⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

it hurts to breathe by Jharna Sutaria is a deeply moving, raw, and necessary novella that confronts the harsh realities of a world where access to reproductive care is fraught with political barriers and social stigmas. Inspired by the devastating aftermath of 2022’s overturn of Roe v. Wade, Sutaria’s story resonates with the urgency of current events, weaving together themes of generational trauma, love, resilience, and healing in the wake of tragedy.

This novella is not an easy read, but it’s a powerful one. Sutaria uses a series of interconnected vignettes to tell the stories of three individuals, each struggling to find their place in a world that often feels too cruel, too unjust. There’s a transgender man who, after surviving the trauma of rape and a post-abortion childhood, searches for a sense of belonging that seems to elude him. His story is tenderly told, showing the impact of both his past trauma and the societal pressures that weigh on him as he tries to rebuild his life.

Then, there’s a young mother, torn between loyalty to her partner and her parents, forced to make impossible choices that challenge her sense of identity. Her internal struggle, set against a backdrop of familial expectations, is heartbreakingly relatable, especially in a world where women’s rights are continually called into question. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the emotional toll that political decisions take on individuals and families alike.

Finally, we meet a girl whose unwavering grit allows her to navigate life’s cracks, finding a way to love and heal despite the brokenness surrounding her. Her story, while perhaps the most hopeful of the three, does not shy away from the hardships she faces, making her resilience all the more poignant.

What makes it hurts to breathe so impactful is how it uses these different perspectives to explore the ripple effects of systemic injustice on everyday people. Each character’s experience is distinct, yet their struggles are inextricably linked by the common theme of seeking love and healing amidst a world that often denies them the care, compassion, and rights they deserve. The title itself, it hurts to breathe, reflects both the suffocating oppression they face and the tentative hope that keeps them moving forward.

Sutaria’s writing is lyrical and understated, capturing the quiet moments of pain and strength that define these characters’ lives. Her ability to distill complex emotions into a few lines is remarkable, giving the novella a poetic quality that lingers long after the final page. She doesn’t offer easy answers, but instead presents a nuanced portrayal of the intersections between personal trauma and political turmoil.

One of the novella’s strengths lies in its structure. The vignette style allows Sutaria to dive deep into the emotional core of each character’s experience without getting bogged down in unnecessary details. The result is a tightly crafted narrative that feels both intimate and universal, as though these could be the stories of anyone living through the post-Roe v. Wade reality.

If there’s any critique, it’s that the brevity of the novella sometimes leaves you wanting more—more time with these characters, more insight into their internal worlds. While the short, vignette format is effective in delivering emotional punches, there are moments where the narrative could benefit from additional depth, particularly when exploring the long-term impacts of trauma on these individuals’ lives.

Nevertheless, it hurts to breathe is an important, beautifully written novella that shines a spotlight on the human toll of political decisions. Sutaria has created a work that is both timely and timeless, a story of survival, love, and healing that will resonate with anyone who has ever been affected by reproductive rights—or the lack thereof. It’s a haunting and hopeful reminder that, despite the cracks in our society, love and resilience can still offer a way forward.

This was a very important and heartbreaking read. Major themes of abuse is talked about all throughout the book and at times it was difficult to read. I had to take a few breaks while reading because, even though the topics are important to discuss, it was still difficult to get through.

─ 𝟑 ★ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 🕊️🪽 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚

TW: R*pe, trauma. Please consider those before reading, as the reading is centered around those subjects, mostly.

As I was looking for a thought provoking ARC, I managed to get this one, and it was an emotional rollercoaster.

This novella is a powerful blend of emotion, resilience, and beauty. It skillfully weaves together themes of abuse, family dynamics, trauma, and love, creating a story that is both thought-provoking and deeply impactful. The way these themes are intertwined adds layers of complexity, making it a poignant and reflective narrative.

I especially thought it was interesting having the POVs of most of the characters shown in the story, to see how they dealt with their own traumas and how they feel about the other characters.

The author’s note about merging fact with fiction is especially striking, as it seamlessly fuses personal truth with creative storytelling to craft something truly compelling. Despite its brevity, the novella manages to convey its heavy subject matter with a certain grace, making it both accessible and profound. A truly moving read that lingers long after the final page.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for trusting me with this ARC.

This was really moving.

The way that we get the same story from
3 different sides is quite different from most other books, I think. It feels so important to experience those events from each person’s perspective.

Even though every character is nameless and there’s very little information on what they look like or what there personalities are outside of the main focus of the narrative, it’s extremely difficult not to get emotionally attached to them all.

This novella was moving, harrowing and beautiful. The themes of abuse, family, trauma and love were incredibly intertwined and make a reflective and interesting story. As the author notes, this is based on fact and fiction, and it beautifully blends the two to create a wonderful story.

As it is a novella, it is short and easy to digest, despite the heavy subject matter. Thoroughly enjoyed.

I thought this book was mostly autobiographical, especially due to the final part where the narrator says that the novella is a mix of fact and fiction -- then the author's note did not reflect any of it being based in true life. That being said, it was a very quick read and I liked the differing points of view for the same story. The formatting was off and I did get confused at the first narrator getting pregnant at age 12 but later saying the abortion was at age 11, so I think it could do with some more editing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a very blunt novella. It makes some aspects of the story more impactful, though I think later on it takes a bit from it as well. Despite that feeling I think the bluntness is important given the fact this book handles controversial and emotional topics.

I must say I really appreciate that this books addresses that (cis) women are not the only ones who are impacted by reproductive rights threats. Despite the fact it's something to be aware of, it is incredibly hard to have the energy to read things on it when they are so gendered. I think this book should be read even just to remind people of the realities of the people who may need such care.

Overall, this is a good novella and definitely worth a read.

This was a beautifully created heart-breaking collection of poetry that dealt with so many important and hard hitting topics.

Beautiful and deeply personal, this novella explores themes of identity, family and abuse. The prose was easy to read, despite the subject matter being incredibly difficult. I applaud Sutaria for writing such a moving piece and bravely putting their story out into the world.

This quick read was inspired by the overturning of Roe v Wade, but does not focus solely on abortion. Sure, there is an abortion at the start of the story (and the question of another), but I found the topic of created family to be more compelling and abortion is but one component in that. A rape and subsequent abortion experienced by a transman earlier on in his life starts us off and in alternating chapters, we hear other voices that become closer and more distant throughout the years. There are voices of anger, pain, and yearning. It comes together a bit too tidy for my liking in the end, but also provides some relief in that it reinforces the idea that family can continue to be created and doesn't ever have to be finished.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley but it has been out since last year. This novella was heartbreaking, intense and so very very good. The book had me near sobbing.