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Breathe Deep & Swim
"An often moving portrait of brotherly love." —Kirkus"...compelling...memorable... The story presents aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic with care and clarity. " —Kirkus"...a timely and moving ode to the lengths we will go for our family." —BookLife"A fast-paced and timely exploration of brotherly love in the midst of family and political turmoil." —BookLife"Jenna Marcus’ incredible story captures the depths of brotherly love and the determination of a spirit faced with insurmountable odds." —Manhattan Book Review"I loved Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus and want to share it with the world. This book speaks of hope, innocence, and challenges from the perspectives of teenagers. Highly recommended." —Vernita Naylor, Readers' FavoritePerfect for fans of Gayle Forman’s If I Stay and Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere, this witty and achingly beautiful coming of age story will tackle what it means to be alive, loved, and trusting in a world gone mad...All 14-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas wants is normalcy. But a global pandemic prevents him from having anything close to a typical teenager's life. When Wolfgang discovers his father dead in bed from the coronavirus, his world is thrust into even more turmoil and chaos. Wolfgang and his 16-year-old brother, Van Gogh, know that they must do everything they can to stay together and avoid foster care. In a cross-country road trip, they hit the road in their father's Pontiac to find their only the mother who abandoned them a decade ago. As they journey for answers to their mother's whereabouts, they uncover devastating mysteries about her that they never could have imagined. Just as they near their destination, tragedy strikes once more. Wolfgang is drowning in fear and pain, but he must pull it together or lose his family for good. Can this broken adolescent find the strength and courage to Breathe Deep & Swim?
- GenresYoung Adult
156 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 19, 2021
77 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Marcus
3 books2 followersJenna Marcus is an academic leader with a passion for leveraging her decade of expertise to robustly enhance and redefine the quality of teaching and learning. She is also an avid reader, voracious coffee drinker, a vegan and supports animal rights. Currently, she is a Literacy Coordinator at a NYC charter school. In addition to her professional experience, she holds two Master of Science in Education degrees, one in Middle Childhood & Adolescent English Education and another in Educational Leadership as well as a BA in Literature. She is also certified in School Building Leadership and ELA (grades 7-12) in NYS. When she is not writing, you can find her reading a good book, or spending time with friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 21, 2021
It turned out to be quite emotional for me. This naturally happens when I read about broken families and neglectful parents.
I feel so bad and protective towards the teen characters who just became orphans at the beginning of the story.
They do not know the reason why their mother left them. They have no emotions towards their problematic father.
Wolfgang and his older brother, Van Gogh, try to run away before the authorities discover their dad's dead body for the fear of getting separated and put in foster homes. They are trying to find their mum as the last chance of being together.
And the run continues.
This story made me quite anxious and uncomfortable regarding the way things turned out leaving the vulnerable teens in various life-threatening conditions. Especially because the teens took matters into their own hands endangering their own lives.
Regarding the writing, it's thoroughly engaging. The characters are developed well and good. They act thier age but then the adult characters seem to be merely present throughout whatsoever.
The plot needed to be more convincing for me. It involves some mystery to solve in two books left behind by their mother. This part becomes really interesting as the story goes on.
I really like the fact that Wolfgang is an avid reader already. I love how he love his books and look forward to reading than do anything else.
I really enjoyed reading this one. I was praying for the safety of the characters. They are so adorable.
The ending is so sad. But it ended on a hopeful note.
Trigger warnings for loss of family members.
Looking forward to more books by the author.
Thank you author and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
I feel so bad and protective towards the teen characters who just became orphans at the beginning of the story.
They do not know the reason why their mother left them. They have no emotions towards their problematic father.
Wolfgang and his older brother, Van Gogh, try to run away before the authorities discover their dad's dead body for the fear of getting separated and put in foster homes. They are trying to find their mum as the last chance of being together.
And the run continues.
This story made me quite anxious and uncomfortable regarding the way things turned out leaving the vulnerable teens in various life-threatening conditions. Especially because the teens took matters into their own hands endangering their own lives.
Regarding the writing, it's thoroughly engaging. The characters are developed well and good. They act thier age but then the adult characters seem to be merely present throughout whatsoever.
The plot needed to be more convincing for me. It involves some mystery to solve in two books left behind by their mother. This part becomes really interesting as the story goes on.
I really like the fact that Wolfgang is an avid reader already. I love how he love his books and look forward to reading than do anything else.
I really enjoyed reading this one. I was praying for the safety of the characters. They are so adorable.
The ending is so sad. But it ended on a hopeful note.
Trigger warnings for loss of family members.
Looking forward to more books by the author.
Thank you author and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
April 26, 2021
3.5 STARS,
This was an emotional read, but fast paced.
It’s set in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, a story of 2 brothers seeking to find their Mother, who abandoned them 11 years ago, after the dead of their Father.
Wolfgang and Van Gogh are practically inseparable, the trust and loyalty between them in inspiring. What they find at the end of their journey is tear jerking.
Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc of this touching story.
This was an emotional read, but fast paced.
It’s set in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, a story of 2 brothers seeking to find their Mother, who abandoned them 11 years ago, after the dead of their Father.
Wolfgang and Van Gogh are practically inseparable, the trust and loyalty between them in inspiring. What they find at the end of their journey is tear jerking.
Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc of this touching story.
April 23, 2021
2/5
(not spoiler free)
After their father dies of covid, the two brothers Van Gogh and Wolfgang decide to run away because they don't want to be in the foster system. The book focuses on their trip to New York, as they plan to find their mother who left them when they were kids, in the hope of her taking them in.
It is set in our current time, as in during the pandemic. A choice, that was honestly a bad idea. The whole pandemic situation was handled horribly: At the beginning, the father refuses to wear masks and social distance, resulting in him contractong the virus and his son once even yells at him to follow the measures. THe son seems to forget he ever said this when he knows he has covid, as he just continues to use public transport and puts everyone around him at risk. In the train the guy who checked their tickets KNEW he had covid and it is his job to remove them from the train yet he chooses to let them stay and infect everyone?
Also the main character learns he had covid a while back and he said he doesn't care uh...
The realtionship between the two brothers was nice and I also thought the writing style was okay, but it didn't really stick out and it wasn't anything extraordinary. I didn't hate those aspects, but they weren't really well done either. THere was a tiny amount of backstory which didn't really add anything or made me as a reader feel anything. Honestly if the whole pandemic would've been left out it would've been a lot better. The author felt the need to mention masks every second paragraph, which could've been a really good message like wear your masks and follow the measures, but it was ruined by the fact that the brothers continued to put everyone around them at risk and apparently didn't care for anyones but their own safety.
All in all the book was just okay, at least for me there's no other way to describe it.
(not spoiler free)
After their father dies of covid, the two brothers Van Gogh and Wolfgang decide to run away because they don't want to be in the foster system. The book focuses on their trip to New York, as they plan to find their mother who left them when they were kids, in the hope of her taking them in.
It is set in our current time, as in during the pandemic. A choice, that was honestly a bad idea. The whole pandemic situation was handled horribly: At the beginning, the father refuses to wear masks and social distance, resulting in him contractong the virus and his son once even yells at him to follow the measures. THe son seems to forget he ever said this when he knows he has covid, as he just continues to use public transport and puts everyone around him at risk. In the train the guy who checked their tickets KNEW he had covid and it is his job to remove them from the train yet he chooses to let them stay and infect everyone?
Also the main character learns he had covid a while back and he said he doesn't care uh...
The realtionship between the two brothers was nice and I also thought the writing style was okay, but it didn't really stick out and it wasn't anything extraordinary. I didn't hate those aspects, but they weren't really well done either. THere was a tiny amount of backstory which didn't really add anything or made me as a reader feel anything. Honestly if the whole pandemic would've been left out it would've been a lot better. The author felt the need to mention masks every second paragraph, which could've been a really good message like wear your masks and follow the measures, but it was ruined by the fact that the brothers continued to put everyone around them at risk and apparently didn't care for anyones but their own safety.
All in all the book was just okay, at least for me there's no other way to describe it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2021
April 12, 2021: The Thing About Jellyfish was one of my favorites years ago and I am SO excited.
April 14, 2021: Well... I read the book.
Breathe Deep & Swim follows fourteen-year-old Wolfgang and his sixteen-year-old brother, Van Gogh. (Yep, their names are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas and Van Gogh Vincent Thomas.) After their dad dies of the coronavirus, Van Gogh insists that they flee their home to find their mother, who left the family years prior, when Wolfgang was very young.
The basic plot of this story was fine, though a bit absurd at times. It is appropriate for younger readers and Wolfgang and Van Gogh's brotherly relationship was nice.
However, I really did not love the way the pandemic was handled. Firstly, I definitely did not read the synopsis closely enough (read above and you'll see I read "Perfect for fans of The Thing about Jellyfish" and pressed read), so the first mention of COVID-19 was a little shocking.
*Minor Spoilers Ahead*
To start, their dad was terrible. He never wore a mask or socially distanced and considered the pandemic just "fake news." But... the racism? At one point, when reflecting on Van Gogh's ex-girlfriend, Janelle, Wolfgang remembers that when their dad met her he said "no son of mine is going to date a Black girl."
Then, he later says:
"Also, it could be argued that Van Gogh hated his father, but this hatred had been temporary. It was the hate you feel when you see a stranger committing injustice, or when you hear somebody make a racial slur."
...Um.
In regards to the pandemic, Wolfgang repeats how frustrated Van Gogh was that their dad wouldn't accept medical attention or admit he was sick. But then Van Gogh does the exact same thing after he begins to cough and then gets sicker and sicker. Their dad said it was a cold, Van Gogh repeats this later in the story in order to deny that he (obviously) had the coronavirus.
Again, it is made to seem as if the two were very concerned and careful regarding the pandemic but then their every action says otherwise . When asked if they had experienced symptoms or been in contact with someone diagnosed when entering a public, enclosed space, Van Gogh says no. At this, Wolfgang, though he acknowledges that they both knew their dad had been diagnosed with the coronavirus posthumously, brushes it off because, "What choice did we have?"
Seriously? Their actions put every single person on that train at risk. Every single person they interacted with. They did have a choice, but they chose to knowingly expose others to a deadly virus in order to continue their quest to maybe find their mother.
THEN, even though Van Gogh is visibly very very sick, the conductor does not remove them from the train because he, what, feels bad for them because they're young?
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it was not for me. The boys were careless and reckless, putting everyone around them in danger, despite making it seem as if they cared about the pandemic. Keep others safe and don't go out in public if you have been around someone with or have contracted COVID-19. In general, you should not be traveling.
Honestly, this book would have been better if the entire pandemic had been excluded. At the most basic level, their traveling during a pandemic was reckless and selfish. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it really added to the story at all, and I imagine the rest of the story would have been stronger if not for the coronavirus plot elements.
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are subject to change by the time of publication. Thank you!*
April 14, 2021: Well... I read the book.
Breathe Deep & Swim follows fourteen-year-old Wolfgang and his sixteen-year-old brother, Van Gogh. (Yep, their names are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas and Van Gogh Vincent Thomas.) After their dad dies of the coronavirus, Van Gogh insists that they flee their home to find their mother, who left the family years prior, when Wolfgang was very young.
The basic plot of this story was fine, though a bit absurd at times. It is appropriate for younger readers and Wolfgang and Van Gogh's brotherly relationship was nice.
However, I really did not love the way the pandemic was handled. Firstly, I definitely did not read the synopsis closely enough (read above and you'll see I read "Perfect for fans of The Thing about Jellyfish" and pressed read), so the first mention of COVID-19 was a little shocking.
*Minor Spoilers Ahead*
To start, their dad was terrible. He never wore a mask or socially distanced and considered the pandemic just "fake news." But... the racism? At one point, when reflecting on Van Gogh's ex-girlfriend, Janelle, Wolfgang remembers that when their dad met her he said "no son of mine is going to date a Black girl."
Then, he later says:
"Also, it could be argued that Van Gogh hated his father, but this hatred had been temporary. It was the hate you feel when you see a stranger committing injustice, or when you hear somebody make a racial slur."
...Um.
In regards to the pandemic, Wolfgang repeats how frustrated Van Gogh was that their dad wouldn't accept medical attention or admit he was sick. But then Van Gogh does the exact same thing after he begins to cough and then gets sicker and sicker. Their dad said it was a cold, Van Gogh repeats this later in the story in order to deny that he (obviously) had the coronavirus.
Again, it is made to seem as if the two were very concerned and careful regarding the pandemic but then their every action says otherwise . When asked if they had experienced symptoms or been in contact with someone diagnosed when entering a public, enclosed space, Van Gogh says no. At this, Wolfgang, though he acknowledges that they both knew their dad had been diagnosed with the coronavirus posthumously, brushes it off because, "What choice did we have?"
Seriously? Their actions put every single person on that train at risk. Every single person they interacted with. They did have a choice, but they chose to knowingly expose others to a deadly virus in order to continue their quest to maybe find their mother.
THEN, even though Van Gogh is visibly very very sick, the conductor does not remove them from the train because he, what, feels bad for them because they're young?
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it was not for me. The boys were careless and reckless, putting everyone around them in danger, despite making it seem as if they cared about the pandemic. Keep others safe and don't go out in public if you have been around someone with or have contracted COVID-19. In general, you should not be traveling.
Honestly, this book would have been better if the entire pandemic had been excluded. At the most basic level, their traveling during a pandemic was reckless and selfish. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it really added to the story at all, and I imagine the rest of the story would have been stronger if not for the coronavirus plot elements.
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are subject to change by the time of publication. Thank you!*
June 3, 2021
I got this eARC from Netgalley in exhange for a honest review
1.5 Stars
I was somewhat interested when i read the blurb, and hoped that i`d like it and care about the characters and the story. But Wolfgang was whiny and needy, always turned to Van Gogh for help or guidance. Van Gogh seemed sour and flat most times, yes he found places and what to do. But the story was boring, But their running away felt like it made no sense... yeah they ended up finding something good. But I did not feel like the characters were interesting and their travel was just... boring? The COVID-19 part (i feel) wasn`t needed in the story.
1.5 Stars
I was somewhat interested when i read the blurb, and hoped that i`d like it and care about the characters and the story. But Wolfgang was whiny and needy, always turned to Van Gogh for help or guidance. Van Gogh seemed sour and flat most times, yes he found places and what to do. But the story was boring, But their running away felt like it made no sense... yeah they ended up finding something good. But I did not feel like the characters were interesting and their travel was just... boring? The COVID-19 part (i feel) wasn`t needed in the story.
April 29, 2021
I went into this so ready to care and yet I just...didn't. I think it was partly because of the sheer amount of telling instead of showing, and partly because we were so wrapped up in Wolfgang's POV. I wish we had been able to see the world outside of that.
January 10, 2022
When their father dies of Covid-19, teen brothers Van Gogh and Wolfgang Thomas decide to leave home in Florida in order to search for their mother in The Bronx, her last known location before leaving their family 11 years prior. Wolfgang relies on his older brother to get them there safely and, more importantly, to stay together despite their now technically orphan status. But as they embark further into their journey, Wolfgang must step it up and take care of not only himself but Van Gogh while trying to figure out their mother’s past and what made her decide to leave them in the first place.
Breathe Deep and Swim is the perfect blend of a road trip story, family drama, and what will soon become known as historical fiction as a pandemic-era tale. Author Jenna Marcus has crafted two characters who you can root for, a tense backstory that unfolds dramatically, and a poignant, unexpected ending that ties up loose ends but starts a new chapter for these boys beyond the pages of this short but sweet YA novel.
You can read my full review here: https://laurasbooksandblogs.com/breat...
Breathe Deep and Swim is the perfect blend of a road trip story, family drama, and what will soon become known as historical fiction as a pandemic-era tale. Author Jenna Marcus has crafted two characters who you can root for, a tense backstory that unfolds dramatically, and a poignant, unexpected ending that ties up loose ends but starts a new chapter for these boys beyond the pages of this short but sweet YA novel.
You can read my full review here: https://laurasbooksandblogs.com/breat...
April 15, 2021
**Actually a 3.5-rating**
Nearly a year has passed from Covid, and we are now in the throes of global vaccine inoculations... and I find it odd that I have yet to come across an honest, raw and sometimes macabre insight into what this Covid-19 scenario feels like when it is displayed in book form.
Typically, I read Romance genre, so they utilize the safety of "The Lockdown" in such a way of fulfilling the good tropey awesomeness of "forced proximity", meshing our love interest couple to quarantine together and somehow find love.
Yeah, this is not that book... with a cutesy, good-hearted feeling of:: "We are gonna make it out of this...together".
I did not realize how Covid-19 deaths at home with no formal, professional healthcare... especially from mask deniers and Trump supporters would have this... odd Zombie Apocalypse-sensation that just bleeds right onto the page.
This is not a sweet, tenderhearted book, by any means. It really punches you right in the gut right away. Though it is short, in novella form, this can maybe be a good thing because of the content's topic.
What a harrowing real-to-life moment, displayed in under 200pages, of two brothers trying to safely make it through their world after their father passes at home from Covid complications that he thought were "just the flu/cold". Their father denied his own failings, thereby bringing on and advancing his own demise. No one to blame but himself. Though his boys...his own biological sons, whom he never felt were quite like "HIS BOYS" when he was alive... take it upon themselves to simply gather what they can pack in one single backpack for each and walk away.
We have two boys... Van Gogh Vincent Thomas, who is an artist and does not live at home; he actually left home prior to the book's opening. And then there is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas, who really lives his life by the framework of a classic literature novel; so, he is a bookworm nerd, throwing Classic Lit knowledge every which way.
Their father wanted "man-ly" men for his sons... not these kind of sensitized, feminine-light boys. And this seemed very sad and painful, especially as this man lays in the throes of his own death and cannot seem to grasp he is about to be swept off this mortal coil.
Their fears? If they had called emergency officials, actually had had the police arrive to take care of the situation, right away they knew that they would have been fostered into the system and possibly split up. Van, or Van Gogh, the older brother at 16 has the common sense and wherewithal to do everything possible to keep them together.
Their new construct of a mission? Find their mother, who left them for mysterious reasons years ago. By any means necessary, they would find her at any cost.
By no means is this an easy story even without the heightened risk of Covid-19 in the midst. If their father had passed from a heart attack, the same situation would have occurred--The boys running away to escape a scary unknowable outcome. You have it barreled into the COVID-19 pandemic and...you almost understand why the boys bolted toward an unwanted road-trip to family members they only "knew of" on the periphery. Family they had no idea if they would or would not be there; they really can only try and locate them, however possible.
Since this is a shorter novella form, Jenna Marcus packs tiny minute gut-punches that keep you knowing full well these boys have some kind of gumption to not only stay as family but to make it out alive... amidst Covid fears building around the country. It never feels like too much or too little; sometimes I think it hits right-on-the-money, but because this is genuinely my very first Covid-19 enriched story... man, this feels kind of the way it might simply have to be.
Those first outliers are gonna feel weird, because every life journey... every personal account... every medical experience inside of a hospital or care system is going to be different. Not just inside of a country but inside of a WORLD WIDE global moment. Covid stories from the United States, over the next 10-15yrs are going to feel... out-of-this-world impossible, but you know what? I learned through this simple novella that I am kind of here for a reckoning where we have to face our fears and those oh-so-scary moments we never imagined we survive.
Jenna Marcus has a soft, gentle touch to her brothers which I loved. Though sometimes their moments felt right out of a Hollywood movie script... there is a gas station robbery that switches the game for the brothers almost instantly... but yet, it puts THEM leaving their father in a certain context of morality.
Sure, they left their father's dead body alone at the house only to be found by their father's employees at the construction sight who were worried the Boss had not shown up. But placed inside of a nutshell... of COVID fears, foster-care system fears, being ripped apart fears, making sure they still had family fears... and then Van becomes THE HERO of the moment and not just saves the gas station attendant life, Wolfgang's life, but also... stopped a serial robber/thief??...it changes the narrative once thought.
I kind of like that idea. That in one moment of morality... you bail on a dead father, but in light of a single moment of heroism...you save, like, 3 lives... have confiscated stolen money [and etc.] returned from prior robberies that day and then you stop this thief from pursuing more criminal activities. Talk about seeing dichotomies in a character.
There is a sub-plot involving learning about the boys' absent mother... that I found this kind of mirrors them in this present time--especially when you learn the real reason for their mother leaving them. Also, that sub-plot gets a little lost for a minute or two but, it kind of shows us... when the pandemic hit, WE ALL checked in with each other... probably reaching out to touchstones we had not spoken to in years. This is a fraction of what has happened in real life, but it could happen.
Having their mother's precious Keepsake box with them, as one of those important "things" they grabbed when leaving home? This helps them unravel the mystery behind their mother...but also helps them in their future prospects come the end of the book. Those moments were especially sentimental and fascinating to read.
There is some rushed attempts at the end of this book, but yeah... because of it being centered around Covid, you really do not want to choose to be here [in this space] for too long. We are still in its clutches, so, yeah...still "fresh" on our minds. Maybe if this were written 5yrs from now, it could be fleshed out. But for what it is in this moment...it's right where it needs to be.
If I go into too much detailed bits about the ending I would give much of the story away...but this is a heartfelt, deeply moving exploration of snapshot moments in a pandemic, so, at times it is not easy to swallow...but, at some point in the next generation, we are going to have to face what scared us most...and yeah, that means our own mortality.
I would want to assume Jenna Marcus wants us to focus more on how beautiful this brotherhood relationship is. There are some very minute but profound focuses on how close they are and how each uplifts and tries to "take care of" the other so that they don't fall or fail or become weaker.
I like that powerful message...I think the lockdown and the pandemic taught us just how small our circles of friends and family are. It caused us to think about our pasts - those who left and were forgotten... and try to think of our futures, if we even fathomed we would have one.
This is a sliver of life book, during a deadly pandemic but it stays truer to the want of keeping those you care about closer than ever. If Covid gave any of us, anything important... it forced us to learn or relearn what true genuine "family" means to us all.
**I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Nearly a year has passed from Covid, and we are now in the throes of global vaccine inoculations... and I find it odd that I have yet to come across an honest, raw and sometimes macabre insight into what this Covid-19 scenario feels like when it is displayed in book form.
Typically, I read Romance genre, so they utilize the safety of "The Lockdown" in such a way of fulfilling the good tropey awesomeness of "forced proximity", meshing our love interest couple to quarantine together and somehow find love.
Yeah, this is not that book... with a cutesy, good-hearted feeling of:: "We are gonna make it out of this...together".
I did not realize how Covid-19 deaths at home with no formal, professional healthcare... especially from mask deniers and Trump supporters would have this... odd Zombie Apocalypse-sensation that just bleeds right onto the page.
This is not a sweet, tenderhearted book, by any means. It really punches you right in the gut right away. Though it is short, in novella form, this can maybe be a good thing because of the content's topic.
What a harrowing real-to-life moment, displayed in under 200pages, of two brothers trying to safely make it through their world after their father passes at home from Covid complications that he thought were "just the flu/cold". Their father denied his own failings, thereby bringing on and advancing his own demise. No one to blame but himself. Though his boys...his own biological sons, whom he never felt were quite like "HIS BOYS" when he was alive... take it upon themselves to simply gather what they can pack in one single backpack for each and walk away.
We have two boys... Van Gogh Vincent Thomas, who is an artist and does not live at home; he actually left home prior to the book's opening. And then there is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas, who really lives his life by the framework of a classic literature novel; so, he is a bookworm nerd, throwing Classic Lit knowledge every which way.
Their father wanted "man-ly" men for his sons... not these kind of sensitized, feminine-light boys. And this seemed very sad and painful, especially as this man lays in the throes of his own death and cannot seem to grasp he is about to be swept off this mortal coil.
Their fears? If they had called emergency officials, actually had had the police arrive to take care of the situation, right away they knew that they would have been fostered into the system and possibly split up. Van, or Van Gogh, the older brother at 16 has the common sense and wherewithal to do everything possible to keep them together.
Their new construct of a mission? Find their mother, who left them for mysterious reasons years ago. By any means necessary, they would find her at any cost.
By no means is this an easy story even without the heightened risk of Covid-19 in the midst. If their father had passed from a heart attack, the same situation would have occurred--The boys running away to escape a scary unknowable outcome. You have it barreled into the COVID-19 pandemic and...you almost understand why the boys bolted toward an unwanted road-trip to family members they only "knew of" on the periphery. Family they had no idea if they would or would not be there; they really can only try and locate them, however possible.
Since this is a shorter novella form, Jenna Marcus packs tiny minute gut-punches that keep you knowing full well these boys have some kind of gumption to not only stay as family but to make it out alive... amidst Covid fears building around the country. It never feels like too much or too little; sometimes I think it hits right-on-the-money, but because this is genuinely my very first Covid-19 enriched story... man, this feels kind of the way it might simply have to be.
Those first outliers are gonna feel weird, because every life journey... every personal account... every medical experience inside of a hospital or care system is going to be different. Not just inside of a country but inside of a WORLD WIDE global moment. Covid stories from the United States, over the next 10-15yrs are going to feel... out-of-this-world impossible, but you know what? I learned through this simple novella that I am kind of here for a reckoning where we have to face our fears and those oh-so-scary moments we never imagined we survive.
Jenna Marcus has a soft, gentle touch to her brothers which I loved. Though sometimes their moments felt right out of a Hollywood movie script... there is a gas station robbery that switches the game for the brothers almost instantly... but yet, it puts THEM leaving their father in a certain context of morality.
Sure, they left their father's dead body alone at the house only to be found by their father's employees at the construction sight who were worried the Boss had not shown up. But placed inside of a nutshell... of COVID fears, foster-care system fears, being ripped apart fears, making sure they still had family fears... and then Van becomes THE HERO of the moment and not just saves the gas station attendant life, Wolfgang's life, but also... stopped a serial robber/thief??...it changes the narrative once thought.
I kind of like that idea. That in one moment of morality... you bail on a dead father, but in light of a single moment of heroism...you save, like, 3 lives... have confiscated stolen money [and etc.] returned from prior robberies that day and then you stop this thief from pursuing more criminal activities. Talk about seeing dichotomies in a character.
There is a sub-plot involving learning about the boys' absent mother... that I found this kind of mirrors them in this present time--especially when you learn the real reason for their mother leaving them. Also, that sub-plot gets a little lost for a minute or two but, it kind of shows us... when the pandemic hit, WE ALL checked in with each other... probably reaching out to touchstones we had not spoken to in years. This is a fraction of what has happened in real life, but it could happen.
Having their mother's precious Keepsake box with them, as one of those important "things" they grabbed when leaving home? This helps them unravel the mystery behind their mother...but also helps them in their future prospects come the end of the book. Those moments were especially sentimental and fascinating to read.
There is some rushed attempts at the end of this book, but yeah... because of it being centered around Covid, you really do not want to choose to be here [in this space] for too long. We are still in its clutches, so, yeah...still "fresh" on our minds. Maybe if this were written 5yrs from now, it could be fleshed out. But for what it is in this moment...it's right where it needs to be.
If I go into too much detailed bits about the ending I would give much of the story away...but this is a heartfelt, deeply moving exploration of snapshot moments in a pandemic, so, at times it is not easy to swallow...but, at some point in the next generation, we are going to have to face what scared us most...and yeah, that means our own mortality.
I would want to assume Jenna Marcus wants us to focus more on how beautiful this brotherhood relationship is. There are some very minute but profound focuses on how close they are and how each uplifts and tries to "take care of" the other so that they don't fall or fail or become weaker.
I like that powerful message...I think the lockdown and the pandemic taught us just how small our circles of friends and family are. It caused us to think about our pasts - those who left and were forgotten... and try to think of our futures, if we even fathomed we would have one.
This is a sliver of life book, during a deadly pandemic but it stays truer to the want of keeping those you care about closer than ever. If Covid gave any of us, anything important... it forced us to learn or relearn what true genuine "family" means to us all.
**I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
December 23, 2024
The story starts after the boys discover their dad’s dead body. They decide to search for their mom who abandoned them so they aren’t given for adoption.
The first chapter was really chaotic in a sense that it seemed like the author wanted us to now everything about the two boys, Wolfgang and Van Gogh; their habits, anecdotes, and such, to a point that you start losing the main story. Also, for having seen their dad dead they seemed calm, they didn’t shed a tear and in that situation I would expect anyone to not know how to react even after hours.
They leave the house after taking some useful items, like food, to probably never return and at that point there’s a scene where Wolfgang has to decide which books he wants to bring and which one leave behind. Which it would be really difficult for me, as I have too many favourites. But if I had to… I’d choose The Lost Book of the White, Six of Crows, Pride and Prejudice, Annie on my Mind, The Tearling trilogy + Beneath the Keep and Attack on titan: No Regrets (the coloured edition).
We see the story unfold through Wolfgang’s point of view, we know what his thoughts are, what he is feeling every moment of the story, etc. He’s a fourteen year old boy (at first I thought he was twelve?) but he sometimes uses words and concepts that a fourteen year old wouldn’t know so it was a bit unbelievable at times.
There were moments where they made illogical decisions but I guess when you a teen you tend to not think logically and I kind of understand even though I don’t agree with how they acted.
I found that as I got more immersed into the book I began caring about them more and cared whether or not they succeeded meeting their mom.
I expected to be shown why the boys had that kind of names but it doesn’t really give an explanation, or at least not an entire one.
Something that made me laugh is the following quote:
“I once heard that, when rolling dice, you have one in six chances of rolling your desired number. As we drove toward New York, we had a one in six shot of our mom accepting the two sons, [...]”
I don’t know if it was made on purpose, Wolfgang is a child and probably hasn’t been taught it, but if you roll a dice you have a one in six chances of getting, for example, 1 or any other number that is on the dice; THAT’S BECAUSE there are six numbers on the dice (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), so yes it would be a 1/6 chance. BUT in the situation where they go to meet their mom, the possible scenarios there are would be: either their mom says yes or their mom says no; there are only TWO possible outcomes so they have one out of two (1/2) chances, not 1/6 chances as Wolfgang thinks.
Other quotes I highlighted and found important:
“This may seem harsh, but I doubted either of us would associate with Dad if he weren’t related to us”
“Our dad provided us with a dwelling, food, and clothing -but that was pretty much it”
I once watched a video where fathers got asked about their kids. They got asked a series of questions like when was their birthday, who were their best friends, and such. Some fathers didn’t know the answers to those questions. I was shocked. How can some parents not know when their own child was born? I looked to the comment section of the video and there were some people arguing that if the father takes care of them financially and provides them with a house, food and other essentials it was enough.
But that is not being a parent at all! It is not enough to provide for them, you need to talk to them and know things about them.
The first chapter was really chaotic in a sense that it seemed like the author wanted us to now everything about the two boys, Wolfgang and Van Gogh; their habits, anecdotes, and such, to a point that you start losing the main story. Also, for having seen their dad dead they seemed calm, they didn’t shed a tear and in that situation I would expect anyone to not know how to react even after hours.
They leave the house after taking some useful items, like food, to probably never return and at that point there’s a scene where Wolfgang has to decide which books he wants to bring and which one leave behind. Which it would be really difficult for me, as I have too many favourites. But if I had to… I’d choose The Lost Book of the White, Six of Crows, Pride and Prejudice, Annie on my Mind, The Tearling trilogy + Beneath the Keep and Attack on titan: No Regrets (the coloured edition).
We see the story unfold through Wolfgang’s point of view, we know what his thoughts are, what he is feeling every moment of the story, etc. He’s a fourteen year old boy (at first I thought he was twelve?) but he sometimes uses words and concepts that a fourteen year old wouldn’t know so it was a bit unbelievable at times.
There were moments where they made illogical decisions but I guess when you a teen you tend to not think logically and I kind of understand even though I don’t agree with how they acted.
I found that as I got more immersed into the book I began caring about them more and cared whether or not they succeeded meeting their mom.
I expected to be shown why the boys had that kind of names but it doesn’t really give an explanation, or at least not an entire one.
Something that made me laugh is the following quote:
“I once heard that, when rolling dice, you have one in six chances of rolling your desired number. As we drove toward New York, we had a one in six shot of our mom accepting the two sons, [...]”
I don’t know if it was made on purpose, Wolfgang is a child and probably hasn’t been taught it, but if you roll a dice you have a one in six chances of getting, for example, 1 or any other number that is on the dice; THAT’S BECAUSE there are six numbers on the dice (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), so yes it would be a 1/6 chance. BUT in the situation where they go to meet their mom, the possible scenarios there are would be: either their mom says yes or their mom says no; there are only TWO possible outcomes so they have one out of two (1/2) chances, not 1/6 chances as Wolfgang thinks.
Other quotes I highlighted and found important:
“This may seem harsh, but I doubted either of us would associate with Dad if he weren’t related to us”
“Our dad provided us with a dwelling, food, and clothing -but that was pretty much it”
I once watched a video where fathers got asked about their kids. They got asked a series of questions like when was their birthday, who were their best friends, and such. Some fathers didn’t know the answers to those questions. I was shocked. How can some parents not know when their own child was born? I looked to the comment section of the video and there were some people arguing that if the father takes care of them financially and provides them with a house, food and other essentials it was enough.
But that is not being a parent at all! It is not enough to provide for them, you need to talk to them and know things about them.
May 20, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Jenna Marcus for the opportunity to read Breathe Deep & Swim in exchange for an honest review.
It was only a matter of time before novels about (and taking place during) the COVID-19 pandemic would come to light. There were plenty of nonfiction books that came out early in the pandemic, but finding a young adult fiction novel was a bit harder. When I read that this novel takes place during the pandemic, I was eager to see where it went and how it would be executed. The pandemic has affected all people, and this is just one possibility that people have had to work through in their own COVID-19 experience.
Van Gogh and Wolfgang are brothers. When they find their dad has died, they know it was due to COVID-19, only to later have it verified by the news. Their mom left when Wolf was a very young age, and it's been eleven years since the brothers have heard anything from her. Not wanting to be wards of the state with a fate of ending up in the foster system, Wolf and Van make their way from Florida, leaving their dead father behind, taking his car and Money, and make their way to New York in hopes of finding their mom.
Along the way, their faces become known on the news when their father's boss finds the dead body. The goal: to make it to New York before anyone recognizes them, ruining their chance of finding their mother. It sure doesn't help when Van uses his father's gun to stop a robbery at a gas station, which goes viral...
As they make their way to New York, things seem promising...until Van starts showing COVID symptoms. This novel really emphasizes how masks must be worn and how people judge anyone who coughs. It also shows the hidden side of people just trying to go through their daily lives and achieve what they need to do, even if that means hiding their symptoms and putting others at risk.
I found this to be a very quick read and quite resonating with the pandemic. While it is contemporary fiction now, it will soon fall under historical fiction, as hopefully one day soon, the COVID-19 pandemic will be another blip in the history books. Some of the events in the novel seemed a bit too coincidental, such as the gas station robbery which just happened to be the first stop they made, or the friendliness and acceptance of the people when the boys pay in cash for things like a hotel--don't you have to be a certain age for that? The way they got through their journey just seemed too perfect with no problems. Regardless, I really enjoyed the characters ads the reader gets to know more about their past and as they learn about their own family history. The end was kind of what I expected, with a minimal twist that was close to my prediction. It was a great ending, perfect for this stand-alone young adult novel.
It was only a matter of time before novels about (and taking place during) the COVID-19 pandemic would come to light. There were plenty of nonfiction books that came out early in the pandemic, but finding a young adult fiction novel was a bit harder. When I read that this novel takes place during the pandemic, I was eager to see where it went and how it would be executed. The pandemic has affected all people, and this is just one possibility that people have had to work through in their own COVID-19 experience.
Van Gogh and Wolfgang are brothers. When they find their dad has died, they know it was due to COVID-19, only to later have it verified by the news. Their mom left when Wolf was a very young age, and it's been eleven years since the brothers have heard anything from her. Not wanting to be wards of the state with a fate of ending up in the foster system, Wolf and Van make their way from Florida, leaving their dead father behind, taking his car and Money, and make their way to New York in hopes of finding their mom.
Along the way, their faces become known on the news when their father's boss finds the dead body. The goal: to make it to New York before anyone recognizes them, ruining their chance of finding their mother. It sure doesn't help when Van uses his father's gun to stop a robbery at a gas station, which goes viral...
As they make their way to New York, things seem promising...until Van starts showing COVID symptoms. This novel really emphasizes how masks must be worn and how people judge anyone who coughs. It also shows the hidden side of people just trying to go through their daily lives and achieve what they need to do, even if that means hiding their symptoms and putting others at risk.
I found this to be a very quick read and quite resonating with the pandemic. While it is contemporary fiction now, it will soon fall under historical fiction, as hopefully one day soon, the COVID-19 pandemic will be another blip in the history books. Some of the events in the novel seemed a bit too coincidental, such as the gas station robbery which just happened to be the first stop they made, or the friendliness and acceptance of the people when the boys pay in cash for things like a hotel--don't you have to be a certain age for that? The way they got through their journey just seemed too perfect with no problems. Regardless, I really enjoyed the characters ads the reader gets to know more about their past and as they learn about their own family history. The end was kind of what I expected, with a minimal twist that was close to my prediction. It was a great ending, perfect for this stand-alone young adult novel.
April 25, 2021
Before I comment [directly] on the book, I want to say that before the pandemic started, I was the type of person who would easily go through 3-5 books a week. When it hit, a combination of things caused me to struggle greatly to read or work on my own writing. It took me several months to be able to really sit down and start/finish a book; that only having happened early this year when some of my favorite authors came out with new additions to their series. While I've had other books waiting in the wings and I could tell their stories would typically be ones I'd go through contently, I just couldn't bring myself to go beyond a few pages. Even with my favorites, I couldn't bring myself to read at the same pace I previously had; now only doing x amount of pages a day but it was a vast improvement to what I'd been going through over the last year.
Now, on to Breathe Deep & Swim. This is the first title I've read from Jenna Marcus. I received it yesterday after ordering it from Amazon and took it with me to start on my way back from dropping my car of for inspections. Four hours later, I'VE FINISHED THIS YA NOVEL. Something I haven't been able to do with any of my favorite authors, whom I've have every book of theirs lined up on my shelves, in over a year now. This work compels you to set other things aside and keep turning the pages as, from the beginning, you feel invested in the main characters; almost certainly seeing relatable aspects of yourself within at least one, if not both of them.
I think that's where Jenna has achieved her greatest success with this book. You can easily imagine being in the shoes of Wolfgang & Van Gogh within our time; faced with harsh realities, fears and trying to find / forge a light within a deepening darkness. She also doesn't shy away from touching from topics such as the negative effects of a broken heart, how secrets can have long lasting effects on those around you, racism, the inner struggles we all face and, most indeed, Covid-19 / the ripple effect that can occur in the wake of the Covid-19 deniers. It's quite easy to forget that this is a YA novel and not a memoir of a youth who survived our recent pandemic times and the series of hardships he and his brother were forced to face throughout their life.
Do yourself a favor; take the time to pick up and read this novel. It serves as a reminder towards trusting your instincts, the importance of bonds with others and, in the face of challenges or what seems like overwhelming odds, we all need to pause for a moment, "breathe deep and swim".
Now, on to Breathe Deep & Swim. This is the first title I've read from Jenna Marcus. I received it yesterday after ordering it from Amazon and took it with me to start on my way back from dropping my car of for inspections. Four hours later, I'VE FINISHED THIS YA NOVEL. Something I haven't been able to do with any of my favorite authors, whom I've have every book of theirs lined up on my shelves, in over a year now. This work compels you to set other things aside and keep turning the pages as, from the beginning, you feel invested in the main characters; almost certainly seeing relatable aspects of yourself within at least one, if not both of them.
I think that's where Jenna has achieved her greatest success with this book. You can easily imagine being in the shoes of Wolfgang & Van Gogh within our time; faced with harsh realities, fears and trying to find / forge a light within a deepening darkness. She also doesn't shy away from touching from topics such as the negative effects of a broken heart, how secrets can have long lasting effects on those around you, racism, the inner struggles we all face and, most indeed, Covid-19 / the ripple effect that can occur in the wake of the Covid-19 deniers. It's quite easy to forget that this is a YA novel and not a memoir of a youth who survived our recent pandemic times and the series of hardships he and his brother were forced to face throughout their life.
Do yourself a favor; take the time to pick up and read this novel. It serves as a reminder towards trusting your instincts, the importance of bonds with others and, in the face of challenges or what seems like overwhelming odds, we all need to pause for a moment, "breathe deep and swim".
June 29, 2021
I'm not overly sure how I felt about this book. On the one hand the story of two brothers who in times of desperation did everything they could to stay together after their father passed away was a lovely emotional plotline. The relationship the boys had was so strong and you felt the tension as they did everything in their power to make their way across country, in an attempt to locate their mom with the hope she would take them in. The story was peppered with links into her past through a box of keepsakes and gave us the reader some insight into their life as a family before she left them. This in itself would have been a great story.
However the addition of the covid-19 element didn't work for me. I don't know if it is because we are still in the midst of the pandemic or I'm just sensitive about the topic, but I honestly don't feel that plotline added anything to the story. If anything it just made me really frustrated with the characters and their actions. I can't bear people who are unnecessarily taking risks and endangering others during this time, it is something I feel very strongly about and so elements of this story really made me irate. I just didn't feel the covid element was necessary as it actually detracted from the original build up of the characters sense of morality and strength.
There was a small underlying statement of hope towards the end, however I was frustrated by the ending given to some of the characters and it all felt a little rushed. I think a bit more time exploring the family members and getting to know them would have been more beneficial, they felt a little flat with no real substance.
I think had I maybe read this book when we were out of the pandemic, or had it not mentioned it at all I would have enjoyed it more, the overarching theme of family ties and hope was a strong one, but for me it is all just still a little too raw. However I did love the 'Breathe Deep and Swim' mantra and the fact that Wolfgang was such a lover of books. This brought a lovely element to the story.
I would certainly like to read more from this author, I think I will just avoid books set in the pandemic!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
However the addition of the covid-19 element didn't work for me. I don't know if it is because we are still in the midst of the pandemic or I'm just sensitive about the topic, but I honestly don't feel that plotline added anything to the story. If anything it just made me really frustrated with the characters and their actions. I can't bear people who are unnecessarily taking risks and endangering others during this time, it is something I feel very strongly about and so elements of this story really made me irate. I just didn't feel the covid element was necessary as it actually detracted from the original build up of the characters sense of morality and strength.
There was a small underlying statement of hope towards the end, however I was frustrated by the ending given to some of the characters and it all felt a little rushed. I think a bit more time exploring the family members and getting to know them would have been more beneficial, they felt a little flat with no real substance.
I think had I maybe read this book when we were out of the pandemic, or had it not mentioned it at all I would have enjoyed it more, the overarching theme of family ties and hope was a strong one, but for me it is all just still a little too raw. However I did love the 'Breathe Deep and Swim' mantra and the fact that Wolfgang was such a lover of books. This brought a lovely element to the story.
I would certainly like to read more from this author, I think I will just avoid books set in the pandemic!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
July 31, 2021
Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc.
This book is set in our time where there is Covid-19. So we follow Van Gogh and Wolfgang journey from country side to NY after their father died from Covid and both of them are on the run to their only known relatives, who is their mom and living in NY. Losing contact with their mom after so many years and now she become their only hope so that both of them won't end up in an orphanage and get separated. While on their way, the brothers able to learned a things or two about their relatives and also faced hardships.
____________________________________________________________
2/3 of book was a bit slow for me but i was still able to enjoy them. The writing was beautiful and was really easy for me to read. The plot was for me okay and i was not expecting that plot twist nearing the end.
This book is only in Van Gogh's pov and i'm really interested in Wolfgang's pov since he does endured quite a lot of harsh trials in the book. But nevertheless Van Gogh's character growth was clear and really enjoyable for me to read and his thoughts always intrigued me. Their brotherly bond is very touching to read.
I would say for a short book, we do have quite a lot of characters and in this one we only get to know few of them briefly. Though in this book it do makes sense but i would to know more about the other characters' story, esp their mom.
Towards the end of the book, i have a feeling that it was quite rushed and i would really live if its was little bit longer esp for the last chapter.
All in all, an enjoyable read and would totally recommending to those who is wanting a fast, emotional and hopeful read.
This book is set in our time where there is Covid-19. So we follow Van Gogh and Wolfgang journey from country side to NY after their father died from Covid and both of them are on the run to their only known relatives, who is their mom and living in NY. Losing contact with their mom after so many years and now she become their only hope so that both of them won't end up in an orphanage and get separated. While on their way, the brothers able to learned a things or two about their relatives and also faced hardships.
____________________________________________________________
2/3 of book was a bit slow for me but i was still able to enjoy them. The writing was beautiful and was really easy for me to read. The plot was for me okay and i was not expecting that plot twist nearing the end.
This book is only in Van Gogh's pov and i'm really interested in Wolfgang's pov since he does endured quite a lot of harsh trials in the book. But nevertheless Van Gogh's character growth was clear and really enjoyable for me to read and his thoughts always intrigued me. Their brotherly bond is very touching to read.
I would say for a short book, we do have quite a lot of characters and in this one we only get to know few of them briefly. Though in this book it do makes sense but i would to know more about the other characters' story, esp their mom.
Towards the end of the book, i have a feeling that it was quite rushed and i would really live if its was little bit longer esp for the last chapter.
All in all, an enjoyable read and would totally recommending to those who is wanting a fast, emotional and hopeful read.
April 28, 2021
“Breathe Deep & Swim” is the 2nd published work by author Jenna Marcus and I became interested in reading it after seeing the cover and reading the synopsis, so I’m thankful to have been given an e-ARC copy of the book by NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
Our story follows two brothers, 16-year-old Van Gogh and 14-year-old Wolfgang, who seek out their long-lost mother in New York in a desperate attempt to stay together and out of foster care after their father passes away as a result of COVID-19.
I feel somewhat conflicted about this book overall, but I can say that I did enjoy my time with it and as with any book I review, I’ll start by listing the positives: I think it’s a very quick, timely, well-written book and I enjoyed the brotherly relationship between Wolfgang and Van Gogh.
My criticism of this book stems from the fact that it was very predictable. I was able to guess what would happen LONG BEFORE it actually DID happen, which caused the emotional and climactic moments of the book to lose some of their effectiveness, which in turn, affected my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
For that reason, I give the book 3 stars.
It’s a quick, well-written, timely novella and I could especially see younger readers enjoying it, so if anything I’ve said in this review appeals or resonates with you, and you can handle a pretty predictable storyline, I definitely recommend giving this one a chance, at least. It’s just not a book that I could ever see myself re-reading.
Thanks again to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC copy of the book!
Our story follows two brothers, 16-year-old Van Gogh and 14-year-old Wolfgang, who seek out their long-lost mother in New York in a desperate attempt to stay together and out of foster care after their father passes away as a result of COVID-19.
I feel somewhat conflicted about this book overall, but I can say that I did enjoy my time with it and as with any book I review, I’ll start by listing the positives: I think it’s a very quick, timely, well-written book and I enjoyed the brotherly relationship between Wolfgang and Van Gogh.
My criticism of this book stems from the fact that it was very predictable. I was able to guess what would happen LONG BEFORE it actually DID happen, which caused the emotional and climactic moments of the book to lose some of their effectiveness, which in turn, affected my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
For that reason, I give the book 3 stars.
It’s a quick, well-written, timely novella and I could especially see younger readers enjoying it, so if anything I’ve said in this review appeals or resonates with you, and you can handle a pretty predictable storyline, I definitely recommend giving this one a chance, at least. It’s just not a book that I could ever see myself re-reading.
Thanks again to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC copy of the book!
May 23, 2021
First of all, I want to thank Netgalley for giving this book in exchange of my review, and remember that this is MY opinion, and everyone can think differently of the book.
*THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*
Breath Deep & Swim tells us the story of two brothers, Wolfgang and Van Gohg that after the death of their father, they decide to runaway to find a place where they can live together and safely during the pandemic.
I am about to be honest, this book was fast paced, everything was good at the start, the plot was so interesting and I wanted to see how it would be developed in the book, but I didn't feel like it was good at all, it felt like pieces were missing and the development was off, it wouldn't have even mattered if the book was longer but with more content that is missing.
The theme of the pandemic was barely treated well, I felt that something that the author would have done is explained how Van was treated or anything else but it was like he went sick with a deadly and contagious disease and magically with no explanation was cured.
Another point I want to talk about is that the book is supposed to be placed where the technology is needed for almost everything, and when the brothers wanted to go to their mom they went blindly for her instead of looking in the internet for her to know where specifically her whereabouts.
I don't want to keep going on how unrealistic this was sometimes, but I liked it a little bit, and that's why I am giving it some 3 stars, but I have a lot of complaints about it, I hope my review was for your help and again thanks for this book.
*THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*
Breath Deep & Swim tells us the story of two brothers, Wolfgang and Van Gohg that after the death of their father, they decide to runaway to find a place where they can live together and safely during the pandemic.
I am about to be honest, this book was fast paced, everything was good at the start, the plot was so interesting and I wanted to see how it would be developed in the book, but I didn't feel like it was good at all, it felt like pieces were missing and the development was off, it wouldn't have even mattered if the book was longer but with more content that is missing.
The theme of the pandemic was barely treated well, I felt that something that the author would have done is explained how Van was treated or anything else but it was like he went sick with a deadly and contagious disease and magically with no explanation was cured.
Another point I want to talk about is that the book is supposed to be placed where the technology is needed for almost everything, and when the brothers wanted to go to their mom they went blindly for her instead of looking in the internet for her to know where specifically her whereabouts.
I don't want to keep going on how unrealistic this was sometimes, but I liked it a little bit, and that's why I am giving it some 3 stars, but I have a lot of complaints about it, I hope my review was for your help and again thanks for this book.
July 20, 2022
https://audrasbookblabbing.wordpress....
Content: Moderate cursing
Topics to consider: death, COVID-19, & racism.
Breathe Deep & Swim is the bittersweet tale of loss, forgiveness, adventure, and brotherly love. At 150 pages, it is a fairly short book, yet it still manages to completely capture the story. Although the book starts in the midst of turmoil, the author still does a decent amount of world-building. I felt like I got to know the characters through their struggles. There is a nice mixture of staying in the present storyline but also dipping back into the past in order to show the reader more about the character’s lives. The small twists within the story are a bit predictable but still enjoyable.
The one part that I didn’t enjoy as much was the obvious agenda being pushed (especially in the beginning) surrounding COVID. Although I agreed with the sentiments, I felt part of it was talked about a bit too much and wasn’t necessary for the story. It was intriguing to read a book set in the current day, however!
I also wish a little more character-building had been done surrounding the dad. Some was explained, but their [SPOILER ALERT] detached reaction to his death in the first few pages seemed a little… too detached? By the end, my feelings about their father were thrown for a loop.
Altogether this is an interesting book which broaches sensitive topics in an intriguing story of family love and loss.
~I was sent a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review~
Content: Moderate cursing
Topics to consider: death, COVID-19, & racism.
Breathe Deep & Swim is the bittersweet tale of loss, forgiveness, adventure, and brotherly love. At 150 pages, it is a fairly short book, yet it still manages to completely capture the story. Although the book starts in the midst of turmoil, the author still does a decent amount of world-building. I felt like I got to know the characters through their struggles. There is a nice mixture of staying in the present storyline but also dipping back into the past in order to show the reader more about the character’s lives. The small twists within the story are a bit predictable but still enjoyable.
The one part that I didn’t enjoy as much was the obvious agenda being pushed (especially in the beginning) surrounding COVID. Although I agreed with the sentiments, I felt part of it was talked about a bit too much and wasn’t necessary for the story. It was intriguing to read a book set in the current day, however!
I also wish a little more character-building had been done surrounding the dad. Some was explained, but their [SPOILER ALERT] detached reaction to his death in the first few pages seemed a little… too detached? By the end, my feelings about their father were thrown for a loop.
Altogether this is an interesting book which broaches sensitive topics in an intriguing story of family love and loss.
~I was sent a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2021
At first, I would like to thank Netgalley and Booksgosocial for allowing me to review this book. Keep in mind that my review, however, is my true opinion on this book.
“Breathe Deep & Swim” by Jenna Marcus is a new YA-book for your summer reading.
The main character, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas (quite the name), has a lot of plans for his life, but a global pandemic (yup - coronavirus) makes it difficult for him to succeed. And when his father dies from the virus, Wolfgang has a lot of new difficulties along with his brother.
The relationship between the two brothers is outstanding. They stick together through all of the pain. They fight for each other and stand up for each other. They are a true inspiration for each other and for other young people who go through the same or something similar.
The topic of a global pandemic and coronavirus is interesting as well. Yet, even though coronavirus almost could have been called the main character of the story, there are other topics displayed in the story as well, which are relevant to mention. For example the loss of a close family member and how to deal with the emotions this causes.
A true coming of age story and YA-literature with a highly up-to-date topic. It is a story of pain, misery, and sorrow. But it is also a story of love, hope, and life.
“Breathe Deep & Swim” by Jenna Marcus is a new YA-book for your summer reading.
The main character, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas (quite the name), has a lot of plans for his life, but a global pandemic (yup - coronavirus) makes it difficult for him to succeed. And when his father dies from the virus, Wolfgang has a lot of new difficulties along with his brother.
The relationship between the two brothers is outstanding. They stick together through all of the pain. They fight for each other and stand up for each other. They are a true inspiration for each other and for other young people who go through the same or something similar.
The topic of a global pandemic and coronavirus is interesting as well. Yet, even though coronavirus almost could have been called the main character of the story, there are other topics displayed in the story as well, which are relevant to mention. For example the loss of a close family member and how to deal with the emotions this causes.
A true coming of age story and YA-literature with a highly up-to-date topic. It is a story of pain, misery, and sorrow. But it is also a story of love, hope, and life.
May 22, 2021
This was a touching coming of age story of two brothers (16 & 14) who stick together and will do anything to keep from being separated. Van and Wolf, short for Van Gogh Vincent Thomas and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas, grow up with a single, distant father, and basically no extended family. The one Uncle they knew has recently died and their father also dies from the Corona virus right at the start of the book. Thus starts their journey to find their mother who disappeared years before. With only distant memories, a few clues, and their fear of being split up by social services, they run away. I liked the relationship between the brothers, and I think YA readers could relate to some of their fears. Would pair nicely with Mosquitoland by David Arnold or The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart. I like that it could provide a nice contrast with its male main characters. I would suggest the grade range of 5-9, there is no content inappropriate for middle grades, but there are some gritty enough topics that give readers something to question and ponder.
Read
July 4, 2021This is a book about two brothers who are free of their abusive father who died from Covid. Yes, it is set during the pandemic. I believe that the heaviness of life and death is something we can all relate to in the book. The two brothers set off on a road trip to find their birth mother in New York. But there is a catch, they must not be caught by social services since they are not of legal age thus they require a guardian to take care of them.
It is a heartwarming story amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic yet like reality, it shows us that suffering will not come to an end easily and one must toughen up to endure the storm. Breath deep and swim. There is a special meaning behind the book cover that I can't wait for readers to discover in the book. The heaviness of the book reflects all too well in the current state of the world, it is sad to see that even after a year of Covid, nothing much has changed. This will not be an easy read, grief and sadness catches you in the pages.
I hope you will give this book a try and who knows> Maybe you will find your strength to swim.
It is a heartwarming story amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic yet like reality, it shows us that suffering will not come to an end easily and one must toughen up to endure the storm. Breath deep and swim. There is a special meaning behind the book cover that I can't wait for readers to discover in the book. The heaviness of the book reflects all too well in the current state of the world, it is sad to see that even after a year of Covid, nothing much has changed. This will not be an easy read, grief and sadness catches you in the pages.
I hope you will give this book a try and who knows> Maybe you will find your strength to swim.
April 13, 2021
This book is hard to place between 2 or 3 stars.
I really liked how it literally screamed at anti-maskers and to those who believe that the pandemic is fake news. However, it felt like that's the only part of this book I can praise.
One of the main characters are really vocal about wearing masks as to not infect anyone, but he literally led his brother to drive away somewhere, even if he lived with someone who has the virus. He wasn't tested, so he literally put the people they met at risk.
Also, the whole backstory was vanilla. I mean, yeah it's a short book, and I can see how it influenced the main plot. But, it just isn't it. I'm not a fan of plots caused by selfish people's decisions in life, and then the main characters didn't even have a satisfying closure upon it.
So yeah, it was a little messy book. My first 2020 pandemic related read though.
TW: racism
E-arc from NetGalley
I really liked how it literally screamed at anti-maskers and to those who believe that the pandemic is fake news. However, it felt like that's the only part of this book I can praise.
One of the main characters are really vocal about wearing masks as to not infect anyone, but he literally led his brother to drive away somewhere, even if he lived with someone who has the virus. He wasn't tested, so he literally put the people they met at risk.
Also, the whole backstory was vanilla. I mean, yeah it's a short book, and I can see how it influenced the main plot. But, it just isn't it. I'm not a fan of plots caused by selfish people's decisions in life, and then the main characters didn't even have a satisfying closure upon it.
So yeah, it was a little messy book. My first 2020 pandemic related read though.
TW: racism
E-arc from NetGalley
June 7, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this book. It followed two brothers who, in light of their father’s recent passing due to COVID-19, try to travel across America in search for their mum. It’s an emotional and heartfelt story that deals with identity, family, and grief but somehow leaves you feeling optimistic to fight your own battles that the pandemic throws at you.
I think that both the plot and the characters were well developed and it was very easy to follow; I actually read it in one sitting.
The only thing I didn’t like was the ignorant views that both the brothers and their dad had towards COVID-19. But that is no criticism to the author or the book as it’s sadly just a representation of how many people in society think, so my annoyance was purely at the characters themselves.
But overall I really enjoyed this, and I think it’s a story that has made a permanent impression on my heart.
I really enjoyed this book. It followed two brothers who, in light of their father’s recent passing due to COVID-19, try to travel across America in search for their mum. It’s an emotional and heartfelt story that deals with identity, family, and grief but somehow leaves you feeling optimistic to fight your own battles that the pandemic throws at you.
I think that both the plot and the characters were well developed and it was very easy to follow; I actually read it in one sitting.
The only thing I didn’t like was the ignorant views that both the brothers and their dad had towards COVID-19. But that is no criticism to the author or the book as it’s sadly just a representation of how many people in society think, so my annoyance was purely at the characters themselves.
But overall I really enjoyed this, and I think it’s a story that has made a permanent impression on my heart.
May 17, 2021
This book is set in the middle of a global pandemic and follows two brothers Wolfgang and Van Gogh. After their dad dies due to Covid-19. They want to avoid foster care so they will go on the trip to find their mother who ran away 11 years ago. During their ride, they find out the pieces of the truth.
It was interesting to read the book which includes the pandemic. It has been my first book like this and I have never thought I read a book where people wear masks etc. It was really strange to read about these things and I am not sure I get used to it.
The first part of the book was very slow, but the second part was too quick. I think the book should be more sophisticated. Also, it has potential but had been unexploited. It doesn´t mean it is bad, but I miss something in the book.
I received this e-Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was interesting to read the book which includes the pandemic. It has been my first book like this and I have never thought I read a book where people wear masks etc. It was really strange to read about these things and I am not sure I get used to it.
The first part of the book was very slow, but the second part was too quick. I think the book should be more sophisticated. Also, it has potential but had been unexploited. It doesn´t mean it is bad, but I miss something in the book.
I received this e-Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2021
Wolfgang and Van Gogh are brothers who have not had an easy time of it. Living with their father after their mother disappears with no word was a tough existence. Especially with a father who was not present for them emotionally or quite often physically.
The one thing I really liked about the story was the relationship the two brothers had. I could imagine most of the scenes with them as being realistic for two boys who had to depend upon one another.
This is the first book I have read that has Covid-19 as a major part of the story and I was curious how it would be handled. I did not love the book --it seemed like the plot was a little thin and unbelievable but kudos to the author for writing a book that addressed some of the fears that Covid-19 threw at us all.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free copy for my honest review.
The one thing I really liked about the story was the relationship the two brothers had. I could imagine most of the scenes with them as being realistic for two boys who had to depend upon one another.
This is the first book I have read that has Covid-19 as a major part of the story and I was curious how it would be handled. I did not love the book --it seemed like the plot was a little thin and unbelievable but kudos to the author for writing a book that addressed some of the fears that Covid-19 threw at us all.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free copy for my honest review.
June 14, 2021
When I read the blurb for this book, I was intrigued. I liked how close and loyal the two brothers were towards each other. Their situation is messy but still well portrayed by the author. There was a questionable moment when the train conductor did not remove them from the train despite suspecting that the elder brother has contracted COVID-19. Furthermore, the ending felt rushed.
Overall, I think a 4-star review is appropriate as there were some great and emotional moments in the story. If you've been waiting to read a book about:
1) COVID-19
2) Siblings loyalty
3) Adventure
then you might want to consider getting this book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Overall, I think a 4-star review is appropriate as there were some great and emotional moments in the story. If you've been waiting to read a book about:
1) COVID-19
2) Siblings loyalty
3) Adventure
then you might want to consider getting this book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
April 18, 2021
Two brothers , Van Gogh (16) and Wolfgang (14), find their father dead from Covid. Having no one else near them and fearing being separated in foster care, they set off for NYC to find their mother. The brothers must keep a low profile in fear of being found and put into the system.
Opinion
I think this book is very symbolic of current times. It shows how we all currently live and in future years, I’m sure people will read it and wonder what we actually went through.
This book will be a great addition to school and classroom libraries.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Opinion
I think this book is very symbolic of current times. It shows how we all currently live and in future years, I’m sure people will read it and wonder what we actually went through.
This book will be a great addition to school and classroom libraries.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
April 14, 2021
This book has lots of good things going for it. The brother relationship, relevant to kids' lives, current, a bit of a mystery. I think that the target age group will find this book to be really engaging.
However, I found the dialogue to be unrealistic for the ages of the characters and the references to literary fiction will be completely over the heads of most young people reading this book. I think these two issues really narrow who will hold interest in the story.
That being said, I think this is a book worth introducing to young people. My rating is a 3.75, rounded up to 4.
However, I found the dialogue to be unrealistic for the ages of the characters and the references to literary fiction will be completely over the heads of most young people reading this book. I think these two issues really narrow who will hold interest in the story.
That being said, I think this is a book worth introducing to young people. My rating is a 3.75, rounded up to 4.
July 31, 2021
Really sweet, slightly heart in mouth, story about two brothers with ridiculous names, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Van Gogh Vincent, who run away from home in order to find their long lost mother after their father dies from Covid. They have quite the adventure with some heart stopping moments all seen through Wolfgang's POV, I enjoyed the way that he engaged with the world, especially as he reads so many books. A brave reflection of current times.
With thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2021
It was interesting to read a book with a Covid pandemic setting but this book seem didn't seem particularly fantastic. It was okay.
May 4, 2024
Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus was an interesting read that tackled some sensitive topics quite well . I liked the main characters and felt sympathy for them and the situation they found themselves in. I couldn't seem to keep screaming at the book at the danger they put themselves in as well as others especially as their father died of coronavirus. Maybe it was still a little too soon for me.
November 7, 2021
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have given Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus two out of five stars ⭐️⭐️
We follow two brothers; Wolfgang and Van Gogh, who end up on the road after they discover their father has died from the coronavirus. Not wanting to go into foster care they decide to quickly pack up everything they can muster and venture out to look for their mother who had abandoned them. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. Reading about the coronavirus in a book was a little too soon for me and I thought that there wasn’t much of a point to this story overall. I couldn’t fully escape into this book due to the mentioning of the coronavirus as it is still very present at this moment in time.
I found that I didn’t mesh well with the some of the words written from Wolfgang’s perspective; as I thought the language used didn’t fit his supposed fourteen year old self. He was either whining like a young child or he was using words which made him sound a lot older than fourteen years old. Also, I found it difficult to really connect with the characters and feel anything towards them until the last part of the book where the author included quite a few emotional scenes.
We follow two brothers; Wolfgang and Van Gogh, who end up on the road after they discover their father has died from the coronavirus. Not wanting to go into foster care they decide to quickly pack up everything they can muster and venture out to look for their mother who had abandoned them. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. Reading about the coronavirus in a book was a little too soon for me and I thought that there wasn’t much of a point to this story overall. I couldn’t fully escape into this book due to the mentioning of the coronavirus as it is still very present at this moment in time.
I found that I didn’t mesh well with the some of the words written from Wolfgang’s perspective; as I thought the language used didn’t fit his supposed fourteen year old self. He was either whining like a young child or he was using words which made him sound a lot older than fourteen years old. Also, I found it difficult to really connect with the characters and feel anything towards them until the last part of the book where the author included quite a few emotional scenes.
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