Continue Breathing
By Josh Greenfield
Genre: Fiction
“Continue Breathing: A Novel” follows the adventures and misadventures of its protagonist, Jordan Fineman, as he seeks to fight his way out of the depths of an emotional breakdown. Jordan is diagnosed as both a manic-depressive, during the days when that term was still in use, and a severe obsessive-compulsive. Before he can find his place in the world as a writer, before he can know a relative amount of peace, he must go through his trials; two hospitalizations for mental illness, a psychotic episode, more than twenty-five years of psychotherapy and swimming pools full of psychiatric medications. In the end, it is a story of perseverance and victory, and of striving to live in the present day, made possible by one particularly skilled psychiatrist and his able successor. If Jordan begins his journey with one particular gift, it is his sense of humor. He is able to laugh at himself. This, in the end, is what brings him home.
Review:
Continue Breathing by Josh Greenfield is a deeply relatable novel, and I’m happy I was able to read it. I haven’t read a book that approaches mental health in this way, and I think it was fantastic. It is sensitive, honest, and raw, while keeping me hooked, as a fictional novel should.
This is a beautiful story. It shows the truly dark parts of mental illness, as well as the hope and perseverance. It takes work to get to the point of hope, and I love that the main character goes through a journey.
Jordan is an excellent character. His growth is incredibly inspiring to read. This is one of the most relatable main character I’ve read.
Easy five stars. I highly recommend this novel!
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Sage’s Blog Tours to review honestly. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
Josh Greenfield is a graduate of both Phillips Andover Academy and Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He holds two master’s degrees from the City University of New York, one in history and one in English literature. He also completed the better part of a doctorate in English at Fordham University. In his writing he attempt to address the recovery from mental illness with humor and honesty.
His work has been featured in The Cornell Daily Sun, The Riverdale Press, Appalachia, Word Catalyst Magazine, Better than Starbucks, Chaleur Magazine, The B’K Magazine, Prometheus Dreaming and Adelaide Literary Magazine. His story “And the Doors of the Ambulance Closed,” was nominated for a Best of the Net 2019 award. His novel “Continue Breathing,” was published by Adelaide Books in 2020.
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Jessica Belmont 
Thanks, so much, for the thumbs up, Jessica. Much appreciated.
Josh Greenfield
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You’re welcome!
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