It makes me sad that a book about teenage violence has become required reading for all freshman at North High,(where my kids attend). On the other hand, I'm glad that someone took the time to write a book about such a serious and much needed topic. I'm sure that the author wrote it thinking that if she could make a difference in even one person's life it would be well worth it. I feel that if the reading of this book is accompanied with a great deal of classroom discussion it could prove to be very helpful to kids who are prone to violence or kids who are victims of violence. This is not your typical book about abuse because it's from the abuser's point of view. It takes you on a journey inside the mind of Nick Andreas a 16 year old, who grows up in an upper-class neighborhood in Miami FL. Once you get to know him you start to feel sorry for him because of his relationship with his father and his inability to recognize the seriousness of his situation. Because he refuses to see the obvious (that he needs professional help)he continues to make bad choices. Only when his life completely spins out of control does he finally have an "aha" moment and he starts to make the changes necessary to improve his life.What impresses me the most about this book is how the author stresses the importance of accepting responsibility for your own actions. I think that was the main message of the book - to give hope to those who struggle with anger/violence, to let them know that there is a way to break the cycle of abuse and the first step to recovery is to stop blaming others for your problems and accept responsibility for your actions.The author does capture the lifestyle of the average American teen which may be offensive to some, it's actually quite offensive to me personally, however, I understand that writers who write for YA's feel the need to portray high schoolers as realistically as possible. Alex Flinn may have gone a little too far with this though, the boys do use really crude language (this is what makes it a 3 star rather than a 4 or 5 star) Although, (as my daughter reminded me) if she were to make it truly realistic she would have to add a lot more 4-letter words. Obviously, the book was written especially for today's teens and therefore is much more appealing to that age group and less appealing to adults.Interestingly, the author, Alex Flinn interned with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, (while in law school) trying several domestic violence cases. It was this experience, along with serving as a volunteer and mentor at the Inn Transition facility for battered women and their children that led her to write this book. Incidentally, Alex Flinn recently came to visit some of the Com. Arts classes here at North High School. She came and visited my daughter's Creative Writing Class.
Description: A teenager has to undergo a sort of domestic violence class as mandated by the courts. We follow along as he goes through the course and faces the consequences of his behaviors, and we also read-along as he keeps a journal in which he details the events of his relationship with his now-ex.Review: I had trouble getting into this book and there were some moments where I had to push myself, but I really, really, enjoyed it as a whole. I even shed a tear or two. Our main character is extremely realistic, in both his backstory, his behaviors, and his thoughts. What is intense about this book is how much a reader can identify with Nick, even though he is an verbally and physically abusive teenage boy and the reader might not be any of those things. Even though I am a decade older than the main character, going through his experience and the domestic violence course he went through taught me a few things that I really appreciate. This is the kind of book that grows you, which means it is the kind that I will always recommend to others.
What do You think about Breathing Underwater (2011)?
In this extraordinary novel by Alex Flinn, we experience a violent teen relationship from the point of view of the boy who beats his girlfriend. Nick is everyone’s friend and seemingly has a perfect life. What his friends don’t know is that his father is abusive. Before he knows it, Nick finds himself following in his dad’s footsteps as he becomes both verbally and physically abusive to his girlfriend Caitlin. When Caitlin’s parents file a restraining order against him, Nick is forced into a family violence class. Required reading for many schools, Alex Flinn does an amazing job of portraying Nick in a way in which the reader can almost feel sorry for him. I found myself rooting for him to get help and stick with his recovery program.
—Kerry Cerra
Breathing Underwater is a very gripping book that I somehow managed to read in about a day. I couldn't make myself put it down. Nick is such a dynamic character, and when you read this book from his standpoint, you may feel empathy for the abuser. But if the book were written from the victims viewpoint, it may not be quite the same way.This book can inspire emotion, entertain you and keep you guessing. However, it isn't rich in vocabulary nor does it have any poetic nature really at all. Regardless, it is still a fantastic book. I would recommend this book highly to everyone. It gives a look inside abuse in such a way that it is suspenseful and entertaining.
—Ally
Cassi Davila12/13Breathing UnderwaterAlex Flinn263 pgs.Sep. 6,200910Nick Andreas was a confused young man. I believe he really loved Caitlin, and that he changed and was willing to love again. But I do believe Caitlin had every right to make the decision to not trust him again. I wouldn't. She was hurt and Nick did everything in his power to make her feel inferior to him. That makes me furious as a young woman reading this book, but by the end of the book i feel sympathetic towards him because he realized what he did. It wasn't his fault that he grew up to be like that, it was his father's. And the fact that he did not have a mother to teach him how to treat a woman. He had no right to hit a woman. But his backround does make you understand that you shouldn't judge before you know the whole story. He knew that no matter how hard he tried, he would never get Caitlin back. And he never should. Nick was selfish in the beginning, and thought that just a slap was okay. He changed completely after taking the class, and the death of his friend Leo, and realized that life is too short and should be taken in, not wasted.
—Cassi Davila
