What Are We Reading Now? - The Trick Is To Keep Breathing

The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
by McGee42
Review by: idealistic4ever

"When I'm not sure what I'm living for, I see a flash of your brown irises across my mind's eye and I am tied to this existence once more."

"My heroine, my heroin, you have never seen yourself clearly; please allow me one final time to tell you how perfect you are."

Have you ever been told that there are two sides to every story? This is one of the most important things we can understand—the context in which we live, the choices we make, the challenges we face, it’s all about perspective. Self-inflicted or not, shared experiences are never articulated word for word by multiple voices. This is never truer than for Bella as she tries to muddle her way through the trials and tribulations of dealing with a single choice—a choice she had no control over.

“I almost died today, and the last thing I thought about was you, goddamnit.”

Set just after Edward leaves Bella in New Moon, author McGee explores the idea of a single choice from multiple perspectives in The Trick is to Keep Breathing. While we all know the story backwards and forwards, McGee’s unique overhaul gives readers access to short, intense bursts of reality as a result of Edward’s singular vision of making his decision for Bella, for the greater good.

While we know that Bella breaks down physically and emotionally after the Cullens’ mass exodus, McGee’s beautifully written words, edged with a certain darkness, really drives this visual home.

“When I sleep, I dream of you in the forest; inching your cool hand down my cheek, kissing me softly, and then turning from me and leaving. Again, and again, every damn time that I close my eyes.”

In order to understand the full extent of the pain, sorrow, and eventual path to recovery, it is important to step outside of the choice and observe. This is exactly what McGee does through letters and emails written, even text messages and notes, to and from various characters that are directly and indirectly impacted as a result of Edward’s choice. Angela knows there is something really wrong but Bella won’t budge. Alice puts all the pieces together and she’s angry. Charlie and Renee are struggling with how to deal with the new hollow version of their daughter.

“I'm worried about her…It's like she died and became a zombie or something.”

“I don't blame Jasper for what happened...I blame you…”

“I'm worried about our baby girl.”

The Trick is to Keep Breathing is concise in length, but full of intensity, humor and heartbreak. Bella discovers that life does in fact move on, and while she never stops thinking of Edward and the Cullens’, that small period of time in her short human life never fades.

If the ties that bind are any indication of Edward being bound to Bella, albeit from afar, McGee goes for broke in her deeply moving and heartbreaking story. Some might call it a tragedy, but this reader holds to the beauty of observing the story from all sides, in essence understanding the story behind the tragedy.

“Your happiness was the reason for my existence…I am free.”