How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer

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Title: How to Breathe Underwater

Author: Julie Orringer

Genre: Short Stories

Length: 226 pages

Published: 2005

Publisher: Vintage

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Nine brave, wise, and spellbinding stories make up this award-winning debut. In "When She is Old and I Am Famous" a young woman confronts the inscrutable power of her cousin's beauty. In "Note to Sixth-Grade Self" a band of popular girls exert their social power over an awkward outcast. In "Isabel Fish" fourteen-year-old Maddy learns to scuba dive in order to mend her family after a terrible accident. Alive with the victories, humiliations, and tragedies of youth, How to Breathe Underwater illuminates this powerful territory with striking grace and intelligence.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I have to admit, the first short story in this collection made me say "what the heck am I reading?!" because it was just a little bizarre with the way it ended. However, I really did enjoy each tale. They were each unique with a different underlying theme. Each story follows a girl (or two) and her emotions and feelings as to events happening around her. Definitely a nice, quick read.

You can purchase How to Breathe Underwater through Amazon in either hard copy or kindle format. 

Have you read How to Breathe Underwater? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.