Holding Her Breath is both thoughtful and thought-provoking in many ways. Beth Crowe is a student, adjusting to her studies whilst trying to get back to the competitive swimming that she has been struggling with, but the major theme of the book is the spectre of the grandfather she never knew, Benjamin Crowe. Ben was a much lauded poet but not much talked about in Beth's family so when she has the chance to view his archive through her grandmother, Lydia, and when she meets people who can tell her more about Ben or who share her interest, she finds a way of getting to know her grandfather.

I found this quite an intriguing read. I guess it's a slice-of-life story, one in which a 20 year old woman learns a lot about herself whilst also finding out more about her family background. It was the idea of discoveries in the archives which initially drew me to it and although it's not a book with dramatic reveals, I enjoyed Beth's quiet unearthing of the past. At the same time, she is having a secret relationship and I thought the author portrayed well the fact that Beth had her own secretive life whilst she delved into her family history.

Friendship is one of the strongest themes in this book, with old friends and new making a big impact on Beth's life, along with family ties and first love. It turns into quite a tumultuous time for her. It's been described as a coming-of-age story and I certainly think Beth goes through quite a transition and does some growing up along the way.

Holding Her Breath has a pared back style to the writing with not a word that felt extraneous. I thought it was a strong debut by Eimear Ryan with characters that I found fascinatingly multifaceted. ( )