Rating: 
Summary: Abuse from a different perspective
Review: Alex Flinn tackles the issue of physical abuse in teenage romantic relationships in this novel. Told from the perspective of the abuser, it explores the complexities behind abusive relationships of this kind and the possible motives and causes behind it.
Nick Andreas seems to have the perfect life of a sixteen year-old boy- he is good-looking, on the football team, has a beautiful girlfriend, and comes from a wealthy household. When a fight with his girlfriend results in a physical attack, Nick is ostracized at school and sentenced to anger management counseling sessions with other men who have abused their girlfriends. Initially , Nick believes that he is different and somehow above the other members of his group. Will Nick realize that the behavior he hears about every week mirrors his own?
The idea of telling this story from the abuser's perspective makes the novel far more powerful than if it had been told from the point of view of the victim. Seeing inside the mind of the abuser makes his behavior all the more reprehensible.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: Wow! This is a powerful account from boy's point of view that uses journal writing as a flashback technique to explain what leads up to his explosions and the patterns of abuse in his life. Through journal writing and anger class, and some horrible examples of what he cold become, he learns about himself.
The combination of writing styles (journal and narrative) and use of flashbacks kept me turning the pages. Nick's voice is strong, and the changes that he makes in himself are not gratuitous, the reader gains more insight to him with each journal entry. Very well written, and wonderful to read a story like this from a male point of view. I would highly recommend this for any list of suggested reading for high school students, and even literature circles. This novel deals with very intense themes of family, alcoholism, abuse (verbal and physical) and is a must read for any high school student.
Rating:
Summary: A journey through the darkness
Review: Nick Andreas is sixteen years old and living in Miami. He has just gotten a restraining order to stay away from his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin Alyssa McCourt. He is sentenced to community service and keeping a journal on his thoughts on how this order came about. He had hit Caitlin. Nick has to participate in a therapy group of similar men. The group is not a "nice" bunch, there are obviously lots of guys with anger problems. Back at school, he has become an outcast when once he was part of the popular crowd. His best friend, Tom, isn't talking to him. In his defense, it is revealed that his father hits him regularly for even minor infractions. His father is not consistent in punishment, either, hitting Nick when he is in the mood or had some alcohol. Nick's mom left them when he was little, escaping his father's fists. The book reveals how Nick progressed from jealous to controlling to abusive. Nick is also verbally abusive to Caitlin in order to get her to do what he wants. Nick also meets a friend at the therapy session, Leo. Leo turns out to be a worse abuser than Nick. Leo actually helps Nick to see his actions as terrible because Leo is so horrible. The style is intriguing, narrative proper spliced in with Nick's journal entries. The dramatic build-up is very well done, despite the fact that the audience already knows that he is going to hit Caitlin. How he progresses to that point of no-return is detailed and realistic. The reader also sees Nick's own changing views of himself as he writes in his journal, describing how he ended-up hitting her.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary Book
Review: The descriptions of Nick's abuse--both verbal and physical--are so raw and so cruel that they hard to read. Yet, that is what makes this book so good--it is believable because of the real way in which it is written. Even though the things Nick has done are horrible and you know he'll never get his girlfriend back, you still want him to change and succeed. Alex Finn, the author, has done a rare thing by creating a character who makes awful mistakes still seem human and sympathetic.
Rating:
Summary: Always keeps you interested!
Review: As Nick first enters the courtroom and listens to his girlfriend describe Nick hitting her, we cant help but wonder, What exactly happened? Throughout the book, we witness Nick take in violence from his father and former friends, watch over his ex-girlfriend and run through his thoughts and ideas in his family violence class and journal. All as he finally spills what happened from the moment he met Caitlin to the moment he hit her. Little by little Alex Flinn, the author, intrigues us into learning what exactly happens and what mistakes Nick made. Alex Flinn makes us wonder about Nick without getting bored. An awesome book overall. Recommended to teens and adults alike.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: This was a moving book about an abusive boyfriend who doesn't realize his own behavior until he sees it.
It is hard to find books with true quality emotions in them these days but this is definitely one of those books. It describes a true relationship with true problems that is probably occuring in almost every high school across America.
Rating: 
Summary: An awesome book.
Review: I hope there is another book to this. AlexFinn should definately come up with more.
Breathing Underwater was captivating and held my attention for 2 hours while I read it from front to back. His abusive behavious seems to have stemmed from his father, but if you look a bit deeper, you'll realize that's only his cover up. I reccomend this book to anyone who likes a nice, true to life story.
Rating:
Summary: Extream
Review: This was an excellent book that grabs you, it makes want to know more.
Rating:
Summary: An Unbelievably Compelling Read...
Review: i read this book for the newly formed Book Club at my school...i knew nothing about the book, and joined because a)i have a dearth of books ive been interested in reading b)free pizza anyways, this book was more than a pleasant surprise...Alex Flinn's characters are believable, and i can find friends in my life for each character in the book...Nick is a character thats been done before in other novels, the guy w/the perfect life:good looks, brains, popularity etc...but hes the one that really has it the worst...hiding behind his facade, he lives a life of lies and nobody knows the hell of his life at home w/his father, and he mirrors his life through his treatment of his girlfriend, Caitlin...BREATHING UNDERWATER tells the tale of Nick's path to discovery/admission of his problems, and how he comes to solve them and become a man the novel is brought to us mostly as read from Nick's journal he must write by court order...at first sarcastic in his entries, Nick soon finds solace in its pages, and pours his soul into his writing, letting us see the contradiction of his actions and thoughts...we come to know he is a well-meaning young man who doesnt know any better than how he acts, and who has serious self-confidence issues, and suffers from intense paranoia and a desire to be accepted...the novel gives us brief glimpses of his life at the present, after the whole incident w/his girlfriend, who filed a restraining order, and we see what he has to endure, and, knowing him through his novel, understand this can only make things worse...you feel his frustration throughout the novel, as he truly loves Caitlin, but shows it in the poorest of ways BREATHING UNDERWATER is a novel which touches on domestic violence, but makes it accessible to all readers, especially teenagers, who may not understand exactly what an abusive relationship is...it makes an interesting story w/obvious real life themes, real life emotions, and semi-real life results...read this book, it is one that will make you wonder, make you think, and make you more aware of your actions towards others...great novel
Rating:
Summary: Insightful
Review: Being a teacher of eighth grade students, I always am looking for a novel that reaches beyond and takes my students to a deeper level, and opens their minds to issues of diversity. This book does just that. Alex Flinn takes the reader into a world not touched upon by many in literature for young adults, and teaches us that life is not always what it seems to be, nor is it easy sometimes. I would recommend this book to any of my students, and parents alike. A great discussion springboard for anyone! We really need more authors willing to take on the sensitive subjects for our kids today!
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