The Air You Breathe

The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles is a beautifully written novel set mainly in Brazil in the 1930’s. Dores and Graça are two girls who come from the same sugar plantation in Brazil but who come from two very different backgrounds. Dores is a girl born to a farm worker and almost thrown in the sugar cane to die as a baby, but she was given to a kitchen worker to raise. Graça is the spoiled daughter of the sugar plantation’s owner. They develop a complicated love/friendship over the years that is held together by their love of music but their differences are never forgotten. I loved reading about Brazil and about samba music. There were wonderful characters in this book and I was really rooting for most of them! The story was a little too drawn out for me (especially the first half) but Frances de Pontes Peebles’ writing is so beautiful that I can’t wait to read her next book! I got this book as my Book of the Month club selection in August and now I’m trying to decide which one to choose for October!