{"product_id":"holding-her-breath-a-novel-isbn-9780063236080","title":"Holding Her Breath: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“A joy to read. ... Emotional, clever, and humorous, \u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e will engross readers with its academic atmosphere and family drama.” — \u003cem\u003eBooklist\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA moving and “whip smart” (\u003cem\u003eSunday Telegraph) \u003c\/em\u003edebut novel, following a former competitive swimmer and granddaughter of a famous Irish poet as she comes of age in the shadow of her family’s tragic past, perfect for fans of Sally Rooney, Lily King’s \u003cem\u003eWriters \u0026amp; Lovers,\u003c\/em\u003e and Elif Batuman’s \u003cem\u003eThe Idiot\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended by \u003cem\u003eGlamour \u003c\/em\u003e* The Millions * Literary Hub * PopSugar\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Beth Crowe starts university, she is haunted by the ghost of her potential as a competitive swimmer. With her Olympic dreams shattered after a breakdown, she is suddenly free to create a fresh identity for herself outside of swimming. Striking up a friendship with her English major roommate, Beth soon finds herself among a literary crowd of people who adore the poetry of her grandfather, Benjamin Crowe, who died tragically before she was born. Beth’s mother and grandmother rarely talk about what happened to Benjamin, and Beth is unsettled to find that her classmates may know more about her own family history than she does.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the year goes on, Beth embarks on a secret relationship with an older postdoctoral researcher—and on a quest to discover the truth about Benjamin and his widow, her beloved grandmother Lydia. The quest brings her into an archive that no scholar has ever seen, and to a person who knows things about her family that nobody else knows.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e is a razor-sharp, moving, and seriously entertaining novel about complicated love stories, ambition, and grief—and a young woman coming fully into her powers.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\"An Irish collegiate swimmer unearths the truth about her grandfather, a famous poet, in Ryan’s penetrating debut. ... Readers will want to see what Ryan does next.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Ryan’s writing is quick and understated and addictive, and the story offers points of entry for many readers—competitive athletes, people who love literary drama, anyone who felt unmoored and different in college.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGlamour\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Through the dark sky of our times, Eimear Ryan arrives like a comet, a bright talent scorching through every page. To read this book is to feel it blaze to life. I can't stop thinking about it.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDoireann Ní Ghríofa, author of A Ghost in the Throat\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ryan’s debut is a joy to read. ... Emotional, clever, and humorous, \u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e will engross readers with its academic atmosphere and family drama.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A secret relationship, a family’s tragic past, and a woman learning to be herself are all the makings of a great story, and I’m looking forward to reading this Irish writer’s debut.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLiterary Hub, Most Anticipated Books of 2022\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An assured, absorbing first novel that follows a young woman as she begins the delicate work of finding out who she is and where she stands in relation to her history. ... A crisply written, empathetic novel. Ryan offers a realistic, perceptive view of the early college years, reflecting how difficult but liberating the first steps to adulthood can be. An absorbing, nuanced coming-of-age novel.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Eimear Ryan expertly renders a lion-hearted protagonist's attempt to escape her family's long and hurtful shadow. Patient and searing storytelling at its best. \u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e announces the arrival of an unforgettable voice.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMarie-Helene Bertino, author of Parakeet\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A compelling look at coming-of-age concerns beneath the taboo of generational mental illness. ... An engaging, sensitive story set in Ireland, sure to resonate with readers far and wide.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Journal of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Books about young Irish women going to university, usually Trinity, are now so plentiful that they constitute their own genre – Trin Lit, anyone? The Queen is of course Sally Rooney, but this new novel from Eimear Ryan is an absorbing read and a very worthy addition to the growing pile. … A gripping and ultimately very satisfying read.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRTE Ireland\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Written with a wonderful clarity and insight, \u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e lingers in the imagination. Beth's unravelling and re-ravelling is drawn with great skill and empathy. A brilliant debut.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDonal Ryan, Booker Prize-nominated author of Strange Flowers\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An enthralling Irish debut.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIMAGE\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A delicious read. … A nimble account of student life with a darkly enjoyable undercurrent of secrecy and emotional turmoil.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSara Baume, author of Seven Steeples\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e was a joy to read — disarming, entertaining and life-affirming. A blisteringly good portrayal of complex lives and loves. It's an enthralling debut from a hugely talented writer.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDanielle McLaughlin, author of The Art of Falling\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Effortlessly weaving together a gripping, multi-layered plot, while maintaining a profoundly tender touch, Ryan has marked herself as a captivatingly original voice in Irish literature.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHot Press\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eHolding Her Breath\u003c\/em\u003e does not feel like a debut novel; it shows the deft assurance of someone who has spent years training for this. … A sparsely written, emotionally affecting coming of age story. … Feels entirely fresh.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Explores love, desire, and the secrets of the past with the background of student life. And it does so deftly, with complex, but fully realised characters, and is so accomplished; so wonderfully written and thought through, that it’s hard to imagine it’s a debut at all. I absolutely loved it.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIrish Examiner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“From the first sentence to the last, this is a great piece of writing—precise, sure, engaging, and a joy to read.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRoddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and Love\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Brilliant, vivid – I enjoyed this book ENORMOUSLY.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMarian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of Grown Ups\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Whip smart observations and addictive prose.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ryan’s depiction of starting college, making friends and embarking on your first real romance is very assured, and she handles the familial and friendship dynamics very well. The mystery of the family narrative drives the plot, culminating in a satisfying ending. A refreshing, accomplished debut.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIrish Independent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mariner Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44889688539365,"sku":"NP9780063236080","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780063236080.jpg?v=1730231751","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/holding-her-breath-a-novel-isbn-9780063236080","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}