Page 3 of 3
There are currently 19 member reviews
for Holding My Breath
-
Sabrina (Fayetteville NC)
Holding My Breath by Sidura Ludwig
Overall, this was an OK novel. The author did a great job in capturing the essence of this family. The characters and storyline seemed realistic as if the reader was invited into to take a personal glimpse into real lives. However, I steadily became frustrated and disappointed by the lack of development of the characters and the story. I felt like pieces were missing that weren't shared and needed to be shared about these people. Also, I found myself wanting to learn more about the culture and religious practices that were so much a part of their lives but not fully explained to an outsider such as myself. The book had lots of potential that was not attained to increase it's enjoyment.
-
Lynne (Los Gatos CA)
Kept
Holding My Breath seemed to me 18 chapters of randomness. The different characters are described in sometimes creative and fun detail, but the characters do not merge together to tell a defining story. The women struggle with depression, and relationships and how to find "their" happiness and their solutions are told too briefly and too easily. There was never a real connection to any of the characters as they never truly opened up in the book. I would have a hard time telling a friend to read the book.
-
Kristina (Kennewick WA)
Don't hold your breath...
The storyline in this novel was interesting enough to hold my attention at times, but the writing style was somewhat choppy. The book was not organized as well as it could have been, and there were several storylines touched on but not fully developed. Character development was another area that lacked. You get to know several characters, but none of them well. When all is said and done, it’s a decent read, but not fantastic. Leave it on your nightstand, and take something else to the beach.
-
Froma (Boulder CO)
Holding My Breath
Long on plot and short on character, this rather wooden first novel was not bad enough to stop reading but not good enough to recommend. Although the novel is set in Manitoba, there is no real sense of locale; it could be anywhere. The details that establish time do not seem intrinsic to the plot - which is odd in a coming of age story set in the 1950's to 1970's. All in all, a mediocre first attempt.
-
Jill (Newport RI)
Holding My Breath
Although it was nice, as a Jewish woman, to read a story about a young girl growing up in a Jewish family, I was not overly impressed with the writing. I thought it was a bit draggy, and I suppose I prefer a faster moving story!
