven into explaining all these things that can't be put into words: how can you ever find the one and just know that this is it? How do you live in the moment and come alive because of someone else? How can I be so lucky to find this for myself; and what do I do if it never happens?
This story makes you feel deeply introspective, nostalgic, and empathetic for multifaceted people. Maybe it's a bit of a preachy Forever for a new generation, but even just the way it confronts young emotions makes me feel like this is a book that some young people today will truly need. Interestingly, even though my teenage years are behind me, I feel like it resonated with me more at 24, with my first relationship behind me, than it would've when I were younger. I have a sneaking suspicion that it would resonate with me even more if I ever felt a love so great. Even then, like sweet, troubled Jeremiah Crew mentions, the timing might not be right (and you might find a person years before you're supposed to). The romantic in me wants to see these two souls find each other again; the realist in me wants to believe that they'll be better off if they keep moving forward and find happiness without ever looking back.
I don't really know where I'm going with this. It was a bit slow to start, and had a couple after-school special / inclusivity moments that felt unnecessary, but overall, I'm glad I read it. And with a heavy heart, I'm ready to keep moving forward and loving things more than words.
At first, I had trouble connecting with Claude. She felt melodramatic and naive. But in true coming-of-age fashion, this book lets us in bit by bit, until we're right there in it with her.
The Georgia sun beats down, the dramas come in like a cyclone, and the love leaves you breathless. It is so incredibly romantic. In a way, I'm almost jealous — I've never felt lows so acutely as Jennifer Niven or her characters, probably, but I've also never felt such epic highs. Have I even really lived?
The acknowledgements made so much sense to me. I loved knowing that this story was deeply personal for the author. It is so incredibly romantic and sweet. I want to reach through the pages and shake Jennifer Niven into explaining all these things that can't be put into words: how can you ever find the one and just know that this is it? How do you live in the moment and come alive because of someone else? How can I be so lucky to find this for myself; and what do I do if it never happens?
This story makes you feel deeply introspective, nostalgic, and empathetic for multifaceted people. Maybe it's a bit of a preachy Forever for a new generation, but even just the way it confronts young emotions makes me feel like this is a book that some young people today will truly need. Interestingly, even though my teenage years are behind me, I feel like it resonated with me more at 24, with my first relationship behind me, than it would've when I were younger. I have a sneaking suspicion that it would resonate with me even more if I ever felt a love so great. Even then, like sweet, troubled Jeremiah Crew mentions, the timing might not be right (and you might find a person years before you're supposed to). The romantic in me wants to see these two souls find each other again; the realist in me wants to believe that they'll be better off if they keep moving forward and find happiness without ever looking back.
I don't really know where I'm going with this. It was a bit slow to start, and had a couple after-school special / inclusivity moments that felt unnecessary, but overall, I'm glad I read it. And with a heavy heart, I'm ready to keep moving forward and loving things more than words.