But what does with those hazards in her stories is something altogether magical.' - The Seattle Times the passage through childhood and puberty is strewn with dangers and roadblocks. More so than any debut author in recent years, Orringer proves that the kids are all right, even when they're not.' - The Austin Chronicle It's impossible not to feel for the pained and alienated young women in Orringer's stories, and impossible not to be stunned and moved by their quests for redemption. Even the grimmest of these stories conveys, along with anguish, a child's spark of mystery and wonder.' - The New York Times 'The harsh landscape in which Orringer's characters dwell corresponds to the fierce beauty of her writing. Just when you think they will stop-and lesser writers would stop-they keep going with inexorable momentum.' - Ploughshare 'Pure gems, rollicking along with scintillating prose and surety. Orringer limns the ordinary, terrifying time between childhood and maturity so skillfully.' - San Francisco Chronicle 'Orringer's engaging wit, her eye for social detail, her ear for patterns of speech and thought, and her insights into human nature proclaim her a writer to be reckoned with.' - Los Angeles Times This, Orringer's first book, is breathtakingly good, truly felt and beautifully delivered.' - The Guardian Even her most bitter characters have a gift, the sharp wit of envy. 'These stories are without exception clear-eyed, compassionate and deeply moving. How to Breathe Underwater is a dark and beautiful book.' - The New York Times Book Review

How to breathe underwater orringer