If A MOUTHFUL OF AIR is the type of fiction novelist Amy Koppelman
can churn out on a regular basis, then she has quite an impressive
literary career ahead of her.

Koppelman's debut novel, set in New York City, centers on Julie
Davis, a young mother dealing with the aftershock of a failed
suicide attempt from postpartum depression. From the onset of A
MOUTHFUL OF AIR, Koppelman, who is a frequent contributor to The
New York Observer, quickly submerses you into the story with
rapid fire pace. Julie does all she can to piece her life back
together with her doting husband Ethan and her toddler Teddy. But
we soon learn that Julie's depression is much more than just a case
of the "baby blues." Her depression is extremely debilitating.
Everyday tasks in Julie's world aren't carried out that easily.
Koppelman keeps the neurosis of her character chugging along.
Whether she's pushing a baby carriage through the streets of
Manhattan or taking in a Knicks game with her husband and his
friends, Julie always seems to be inches away from a complete
nervous breakdown.

Nonetheless, Julie does all she can to carry out some semblance of
a normal and loving marriage with her husband until she is faced
with a momentous decision after discovering she's pregnant with her
second child. While her doctors are at opposite ends of the
anti-depressant spectrum, Julie must decide whether to remain on
Zoloft during her pregnancy and risk abnormalities or halt her
prescription and deal with the disease.

Most importantly about A MOUTHFUL OF AIR is the underlying theme
that depression, no matter what shape or form, isn't something to
be brushed off as merely a case of melancholy. Currently, 17
million Americans suffer from some form of depression on a yearly
basis, including this reviewer who is being treated with Prozac for
clinical depression.

Koppelman also does a tremendous job conveying the point that,
although Julie is surrounded with some degree of affluence, none of
it can pacify the mental anguish of depression. After Ethan
relocates the family from Manhattan to a stately manor on Long
Island, Julie attends a Tupperware party hosted by one of her
neighbors. Koppelman is able to illustrate with surgeon-like
precision the nuances of life in suburbia and how, at times, the
country lifestyle can be extremely suffocating to deal with,
especially if a person is suffering from depression.

Although the story is extremely dark at times and contains strong
language, the mood of the novel is a clear insight to the depth of
talent Koppelman possesses as a writer. This type of novel is what
makes fiction such a joy to read, for it allows readers to
experience total escapism and take a breather from dealing with
their own problems.