This short story collection, written by Kim Addonizio is concerned with everyday human life, and the obstacles people come across. Often these are very personal things, ones that cannot be perceived externally. For example, the protagonist of "Breathe" appears to be cynical and untrusting from the outside, but as we learn more about her we come to understand that she is dealing with her own, hidden traumas due to the untimely death of her sister. In "Another Breakup Story," the tragic details of the breakup are not knowable from beyond the relationships.
In order to cope with their own emotional issues and tragedies, Addonizio's protagonists often have coping mechanisms. For example, Annabelle connects with animals to compensate for the lack of connection she has with her family. In "Breathe" the protagonist turns to food and TV in order to distract herself, and in "Cancer poems," a cancer patient finds comfort and solace in poetry. Sometimes, coping mechanisms are necessary for people to deal with the issues in their lives, and are ultimately a positive force. However, Addonizio also shows how coping mechanisms can be negative, as the protagonist of "Breathe" engages with negative habits in order to distract herself from dealing with her problems.
Loss and grief in particular are key struggles the protagonists deal with, informed by the author's own encounters with loss. Many of the protagonists are dealing with the death of a loved one; for example, in "Breathe" the protagonist is coping with the death of her younger sister, which she still hasn't processed. In "Another Breakup Song," the protagonist is dealing with the aftermath of the breakup of a relationship, which is another kind of loss. In "Cancer Poems," the protagonist is confronted with the loss of her own future, from which she finds solace in a creative writing workshop.
