Breathless (Hardcover)

by Lurlene McDaniel (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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?

Lurlene McDaniel tackles a controversial subject, probing the issues of personal choice and quality of life.

About the Author
Lurlene McDaniel is the foremost author of inspirational fiction for young adults. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038573459X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385734592
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,587 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McDaniel Infuses Strong Emotion and Depth into Each Character Making You Question Your Own Beliefs, June 29, 2009

By	Teenreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Most people believe they have a clear idea of what's right and wrong. Many say they know how they'll act, or how they'll handle an extreme situation. But to be honest, no one knows. Not really...Because none of us truly knows what we'll do when the circumstances become so overwhelming and complex that we can't even tell right from wrong."

Travis Morrison has the kind of life high school kids can only dream about. He is a champion diver with college prospects heating up. He has managed to snag a high-profile girlfriend in Darla Gibson, and their relationship is one based on trust and actual love. He also has his trusty sidekick Cooper and his little sister Emily, who surprisingly can be quite bearable in most situations. He is driven and knows exactly what he wants. The future seems bright, and nothing looks like it could get in the way.

On a lazy summer afternoon, however, the future turns murky. Travis, Cooper, Darla and Emily are out boating in Travis's favorite diving spot when the unthinkable happens. On a high cliff dive, Travis's leg snaps and he plunges into the water below. Hospital tests reveal a tumor growing on his right leg and the realization of bone cancer. Immediately Travis's leg is amputated along with his planned future. No one is sure how to react. Emily is ready for Darla to abandon Travis. Cooper wishes he could take Travis's place. Darla is scared to lose the only person who actually cares for her. And Travis begins to withdraw, especially from his parents, who seem not to truly understand what has happened.

At first, some minor alterations are made and life goes on as normal. Travis is fitted with a prosthetic and gets back into the normal high school routine. Darla and Cooper faithfully visit even amidst difficult home lives. Emily continues to stay close to her brother despite the circumstances. As the cancer continues to spread, though, Travis witnesses firsthand in the cancer ward the life he does not want for himself. He bravely asks his parents for a Do Not Resuscitate order if it should come to that, but his mother refuses. Instead, Travis turns to the only people he can trust: Darla, Cooper and Emily. He shares his wishes of dying instead of being hooked up to a machine. But is one of them willing to make the ultimate sacrifice?

We've all seen some highly publicized cases concerning assisted suicide in the media. It would be easy to say that BREATHLESS is just another book about the topic of euthanasia, but it is much deeper than that. The story is told in alternating viewpoints, and author Lurlene McDaniel infuses strong emotion and depth into each character that it makes you question your own beliefs. While there are no gory details specifically mentioned in the book, there is an underlying sense of desperation threaded throughout. McDaniel never gets preachy, which I appreciated, and ultimately lets the reader decide what is "right" and "wrong."

--- Reviewed by Benjamin Boche

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, May 22, 2009

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

Cancer is terrible, but when it strikes a young, active body, it seems especially horrific. That's the case with high school student Travis Morrison. One minute he's a vibrant, healthy teen, and the next he's struck down by the devastating disease.

One sunny afternoon at the lake, Travis, two friends, Cooper and Darla, and sister Emily are enjoying a picnic and a swim. Travis tears up a rocky path beside the lake, thinking he'll show off a bit by making a high dive from a nearby cliff. Since he's a champion platform diver, it should be a breeze.

Just short of the edge he is struck by a sharp pain in his upper thigh, but he's not about to let that stop him. His friends watch as he begins his dive. When he hits the water, he hears his leg crack, and the pain he feels is incredible. Cooper shouts for the girls to call the hospital and bring the car as he carries Travis from the lake.

How does a healthy, in-shape champion diver break his leg doing a simple dive in the local lake? Multiple examinations and medical tests later, doctors announce that Travis has bone cancer, and a tumor in his upper thigh weakened the bone, causing the break.

That announcement changes life for everyone.

Lurlene McDaniel tackles the subject of euthanasia in her latest novel BREATHLESS. Using Travis, his best friend Cooper, girlfriend Darla, and his sister Emily, McDaniel explores the emotional and ethical issues of this sensitive subject from a variety of view points.

To say this novel is a real page-turner is an understatement. I truly could not put it down, and it has been on my mind ever since I finished the final page.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

4.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down, June 9, 2009

By	A. Borman (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was my first Lurlene McDaniel book and I absolutely loved it. It kept me turning the pages. I would recommend this book to someone that is interested in getting lost in someone elses life. Think about what you would do.