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Jus Breathe
It started the day she heard Daddy slur, "She ain't mine. You had the nerve to name her Dawn. Look at her! You shudda named her Midnight!" Then Daddy left . . . for good. And the loving music that had filled Dawn's life went silent.
That was the day that a "Midnight" Duckling appeared in the mirror, took up residence in her chest, and controlled her ability to breathe. That was the day she learned to recognize "leaving time" . . . her superpower.
Couched in speculation, Jus Breathe is the tale of a young Black woman's struggle to defy her inner "Duckling" and embrace her true self. Set in New York City during the turbulent sixties, it's an improbable love story with precarious impulses, secret pasts, and inner demons.
Dawn, a survivor, flees her stepfather's violent home. While struggling to go to college, she perfects sofa-surfing and hones her ability to leave situations in an instant. But in the mist of the chaotic uprising that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, serendipity spins Dawn into Danny's world.
Toxically in love, no longer a "leaver," Dawn realizes that in order to survive, she must break free of Danny's dominance. But that Duckling, who's allied with Danny, threatens to squeeze the life-breath from her if she dares to leave . . . that ugly, midnight-black Duckling, she has to kill.
That was the day that a "Midnight" Duckling appeared in the mirror, took up residence in her chest, and controlled her ability to breathe. That was the day she learned to recognize "leaving time" . . . her superpower.
Couched in speculation, Jus Breathe is the tale of a young Black woman's struggle to defy her inner "Duckling" and embrace her true self. Set in New York City during the turbulent sixties, it's an improbable love story with precarious impulses, secret pasts, and inner demons.
Dawn, a survivor, flees her stepfather's violent home. While struggling to go to college, she perfects sofa-surfing and hones her ability to leave situations in an instant. But in the mist of the chaotic uprising that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, serendipity spins Dawn into Danny's world.
Toxically in love, no longer a "leaver," Dawn realizes that in order to survive, she must break free of Danny's dominance. But that Duckling, who's allied with Danny, threatens to squeeze the life-breath from her if she dares to leave . . . that ugly, midnight-black Duckling, she has to kill.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
410 pages, Paperback
Published October 11, 2022
12 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 7, 2022
Lynn Carter has written a poignant, painful, and powerful debut novel.
Dawn, the central character. is a young Black woman struggling to overcome the traumas and bad choices that have haunted her from age five.
The first trauma was inflicted by her biological father, who's cutting remark to her mother-- "You had the nerve to name her Dawn...You should've name her midnight" -- triggers severe asthma attacks--or something strongly akin to it. She has to learn to "Jus Breath. " Indeed, Dawn must learn to take a breath and control the pain and panic of the moment.
It's not easy: When Dawn is sixteen, her mom remarries to a "respectable" businessman. But on the first day in their new home, the stepfather punches Dawn in the face, sending her sprawling and out of the house for for good.
Working dead-end jobs, couch surfing among friends with no real home of her own, Dawn's life is spiraling nowhere. A high school Spanish teacher sees Dawn's potential, even if Dawn does not. The teacher forges Dawn's signature on an application to a special program at the City College of New York. She's accepted and the program also provides housing. Life is finally, finally on the right track.
Enter Danny, smart and self-assured, good at sex and bad at commitment. Dawn's inner demon leads her to the kind of bad choices that can ruin a young life....
Lynn Carter's characters are complex, three dimensional, nuanced. The writing is fluid, cinematic. Tensions mount with each new twist. The pages keep turning. Just remember to breathe...
Dawn, the central character. is a young Black woman struggling to overcome the traumas and bad choices that have haunted her from age five.
The first trauma was inflicted by her biological father, who's cutting remark to her mother-- "You had the nerve to name her Dawn...You should've name her midnight" -- triggers severe asthma attacks--or something strongly akin to it. She has to learn to "Jus Breath. " Indeed, Dawn must learn to take a breath and control the pain and panic of the moment.
It's not easy: When Dawn is sixteen, her mom remarries to a "respectable" businessman. But on the first day in their new home, the stepfather punches Dawn in the face, sending her sprawling and out of the house for for good.
Working dead-end jobs, couch surfing among friends with no real home of her own, Dawn's life is spiraling nowhere. A high school Spanish teacher sees Dawn's potential, even if Dawn does not. The teacher forges Dawn's signature on an application to a special program at the City College of New York. She's accepted and the program also provides housing. Life is finally, finally on the right track.
Enter Danny, smart and self-assured, good at sex and bad at commitment. Dawn's inner demon leads her to the kind of bad choices that can ruin a young life....
Lynn Carter's characters are complex, three dimensional, nuanced. The writing is fluid, cinematic. Tensions mount with each new twist. The pages keep turning. Just remember to breathe...
October 26, 2022
This novel grasps your interest from jump start with the main character, Dawn. So many everyday instances in the novel were met with the welcomed and much needed words: ‘Jus Breathe’ B. Lynn Carter. A seasoned or older adult reader would easily identify with the author’s references to the ‘Oldies But Goodies’ songs and appreciate the inclusion of characters expressions in their own dialect. The author’s spelling &/or syllabication of the dialects pulls the reader into the woven words of the characters. Do not let the length of this novel lure you from reading it, because the author will have the reader so engaged, that at the very end of the novel, the reader will be looking for the next page.
November 30, 2022
An entertaining read
Ms. Carter has a unique voice that is brutally honest and engaging. An emotional coming of age story. A wonderful debut novel.
Ms. Carter has a unique voice that is brutally honest and engaging. An emotional coming of age story. A wonderful debut novel.
October 25, 2022
Jus Breathe is a lyrical journey through a 60’s and early 70’s Bronx where the main character Dawn straddles her many worlds - higher education vs the streets, sanity vs her inner critic. Author B. Lynn Carter creates a landscape of Dawn’s life that is complex and rich with characters that force her to make both surprising and difficult choices throughout. Dawn’s emotional journey as a dark skinned young black woman of the time is one that is timely and will resonate. So beautifully written. Best to sit back with Marvin Gaye and tunes of the era playing softly in the background to enjoy this one.
November 30, 2022
Jus Breathe, by Lynn Carter
Reviewed by Dee Knight
Rejection can choke you – freeze your breath as you grapple to respond to even the simplest challenge. That’s at least how it happens to a girl named Dawn in Lynn Carter’s "Jus Breathe." Rejected at age five as “too dark” to be her father’s daughter, Dawn keeps choking her way through early life. Only her gramma’s words – “You need to be da masta of yo own mine… Jus breathe” – revive her again and again.
Her unconscious mind invented an alter-ego – “a me outside of me” she “recognized as me but somehow light-skinned, pretty, nowhere near as midnight black as me,” who shadowed her and “was there to help.” Someone Dawn could lean on as she hit “leaving time” again and again. Leaving after her mom’s new husband hit her square in the face, she careens through an early life too full of “leaving times” that amazingly end up leading to survival.
Her gramma consoled her with the “Ugly Duckling” story, but every time Dawn would ask the same question: “What color is the duckling?” She invented a “Midnight” duckling, “a sinister entity with terrifying eyes and fangs.” Only a college friend and co-worker could finally break the spell, convincing Dawn she was a “black swan.” They share true magic together, working with small children in a daycare center where the kids adore them.
I have known the author of this semi-autobiographical novel as a black swan, who shared magical empathy with struggling students during her teaching career. The novel is a revelation of the source of that empathy. It’s an empathy rooted in the effort to survive in the mean streets and wood smoke-filled tenements of the South Bronx during the late sixties and seventies.
The kindness of strangers provides a lifeline. A hardware store manager and his wife rescue Dawn from the specter of a “thing on the fire escape,” finding ways to make a steel window gate affordable. Dawn squeezes into City College through the minor miracle of a SEEK program qualification with help from her high school's college counselor, who saw possibilities Down didn’t, and forged a signature on the application. The SEEK stipend qualifies Dawn for a work-study job where she meets the co-worker who becomes a close friend to help navigate the ups and downs of college life.
Some “ups” are “downs” in disguise, and vice versa. A perfect boyfriend becomes a nightmare. A trip to the welfare office (“one big bowl of pitiful”) becomes the occasion for a minor miracle. Dawn has to activate her Medicaid card there, but ends up also getting money she didn’t think she needed. Her college friendships, rooted in the dramatic struggles of the time, forge a safety net that allows Dawn to leave her shadows behind. Those struggles include a battle the students won for open admissions at the college, and street fights with city cops while responding to the assassination of Martin Luther King. (This part of the story is like a slow-motion action film.)
One upside is Dawn’s quasi-accidental pregnancy, which provides more than reason to live. Her baby and her friends give her just enough love. As melodramatic as that may seem, it’s really a hero story. Over time Dawn learned how to “deal with the Duckling” – to be the master of her own mind.
The details of this unlikely hero story occur like surprises over and over again. At the end, after she dismisses her nightmare boyfriend and watches him go, she inhales long satisfying breaths and releases a riot of feelings with each exhalation. She can breathe free.
Reviewed by Dee Knight
Rejection can choke you – freeze your breath as you grapple to respond to even the simplest challenge. That’s at least how it happens to a girl named Dawn in Lynn Carter’s "Jus Breathe." Rejected at age five as “too dark” to be her father’s daughter, Dawn keeps choking her way through early life. Only her gramma’s words – “You need to be da masta of yo own mine… Jus breathe” – revive her again and again.
Her unconscious mind invented an alter-ego – “a me outside of me” she “recognized as me but somehow light-skinned, pretty, nowhere near as midnight black as me,” who shadowed her and “was there to help.” Someone Dawn could lean on as she hit “leaving time” again and again. Leaving after her mom’s new husband hit her square in the face, she careens through an early life too full of “leaving times” that amazingly end up leading to survival.
Her gramma consoled her with the “Ugly Duckling” story, but every time Dawn would ask the same question: “What color is the duckling?” She invented a “Midnight” duckling, “a sinister entity with terrifying eyes and fangs.” Only a college friend and co-worker could finally break the spell, convincing Dawn she was a “black swan.” They share true magic together, working with small children in a daycare center where the kids adore them.
I have known the author of this semi-autobiographical novel as a black swan, who shared magical empathy with struggling students during her teaching career. The novel is a revelation of the source of that empathy. It’s an empathy rooted in the effort to survive in the mean streets and wood smoke-filled tenements of the South Bronx during the late sixties and seventies.
The kindness of strangers provides a lifeline. A hardware store manager and his wife rescue Dawn from the specter of a “thing on the fire escape,” finding ways to make a steel window gate affordable. Dawn squeezes into City College through the minor miracle of a SEEK program qualification with help from her high school's college counselor, who saw possibilities Down didn’t, and forged a signature on the application. The SEEK stipend qualifies Dawn for a work-study job where she meets the co-worker who becomes a close friend to help navigate the ups and downs of college life.
Some “ups” are “downs” in disguise, and vice versa. A perfect boyfriend becomes a nightmare. A trip to the welfare office (“one big bowl of pitiful”) becomes the occasion for a minor miracle. Dawn has to activate her Medicaid card there, but ends up also getting money she didn’t think she needed. Her college friendships, rooted in the dramatic struggles of the time, forge a safety net that allows Dawn to leave her shadows behind. Those struggles include a battle the students won for open admissions at the college, and street fights with city cops while responding to the assassination of Martin Luther King. (This part of the story is like a slow-motion action film.)
One upside is Dawn’s quasi-accidental pregnancy, which provides more than reason to live. Her baby and her friends give her just enough love. As melodramatic as that may seem, it’s really a hero story. Over time Dawn learned how to “deal with the Duckling” – to be the master of her own mind.
The details of this unlikely hero story occur like surprises over and over again. At the end, after she dismisses her nightmare boyfriend and watches him go, she inhales long satisfying breaths and releases a riot of feelings with each exhalation. She can breathe free.
November 28, 2022
Jus Breathe, B. Lynn Carter’s debut novel, tells of Dawn, a young Black woman struggling to find her way in a world that hasn’t given her many breaks. Raised largely by her mother-they were abandoned by her father when she was young- she is forced to make her own way when, at sixteen, she is subject to abuse by her new stepfather. Moving from house to house - sleeping on couches and floors - Dawn manages to finish high school. Due to the efforts of a former teacher, she is granted a spot at CCNY in the SEEK program (Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge). With the financial assistance and housing from the program she’s able to enter college - and her life begins to look up. But then she meets Danny, and an unplanned pregnancy threatens to derail the goals she’s tentatively set for herself. Set in NYC in the tumultuous late 1960s, Dawn is finding herself at the same time the larger culture is shifting, finding its new balance as well.
Carter skillfully sets the scene with believable characters and period references - not just music and national events, but cultural details as well. It is easy to get caught up in the fervor that sweeps up Dawn after MLK’s assassination or the 1969 student protest at CCNY, and easy to see how passions flared in real life at those times as well. However, the story is really a coming-of-age that tells of Dawn’s struggle to believe in herself and to learn to prioritize her needs. The reader is fully engaged with Dawn on her journey and cheering for her triumph.
This was an absolute pleasure to read. Whether this is your usual genre or not, it’s worth it. Check it out!
Carter skillfully sets the scene with believable characters and period references - not just music and national events, but cultural details as well. It is easy to get caught up in the fervor that sweeps up Dawn after MLK’s assassination or the 1969 student protest at CCNY, and easy to see how passions flared in real life at those times as well. However, the story is really a coming-of-age that tells of Dawn’s struggle to believe in herself and to learn to prioritize her needs. The reader is fully engaged with Dawn on her journey and cheering for her triumph.
This was an absolute pleasure to read. Whether this is your usual genre or not, it’s worth it. Check it out!
January 10, 2023
This story will stay with me forever. The prose is so beautiful and flawless that it pulls you in, and before you realize it, your heart is breaking for Dawn, a young woman struggling to survive in the late 60s New York City. The "midnight duckling" haunts her as she searches for the love and future she thinks she deserves; only her Momma's memory encourages her to find herself, respect herself, and jus breathe. Emotional, heartbreaking, haunting, and ultimately, hopeful; Carter's words paint a world that feels as real and oppressive as the characters' inner feelings, creating a vivid picture of the times and the hardships of poverty, racism, and toxic relationships. Dawn is a reflection of what a woman is capable of when pushed to the limit; when all that remains is an ugly duckling and a loving, midnight heart, fighting for that elusive breath.
March 28, 2026
B. Lynn Carter writes a fascinating book about a resolute young woman of color who manages to survive severe obstacles in her young life. From the age of sixteen she has to stand on her own after leaving home to escape an abusive step father. The words jus breathe are first said by her beloved grandmother, Momma, who holds a special place in her heart. This is a fascinating journey through a pregnancy where again, she has to survive on her own and still makes it through college while surviving heartbreak. She wills herself to stand on her own again.
January 23, 2023
Jus Breathe is nuanced and intricate, reflecting beautiful storytelling and dialogue. Lynn Carter immediately grabs you, draws you in, and keeps you turning the page wondering what is next and how these characters will evolve and land. So much of the story resonated with me, with its authentic portrayal of growing up and the struggles of coming to terms with what haunts us, who we truly are, and where we want to go. Beautifully done, Lynn Carter. Your voice is delightful and different.
October 11, 2022
Jus Breathe is a debut novel with rich dialogue, surprising turns and characters whose lives intersect in matters of the heart, body and soul. An added plus: the iconic music of the time permeates this story. Think: Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson. This is a story for the senses and one that serves as a reminder of just how far some really come, when they come of age.
September 25, 2023
She triumphed
I liked this book because it the characters were really well developed. I was happy that the protagonist finally triumphed.
I liked this book because it the characters were really well developed. I was happy that the protagonist finally triumphed.
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January 12, 2026Jus Breathe pulls you in with the first sentence and captivates you with its original voice. It’s a coming of age story about a young Black woman, Dawn Porter, set in New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s that slyly grapples with deep ideas. With rich prose, we see how the weight of oppression makes it difficult for women and people of color to breathe freely yet it also highlights how friendship and the kindness of good people can counteract such forces. As a dark skinned woman in a society where colorism runs rampant, Dawn’s journey to self-love is radical. These larger truths share the stage with smaller ones sewn throughout the novel. One that resonates is the idea that our homes each have their unique songs or melodies. You could also argue that novels have their own unique melodies too. You might just find yourself dancing along to the music of Jus Breathe. I urge you to take this journey with Dawn; you will find yourself seething at her racist encounters, smiling at the serendipity of big-hearted strangers and the powerful magic of friendship, despairing at her struggles with self-loathing, laughing at her wit, and glowing with her triumphs.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews