How It Feels to Float

Helena Fox

May 2019 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of the Year

"Profoundly moving . . . Will take your breath away." —Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces

A stunningly gorgeous and deeply hopeful portrayal of living with mental illness and grief, from an exceptional new voice.

Biz knows how to float. She has her people, her posse, her mom and the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who tells her about the little kid she was, and who shouldn't be here but is. So Biz doesn't tell anyone anything. Not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And she doesn't tell anyone about her dad. Because her dad died when she was seven. And Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface—normal okay regular fine.

But after what happens on the beach—first in the ocean, and then in the sand—the tethers that hold Biz steady come undone. Dad disappears and, with him, all comfort. It might be easier, better, sweeter to float all the way away? Or maybe stay a little longer, find her father, bring him back to her. Or maybe—maybe maybe maybe—there's a third way Biz just can't see yet.

Debut author Helena Fox tells a story about love and grief, about inter-generational mental illness, and how living with it is both a bridge to someone loved and lost and, also, a chasm. She explores the hard and beautiful places loss can take us, and honors those who hold us tightly when the current wants to tug us out to sea.

"Give this to all [your] friends immediately." —Cosmopolitan.com
"I haven't been so dazzled by a YA in ages." —Jandy Nelson, author of I'll Give You the Sun (via SLJ)
"Mesmerizing and timely." —Bustle
"Nothing short of exquisite." —PopSugar
"Immensely satisfying" —Girls' Life
* "Lyrical and profoundly affecting." —Kirkus (starred review)
* "Masterful...Just beautiful." —Booklist (starred review)
* "Intimate...Unexpected." —PW (starred review)
* "Fox writes with superb understanding and tenderness." —BCCB (starred review)
* "Frank [and] beautifully crafted." —BookPage (starred review)
"Deeply moving...A story of hope." —Common Sense Media
"This book will explode you into atoms." —Margo Lanagan, author of Tender Morsels
"Helena Fox's novel delivers. Read it." —Cath Crowley, author of Words in Deep Blue
"This is not a book; it is a work of art." —Kerry Kletter, author of The First Time She Drowned
"Perfect...Readers will be deeply moved." —Books+Publishing

Ratings and reviews

I read the 1st chapter and I thought it was just okay. I mean maybe it gets better, but so far Idt it was 'that' interesting as the other reviews said. I do think it could be a good read for teenagers though bc the author speaks of relatable teen issues and is well written.

READ THIS BOOK! This story follows the life of Biz, a teenaged girl. Biz lives with her family, goes to school, explores her sexuality and navigates the rough waters of growing up, as well as often talking with her father—her dead father. There is so much to love about this book. The writing. The writing is gorgeous. This is not a book you want to rush through. It should be savored. Biz is a fantastic character. She struggles with mental illness which is handled in a very realistic way. She also struggles to label her sexuality. Does she like girls? Boys? Both? I really was able to identify with Biz, and was able to really get inside her head. The other characters were also amazing. I don’t to spoil to much, so I’m just going to say that the plot was great, the pacing was great, plus the cover is beautiful. What are you waiting for? Go read it!!!

This book, written in first person point of view (my favorite), is a powerful debut with so much I loved about it: 1) The writing is poetic, lyrical, concrete, and raw. It grabbed me and from the start and never let go. 2) The friendships and family 3) The beautiful setting of Australia 4) The exploration of sexuality 5) The graceful way the author explored mental illness felt authentic and the best I've ever encountered in YA. I looked forward to my reading time with this novel and the short chapters made it easy to squeeze in just a little bit more time with Biz and her world. This is one of my favorite books this year.

About the author

Helena Fox lives in Wollongong, Australia, where she runs creative writing workshops for young people. She's a graduate of the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. How It Feels to Float is her debut novel. She can be found at www.helenafoxauthor.com