BREATHE (Ecco, 2021) is an intriguing and major new novel by Joyce Carol Oates. It concerns a husband and wife—Gerard and Michaela—who are temporarily living in New Mexico where Gerard is engaged at an academic institute. Michaela’s world tilts, as in an earthquake, when Gerard becomes suddenly and gravely ill, requiring round-the-clock vigil and triggering severe and at times terrifying emotions in Michaela.

The setting of New Mexico’s high desert is unfamiliar territory for Oates (most of her major novels are set in upstate New York, in New Jersey, Detroit and the like), but no less vivid on the page than her usual settings. As always in Oatesworld, the location is inextricably tied to story; the jagged desert escarpments, the “breathless” high altitude, and a pantheon of Pueblo gods haunt the protagonist, Michaela, as she prays/wills her ailing husband’s convalescence.

It is not a spoiler to say that her husband, Gerard, succumbs to cancer and pneumonia, because the focus of the story is Michaela. Oates renders Michaela’s confused sublimation into widowhood in the hallucinatory, dreamlike prose that has become a hallmark of her career. Marriage is once again a centerpiece of the novel, and it’s a topic Oates has plumbed extensively. One could select from her vast oeuvre any number of stories/books where a spouse, often a woman but not always, tumbles into a chaotic, self-imposed or self-destructive delirium, at the marital or physical loss/separation of the other spouse (an example of a male protagonist that comes to mind is Jerome “Corky” Corcoran in WHAT I LIVED FOR).

Michaela is reminiscent of Ileana from the early story “The Dead,” a takeoff on James Joyce’s story of the same name and collected in Oates’s MARRIAGES AND INFIDELTIES (1972), a woman under totally different circumstances than Michaela in BREATHE but nonetheless caught in a pressure cooker that leaves her somersaulting through hellacious, personal grief and loss and romance.

Michaela suffers through this interior torment, which is counterbalanced by the processual functions of widowhood she must undertake, from the disposition of cremains to the task of finishing Gerard’s last manuscript. Some of this territory is familiar to readers of Oates's searing memoir, A WIDOW'S STORY, about her marriage to Raymond Smith and, especially, the aftermath of his (rather sudden) death. If there is autobiography to be found in Gerard, though, it is not Smith but Charlie Gross, her second husband and the renowned father of cognitive neuroscience.

As in her story “The Dead,” Oates employs a number of devices in her narrative style that simulate the protagonist's psychological unbalancing: shifts between second- and third-person points-of-view, elliptical and rhetorically repetitive prose, and so on. This style can be irritating to the reader (as is Oates’s obsessive employment of italicized prose), but it is ultimately effective in creating an indelible literary experience that is at once utterly original and frighteningly familiar.

Publishers Synopsis:
Amid a starkly beautiful but uncanny landscape in New Mexico, a married couple from Cambridge, MA takes residency at a distinguished academic institute. When the husband is stricken with a mysterious illness, misdiagnosed at first, their lives are uprooted and husband and wife each embarks upon a nightmare journey. At thirty-seven, Michaela faces the terrifying prospect of widowhood - and the loss of Gerard, whose identity has greatly shaped her own.

Review:
"Nothing matters except: he must not die. He must breathe. He must not cease breathing.
He is neither fully awake nor is he unconscious...You are alert and alive as you have rarely been in your life determined that your husband breathe. Pleading in desperation. In childish hope. Begging your husband Breathe! Don't stop breathing! "

This is our greeting into this hauntingly tragic story of one decision; One instant that you will focus on where everything seemed to change You will drive yourself mad wondering if things could have been different, if only things could have been different. Then Michaela would not be gripping the cool limp hand that once gripped hers back firmly, repeating that you're there and that you love him. "What you love most, that you will lose. The price of your love is your loss" and so it goes on, we sit watch as Michaela's husband dwindles physically, as does Michaela as a result of worrying over him and trying to support him. However, Michaela declines mentally as well, dipping into dark territories as she watches the cancer eat away at once was her husband.

Part love story part horror that is terrifying beyond belief because it is the horror many of us either already know, or will one day know all too well; and nothing, nothing will prepare you for that absurdity that is the last moment. the end. If there is an end. Joyce Carol Oates has taken a topic that is ugly, disturbing with an air of being unapproachable in conversation and exposes is in an equally disturbing yet beautiful way as she paints a disturbingly authentic picture of what it's like on the inside of one watching their loved one slowly slip away.
Her prose is beautiful, urgent and striking. At times I must confess to catching myself holding my breath, tears streaming down my face as I read along, feeling every ounce of pain and fear that waxes and wanes throughout the months. This surprised me as I am not a crier, more a quiet mourner but oh! the brilliance between these pages wrapped themselves around me and before I knew it, I was crying and pleading right along with Michaela.

After we watch her fall apart, we must watch what follows as she tries to move act normal, keep herself pulled together, a facade that may save her as she has nothing left. Everywhere she goes though she feels the loss.

This book is one you need to read when you are not distracted by family members running around or the tv playing. Every single word of this demands to be fully understood, fully felt which takes turning away from outer distractions for a brief time but OH, will it be worth it!
Breathe is a masterpiece that will not disappoint.


I feel as though I could go on for days about the beauty of Breathe, though I could never say enough. This is not a story that is easy to describe beyond a fairly simplistic synopsis it's the beauty between the pages that no one can expect to accurately describe except perhaps, Joyce Carol Oates herself.

I strongly recommend you pick this up, whether you relate to the storyline, need a good cry, or are simply a fan of brilliant literature this book has something for you. Don't miss it.

4.5 out of 5 stars is the rating I would choose given the choice of half star ratings.

Thank you to netgalley and the wonderful Joyce Carol Oates for providing me an advanced e-copy to read in exchange for this honest unprompted review. I was thrilled beyond words when the approval came in, and I cannot thank you enough for bringing Breathe to the public.

Breathe
By Joyce Carol Oates

A Poignant and Moving Story Of Love, Loss and Overwhelming Grief

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Michaela and Gerard McManus temporarily move from their home in Cambridge, MA, to the rugged and dry landscape of Santa Tierra, New Mexico. Gerard is to be the director of the Santa Tierra Institute for Advanced Research. But soon after they arrive, Gerard is stricken with a mysterious illness, pneumonia, and ultimately diagnosed with adenocarcinoma.

Michaela is desperate to keep Gerard breathing. He is neither fully awake nor fully conscious. She cares for him day and night, only to ultimately realize that her selfless love is not enough to breathe life into him.

Upon his death, her nightmare has only just begun, as she must learn to survive the loss. Overwhelmed with grief, Michaela imagines seeing Gerard in their house, outside the hospital, at a restaurant, at the museum, and on a hike. Wherever she goes, Gerard, her husband of twelve years and closest friend, is still there, but not. Michaela believes he wants her to come with him, he is waiting for her, and she is tempted to go. But she must breathe, breathe!

REVIEW
BREATHE is an atmospheric tale of a lost love and the grief process that follows. This dark story is surreal, full of raw anguish and hallucinations. The writing is hauntingly beautiful, lyrical, and heart-wrenching

Joyce Carol Oates easily transports us to the desert topography of New Mexico and paints a revealing and realistic picture of a woman facing an unimaginable emotionally profound journey. (The story was particularly heart-wrenching for me because my brother-in-law was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma while I was reading this book. Eek!) BREATHE, while beautifully written, may be much too descriptive and emotional for those that have experienced or are experiencing loss of this nature.

Oates lost her first husband, Raymond Smith, of 47 years unexpectedly to pneumonia in 2008. That loss on the author must have significantly informed her writing for BREATHE. She experienced suicidal grieving but followed the first rule of being a “good widow” and stayed alive. Oates lost her second husband, Charles Gross, after ten years of marriage in 2019. BREATHE is dedicated to him.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Ecco for an advance reading copy of this book.


Publisher Ecco
Published August 3, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

This is a book in which you need to be in the right frame of mind, and I wasn’t. The story of a woman failing to come to terms with the death of her husband is powerful and satisfying, but perhaps hit a little too close to home for me. She wills him to breathe and as he struggles to deal with pneumonia, lung cancer and tumor in the urethra. But halfway through the book, he dies and she struggles with accepting that statues of southwestern native gods that decorate their rented home terrorize her. They and other characters of Greek myths infest her nightmares. It is a raw and painful story.

The dedication of Joyce Carol Oates new novel,#Breathe, says simply In Memoriam Charlie Gross. Charlie Gross was Ms. Oates second husband . He died in April of 2019 at the age of 83, being one of the world’s most renowned cognitive neuroscientists, studying how we recognize what we recognize. And make no mistake about it, this is a story of recognitions and memories : painful, haunting recognitions and memories. To start, the publisher’s disclaimer- This Is A Work Of Fiction…. Michaela’s anguish should not be confused with Oates’ anguish. I perceive #Breathe to be a form of therapy through art and as such it succeeds marvelously. Author’s do this by putting words on paper. Most others keep their stories in their heads, where they can continually revise them until the details fit their needs. # Breathe is a story that will inhabit you like a ghost from open to close.

Joyce Carol Oates has written a deeply moving account of a woman going through the last days of her husband's death and the resulting grief. Michaela and her husband Gerard move from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Santa Tierra, New Mexico, a perfect setting for the stark environment and Pueblo spirituality which plays out in the mind of Michaela. The story can be difficult to read as Michaela urges Gerard to breathe, and later when Michaela finds breathing difficult while she copes with the loss of her husband. Oates has captured this process with her astonishing writing creating a setting of both horror and sadness.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

I love Joyce Carol Oates, but this just wasn't the book for me. While the topic was haunting and mesmerizing, the style made it difficult for me to keep reading. Maybe it was the topic, which was so depressing, and maybe this review is a testament to Joyce Carol Oate's writing-- just too real and personal to keep a reader comfortable. If you are a fan of the author, you probably owe it to yourself to give it a try.

In this book, readers experience the terrible depths of grief that one woman goes through just before and then after the death of her husband, It is very descriptive, dark at times, and sad to read. I am finding this book difficult to rate because it is well-written and relates it’s messages effectively, however, I found it depressing to read.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Ecco for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and the story set forth about Michaela's dealing with her husband's illness and death. I found Michaela and her grief to be incredibly relatable even as someone who has never been in that situation. As much as I did enjoy the story, many parts felt rambling and redundant, particularly prior to Gerard's passing. I also felt that there was a lack of closure or explanation of the Letitia Tanik storyline and the ending didn't provide the closure I had hoped for. I believe this was Oates intention but it just didn't feel completely right for the story. I would still recommend this to fans of Oates other work as her writing is wonderful as always.

I love the both the cover and the setting that captures the unique beauty of New Mexico. Micaela and her husband have just moved to NM when a nightmare begins. Gerard becomes ill. The novel traces Micaela’s journey, coping with the harsh reality and all,of,her musings. Sometimes it was a bit difficult to discern when it was Micaela’s voice or Gerard’s voice she was hearing. It’s a poignant read and deals with several strong issues. Although fiction, it felt like it could have been non fiction, as the author’s realism shines through in her prose and images her writing evoked.

The prose here, as expected, is beautiful and moving and true. This novel fully captures the tsunami that is grief. I did get worn down by the relentless and the repetition of the story. I would have been more moved if this work were more concise.

Breathe by Joyce Carol Oates is an exhausting, emotionally painful, desperately depressing book about love, loss, grief, the inability to will life to continue. The initial chapters are written with stream of consciousness narrated by Michaela, who cannot comprehend her husband Gerard is dying of cancer after an initial diagnosis of pneumonia. While the writing is excellent, this window into the soul of an anguished woman trying to cope with unthinkable loss felt too raw.

Perhaps some of us that have experienced overwhelming grief recoil from delving deeper into the abyss of another’s wretched journey into the Valley of the Shadows of Death. The work felt oppressive rather than enlightening; too familiar yet foreign; self indulgent but generous....since the book followed the death of the author’s second husband.

I wish I could say I enjoyed the book, but I did not. I slogged through it because Joyce Carol Oates is an American literary icon. I wanted to give more favorable feedback. But, I can’t.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a gratis uncorrected copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Five things about Breathe by Joyce Carol Oates

1. Confession: This is my first Joyce Carol Oates. I know. I know.
2. I loved the New Mexico setting. I spent my middle school years living in that enchanted land and have such a live for it.
3. Oates’s writing is flawless, powerful, devastatingly honest.
4. This is a book about marriage, union, separation, loss, identity.
5. I’ll read more Oates now.

Joyce Carol Oates is a magician of words and stories.This was another terrific read that immediately drew me in will be recommending Breathe and all of her books.#netgalley#ecco

Reading "Breathe" by Joyce Carol Oates is a staggering experience. Michaela is in the depths of despair, trying to will her husband to keep breathing as he struggles to stay alive in the hospital. Her existence at this point is a nightmare as she tries in vain to grasp how the couple's journey could stop so abruptly here. Gerard dies, stops that breathing... and Michaela is lost in free fall.

The image which repeatedly came to mind was Edvard Munch's "The Scream." Michaela is a soul whose screams meld into everything surrounding her. Her sky is on fire, the air she breathes is on fire... her reality can not be counted on. She is a foreigner feeling out of place in the New Mexico home they had recently moved into-- where primitive "prank god" artworks seem to mock her. Visions of her husband constantly beckon to her from around the corner, shadows just out of reach. Michaela knows Gerard has to be alive, a huge error has been made, she must find him.

Anyone who has dealt with devastating loss identifies with the hell Michaela is going through. In viewing "The Scream" you instantly recognize that the emotion and horror portrayed are true. Committing to a book with this much heartbreak is not for everyone but Ms. Oates paints this world so vividly it is impossible not to invest in Michaela's struggle.

I am grateful to Joyce Carol Oates, Ecco Press, and NetGalley for providing the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. #Breathe #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this one and read it in one day. Look forward to much more by this author.

Ms. Oates is a wonder, writing so many books in so many genres, and doing it so well. However, I can't recommend this book largely because it is an emotionally overwhelming and vivid immersion in the hellish experience of a beloved husband's dying unexpectedly. The reader hangs on in the hopes of some redemptive light at the end, but it never arrives. In my opinion, if a reader who is dealing with raw grief read this book in the hopes of learning how the protagonist dealt with the same, the reader could well end up feeling much more depressed. Just a warning.

In the past, I have loved the variety of Joyce Carol Oates's writing as well as the depth of her characters. Every book is different. and all were excellent. BREATHE is no exception! However, it is very intense especially the themes of grief and the graphic descriptions of dying. It is not for the faint of heart. For those wishing for a cathartic read or a book that relates to one's own grief, it might be a tough read and too emotional I would say that this book is the case of "less is more. I think the same points could have been made to a wider audience if some of the intensity and graphic descriptions had been toned down.

Michaela McManus had been married to Gerald McManus for 12 years. He was 12 years older and had been married and divorced . She was younger and had never been married before. So it was no surprise that Michaela was dependent upon Gerald and deferred to him in most things.

He was an esteemed professor at Harvard. When he received an offer to do research on a book at an institute in New Mexico, the couple moved from their home in Cambridge, MA to a house provided by the institute. Michaela, was a writer and was able to teach a course at the state university several miles away. They expected to return to Cambridge after a year.

However Gerald was diagnosed with cancer which had spread to many other organs in his body. After attempts to treat the cancer, it became clear that he would not survive.

At the beginning of his hospitalization, Gerald was lucid and sharp. As his illness progressed and the pain became overwhelming , he was heavily drugged and less aware of his surroundings. Michaela kept a vigil in his room daily leaving only to teach or return home at night.
When he did die, Michaela, fell apart. She had no other friends or family nearby to help with the preparations for his funeral and the return to Cambridge. An assistant at the institute offered to assist but Michaela refused any help. Instead she became a recluse, lost weight and lost interest in living without Gerald. The rest of the story tells of Michaela’s struggles as she grieves.

Everyone deals with grief differently and this book examines how one woman grieved. The author herself had experience with grief when her husband of 47 years died. Later the author remarried but also lost her second husband after 10 years of marriage.

I received this book from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Joyce Carol Oates. Such a range, she has! She never fails to impress! And she has done it again! The development of characters is phenomenal. The marriage portrayed in this novel is beautiful and heartbreaking. Another wonderful novel by Oates!!!!