Over the past year or so, I began to receive numerous book review requests for books that were written about the pandemic, both fiction and non-fiction. And my instinct was always to pass…until now.
When author Jenna Marcus pitched her YA novel, Breathe Deep and Swim, she made it clear that this story was set during the pandemic. However, I could tell that it didn’t lean on current events in order to tell its story.
With its two main characters named after historical figures and a road trip premise thrown in, I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad that I did. Below is my review of Breathe Deep and Swim followed by an interview with Marcus about her book.
Breathe Deep and Swim plot summary
Fourteen-year-old Wolfgang and his sixteen-year-old brother, Van Gogh, find themselves orphans when their stubborn, bitter father succumbs to the coronavirus at home. Rather than report his death and surrender to social services, the boys decide to travel from Florida to New York to track down their mother who left them as kids. Armed with a backpack full of clothes, their mother’s memory box, and a few books, the boys set out on their journey amid a global pandemic, an uncertain destination, and a pile of emotional baggage heavier than their belongings.
The characters
Wolfgang and Van Gogh are two sensitive, wise-beyond-their-years teenage boys who are both saddened and relieved by their father’s death. Having nothing in common with their father and always butting heads with his preferred version of what he wished them to be, the two retreated into their personal interests: Van Gogh with his art and Wolfgang with his books.
Their only ally is Van Gogh’s ex-girlfriend, Janelle, who formed a strong bond with both boys before she was forced to break it off with Van Gogh after a tense run-in with their father. The bitterness that Van Gogh harbored against his father only intensified after their break-up.
At the same time, he serves as our narrator, Wolfgang’s, protector, voice of reason, and shoulder to lean on. Wolfgang trusts his brother to not only come up with a plan to get to New York but to keep them safe and, just as importantly, together going forward.
The story
The novel packs so many elements into its short length. It is first and foremost a road trip story, one with high stakes that will determine the boys’ futures.
After an incident at a convenience store brings viral attention to the boys’ quest, these otherwise invisible brothers must find a way to blend in again. The mask mandate helps to disguise their appearance. However, they are banking on finding refuge in New York with their estranged mother whose only imprint on Wolfgang is her advice to “breathe deep and swim” whenever things get rough. This advice serves him well throughout each intense situation that they encounter and forces him to take charge when Van Gogh is no longer able.
The writing
Breathe Deep and Swim is fast-paced yet character-driven. Its twists and turns help to illustrate the main characters’ strong moral compass and tight brotherly bond. Yet the boys are multi-dimensional, surprising the reader with some of their actions while still maintaining their well-established personalities. They’re sensitive yet brave, thoughtful yet innocent, and determined yet unwavering in their need to see their journey through together.
The narration can be a little expository at times, but it also helps to color in the details of the boys’ lives, experiences, and interests. Covid does play a big role in the story, but the novel doesn’t lean on it too heavily. Instead, it focuses more on the characters and their history rather than the present and current events.
My recommendation
I recommend Breathe Deep and Swim to YA readers looking for a road trip story, a close sibling story, or a poignant drama with a twisty yet grounded plot. Marcus has crafted two admirable teenage boys who rose to the challenge when forced to grow up as fast as they did, without losing their sense of self or their relationship with each other.
My rating
An interview with Jenna Marcus
Who did you write this book for?
I didn’t write Breathe Deep & Swim for anyone in particular, but rather I wrote it for anyone who is fiercely loyal to those that they love and would do anything for that individual. It is a story for those who need to persevere in order to survive.
Who is your target audience?
Young adults, ages 13-18 are my target audience because my main characters—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas and Van Gogh Vincent Thomas—are 14 and 16 years old respectively, but their plight, resilience and compassion can resonate with adult audiences as well.
The relationship between Wolfgang and Van Gogh is so tight. Were they based on real people, or are they simply an idealized version of a brotherly bond?
They are an idealized version of a brotherly bond, although I was inspired by the brotherly bonds that I have read about, such as the brotherly bonds in S.E. Hinton’s YA novel, The Outsiders.
How did you come up with the unique names for the two boys? Why those names over other historical figures?
When outlining my books, I begin with character profiles. After determining Wolfgang and Van Gogh’s personas, the names just came to me.
Van Gogh is an artist, one who is fervently misunderstood, specifically by his father. It is obvious who Van Gogh’s namesake is, which creates an air of confidence, at least from Wolfgang’s perspective.
Wolfgang assumes that his mom knew that Van Gogh would achieve artistic greatness, hence the namesake. Dissimilar to his brother, Wolfgang is more insecure, which is why he believes that his “buried the lead” by making the more recognizable signifier “Mozart” as his second middle name. Wolfgang may not be musically gifted, or live up to expectations—even the one he imagined that his mother had of him—but very similar to his namesake, he is brilliant.
Wolfgang is an avid reader. How did you determine which books he brings with him on their trip?
I carefully chose books that have such poignant themes of determining one’s identity, resilience, survival and speak to the power of familial bonds. I also included No Exit because we all need a little absurdity in our lives. These books resonate and stay with you long after you read them.
The books that he found in the back of his mother’s closet, Madame Bovary and All My Sons convey the struggles that Anne Miller grappled with, specifically in her marriage to Ben Thomas. All My Sons also speaks to the weight of responsibility, something that Van Gogh takes on but Ben Thomas never really has.
What tips do you have to get boys to read more?
Discover what you love, and try to find a book that speaks to this. I think that everyone can find a book that they love; they just need to determine exactly what they enjoy and then find a book that touches on this central idea or theme.
Covid-19 plays a significant role in the story. Was it a part of the original outline of the novel, or did it develop as the novel developed?
Yes, the story was always going to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is such a turbulent and traumatic moment for many of us and impacts society on a global scale. It is also through tragedy when people’s true natures are revealed. So, I asked myself, what would two fiercely loyal brothers, who just lost their father to COVID-19, do in order to stay together?
This question was the impetus of the novel. These characters do not always make the most responsible choices, but the choices made are out of desperation to stay together. These brothers love one another and will therefore do anything to protect one another.
Was it challenging or easy to write about a pandemic that we’re currently experiencing in a fictionalized form?
It was both easy and challenging for just that reason; this is a real shared experience. It was easy to write about because I wrote what I observed, what I saw on the news, on public transportation, on the streets and the stories I heard, so the inspiration was literally at my doorstep.
Nonetheless, it was equally as challenging to write a novel that takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic because it is, indeed, traumatic. I knew people who died from COVID-19, friends who had it and recovered, and some of my friends and colleagues had family members and friends who had succumbed to COVID-19.
I know that reading about the COVID-19 Pandemic could be triggering for many readers because we have all been affected by this pandemic in one way or another, so I wanted to ensure that I handled the topic with care. No one can ever capture everyone’s experience with this pandemic in a fictionalized work, so what I portrayed is the reality that I saw and that I perceived.
Guilt is a major theme of the story. What should readers take away from the story in terms of dealing with guilt, whether they have a genuine reason to feel guilty or not?
It is difficult to overcome guilt; overcoming it is a process. Recognize the process, own up to your actions, but also work to forgive yourself because if you don’t, the guilt can eat you alive.
Van Gogh’s ex-girlfriend, Janelle, has a small but significant role in this story. Without giving anything away, do you think she will continue to play a significant role in the boys’ lives?
Absolutely. Not only is Janelle Van Gogh’s first love, but she has always accepted Wolfgang exactly for who he is; this acceptance is something he never received from his father. He also thinks that he was never accepted by his mother because she left.
Janelle is like the sister that Wolfgang never had and Van Gogh’s other half. Even though she is mostly present in flashbacks, the very fact that Wolfgang recalls these moments alludes to the fact that she will continue to impact Wolfgang and Van Gogh’s lives.
The boys make the decision to travel from Florida to New York. How did you come up with this path versus the traditional east coast to west coast and vice versa path that most road trip stories take?
Very much like their trip, Wolfgang and Van Gogh are anything but traditional. However, whether they traveled from east coast to west coast, or vice versa, it didn’t really matter.
The boys needed to travel a great distance to find the person who abandoned them over a decade ago so that they can stay together. New York is home to me, which is why New York was their destination, but Florida was chosen at random. Instead of the geographic markers, what really mattered was the distance they were willing to travel and what they were willing to sacrifice to stay together.
The letters that the boys read throughout their trip provide a captivating backstory in an interesting way. Was it challenging to come up with the content of these letters or was it fun?
It was fun to create the content of these letters; this trope allowed me to reveal information and to include the voices of those who were not present during their trip.
How did you determine how much to say or not say in order to maintain the element of surprise at the end of the book?
I think this came naturally since I didn’t exactly know the ending of the book until I wrote it. I know several writers advise aspiring writers to write the ending first so that they know where they are going, but my process is a little different. My stories and driven by character choices and personas rather than the plot.
Since I know my characters really well, I will think of a situation and then ask myself, “What would Wolfgang do in this particular situation? How about Van Gogh?” At one point, I had imagined several different endings, so it wasn’t until I wrote the content of the letters and reread my previous chapters that I began to have a sense of the ending.
However, it was only when I wrote it that I thought, “Yes, that’s how it needs to end. Everything led to this moment.” It just felt right for these characters.
Any plans for a sequel?
Readers, friends and family members have asked me this question. When I finished writing Breathe Deep & Swim, I really missed writing about Wolfgang and Van Gogh’s adventures.
Out of all of the characters that I have created, they are by far my favorite, so I would love to create new adventures for them, but their story is done. So, no sequel is in the works, but I hope the story and these brothers have an everlasting impact on the readers, leaving them wanting more.
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I see why you could not pass up on this book! I am big into stories featuring siblings and love how contemporary this is so definitely an addition to my reading list. 🙂
Family has been such an important theme throughout the pandemic, and it sounds like the book has an interesting take on those complex relationships. Adding it to my list as well!
Hope you like it!