'Barely out of childhood, I had already commited the irreparable.' Beautifully and simply written with an astonishing maturity, this first novel narrates the story of nineteen-year-old Charlene Boher. Charlene recounts her past from her prison cell, a past which had begun banally enough - a great friendship between herself and Sarah. Charlene, a solitary, unpopular, tortured and breathless adolescent had been 'rescued' by Sarah and they'd developed an intense friendship. However, when Charlene falls in love with Maxime, the jealous Sarah begins to test and provoke her, to humiliate her in public and reproach her persistently - until she can take it no longer, with disastrous and shocking consequences. This is a very frank and convincing account of a possessive, ambiguous and abusive friendship.
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Authors keep getting younger. Anne-Sophie Brasme is 18 and still at school in Metz. Her novel sold more than 30,000 copies in France in less than three months and is powerfully translated into English to show the stunning trajectory of an abusive and obsessive friendship. Told from a prison cell, a teenage murderess recounts her miserable and misfit adolescence spent in solitary introversion. As her body germinates, her mind still hates herself until she forms a friendship with a classmate who is like no other and who gives and then destroys a sense of worth. A mesmerising, novella-length debut about dependency, emotional manipulation, disgust of self and others, all the more remarkable because of Brasme's age.
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Beautifully and simply written with an astonishing maturity, Breathe narrates the story of nineteen-year-old Charlene Boher. From her prison cell, Charlene recounts her past, and tells of a life which began banally enough. As a solitary and unpopular adolescent, she developed an intense friendship with the enigmatic Sarah, and began at last to feel accepted... After a brief idyllic period however, their relationship sours, and when Charlene falls in love with Maxim, Sarah's manipulative nature is brought to the fore. When the jealous Sarah begins to reproach and humiliate Charlene, the consequences are disastrous and events take a shocking turn. This is a very frank and convincing account of a possessive and ambiguous friendship. Anne-Sophie was born in 1984 and is still at school. She lives in Metz and Breathe is her first novel.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By "tange333"
Format:Paperback
The only reason I read this book in it's entirety is because I don't beleive in giving up on a book once I have started it. But, I have to say I was sorely tempted with Breathe.
The premise behind the story was fine, but the writing left a lot to be desired. And the fact that the book was translated from French was painfully obvious.
At the time when I purchased this book, I also bought Lucky. There is no comparison. Do yourself a favour and use your precious reading time wisely.
The premise behind the story was fine, but the writing left a lot to be desired. And the fact that the book was translated from French was painfully obvious.
At the time when I purchased this book, I also bought Lucky. There is no comparison. Do yourself a favour and use your precious reading time wisely.
By Phil O'Sofa
Format:Paperback
I read this to pass the time on a five-hour ferry crossing from France. I'd have given up after the first few pages if I'd had something else to do. The writing may have lost something in translation, but I found the style tedious and bleak. It lacks character development and just didn't draw me into the story. It is narrated by an unhappy, unpopular girl who becomes obsessed by another girl at school, and the plot could have worked well if it had been written in a more involving, more believable style.
I give it two stars rather than one because this short novel does actually improve halfway through, though not enough to make it worth bothering with. Also it's not a bad effort for a 17 year-old. No doubt she'll improve when she learns a bit more about writing.
I give it two stars rather than one because this short novel does actually improve halfway through, though not enough to make it worth bothering with. Also it's not a bad effort for a 17 year-old. No doubt she'll improve when she learns a bit more about writing.
By M. Weir
Format:Paperback
This is the first novel by Anne-Sophie Brasme. Her use of language is excellent so much so it slows your reading down and places you in the context of her characters.
I read the opening of this book online using the look inside facility and was instantly hooked.I read the book cover to cover within a couple of days. This book is captivating can't wait for her next novel.
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