Holding My Breath: A Novel

Holding My Breath, a first novel by Sidura Ludwig, is a coming of age story set in the North End of Winnepeg, Canada, spanning from the 1950’s and into the 70’s. Told from the perspective of Beth Levy, the book chronicles the life of a young Jewish woman struggling to find her identity and the

delicate balance between living up to family expectations while trying to follow one’s dreams.

Ludwig provides the reader with insight into the overwhelming and suffocating sense of duty and responsibility placed upon the shoulders of a young woman growing up in a Jewish community (or any community, perhaps) during that particular period of time. Rather than following her dreams of studying astronomy, Beth is encouraged to stay in Winnepeg and take over the family business and, above all else, become a wife and mother.

Ludwig succeeds in providing a sense of place about the insular world that Beth inhabits, revolving around her home, her aunt’s apartment and the family pharmacy. The cast of women in Beth’s life are well developed – her mother, Goldie, who emphasizes the importance of family and community responsibility; beautiful and rebellious aunt Sarah, whom Beth idolizes; and eccentric aunt Carrie who never marries and lives in the past.

There were a few areas that potentially could have deserved further development. As the only Jew on a softball team, Beth strives to make sure her last name is not placed on the team t-shirt. This was the first and only mention of Beth being self conscious about her Jewish heritage. I was left wandering about the significance of this episode in the story as a whole. Beth also has several friends that flit in and out of the story, but we never fully get to know them.

But, all in all, a good debut novel. I will look forward to reading more from Sidura Ludwig.

[Reviewed as an advance review copy as part of Book Browse's First Impressions program]

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