Breathing Underwater

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
Original ISBN 978-0-06-447257-9
HarperTempest, 2001
263 pages

Plot Summary: Nick is the envy of everyone at his high school: he is rich, smart, popular, and good looking. This however is merely a façade. Nick is verbally and physically abused by his father. Nick meets and falls in love with Caitlin, a girl who until her recent weight loss left no impression upon Nick. Over time, Nick becomes more and more possessive of Caitlin and ends up verbally abusing her. When Nick hits Caitlin, she takes out a restraining order. As part of Nick’s treatment, he must attend six months of anger management classes and write daily in a journal. Nick doesn’t fully understand the ramifications of his actions until he befriends, and identifies with, a fellow “classmate” who takes his abuse too far.

Critical Evaluation: Some might consider Breathing Underwater a quest novel because the protagonist undergoes a journey where obstacles are overcome and knowledge is gained at the end. The novel is told in a realistic first-person voice and is interspersed with journal articles. Throughout the book, we see Nick’s continued growth as a character.

Breathing Underwater shows a true and clear picture of dating violence – something many teens face.

Reader’s Annotation: No one is always how they appear. Everyone has a dark side.

Author Information: Flinn is an American author born in 1966.  Her first novel Breathing Underwater deals with dating violence and was inspired by her work with battered women which she did while attending law school. Flinn has written 10 novels. Several of her books, including Breathing Underwater, have been named American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults.

Her website can be found at http://www.alexflinn.com/

Genre: Realistic fiction

Curriculum Ties: Domestic violence curriculum; English Language Arts as companion piece to Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Booktalking Ideas: In addition to expanding the Reader’s Annotation, I would read one of Nick’s journal entries.

Reading Level / Interest Age: Grade 8 and up

Lexile: 510

Challenge Issues: The book was challenged by Richland (Washington) school district board of trustees in January 2012 due to “dark themes, foul language, and sexual content.” The book was eventually retained.

Reason for Item’s Inclusion: Breathing Underwater accurately depicts a situation of dating violence…a situation that affects one in three teens (according to http://www.breakthecycle.org/). The book can be seen as a modern quest novel with the protagonist undergoing a great deal of introspection.

References:

Beaver, T. (2012, January 25). Richland school book review process to be examined. Retrieved from
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/25/1800582/richland-school-book-review-process.html