Breathless by Lurlene McDaniel
Release Date: May 12, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 165
What is the toughest request anyone can be asked to fulfill?
Travis Morrison is a champion diver and one of the most popular kids at school. On the first day of summer vacation, while boating on the lake with his friends, Travis attempts a silly stunt dive that goes wrong. He fears he has broken his leg. Instead, his trip to the hospital reveals he has a rare form of cancer, and to save him, the doctors tell his parents they must amputate. In an instant, Travis’s life and the lives of everyone around him are forever changed.
Travis is determined that he and only he should decide the course of his life. He has a plan, but he can’t carry it out alone. Will he convince one of his friends to fulfill his most important request?
McDaniel isn’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects, in her novel Breathless she exposes her readers to Euthanasia. Told in the perspective of four characters: Travis, Emily (the sister), Darla (the girlfriend), and Cooper (the best friend.) I found the novel severely depressing, yet at the same time thought-provoking and interesting.
Enlightening the reader to both positions, for and against, McDaniel is never preachy or judgmental. She allows the readers to retain their own perspectives on the issue. An awesomely written book on a delicate subject.