Breath: A Novel by Tim Winton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Breath: A Novel
Book Review: Phoning it in
Summary: 2 Stars
Tim Winton is a great writer but this is not one of his great books. Reading it, one gets a sense of an old short story that has been hanging around for a while and which he has decided to turn into something more 'fleshy'. The characters are one-dimensional and the plot meanders.
Extremely disappointing.
Book Review: Powerful, moving, beautifully written. If not for the central event of the novel, this could have been such a good teen read
Summary: 4 Stars
Middle-aged paramedic reflects back on experiences as 15-yr-old, when he and a friend are taken under the wing of an aging surfer and taught the skills and passion for extreme surfing. The older surfer's wife is an American ex-skier now felled by injury and her sexual seduction of the 15-yr-old is also part of his memories. The drive to surf for the sheer beauty, challenge, and thrill of it stands in stark contrast to the workaday world of the boy's family. He watches while his friend risks his life on the water and follows his mentor to foreign lands, adrift in the thrall of riding the biggest waves. Thrown from the board and tossed about underwater, they experience the asphyxiation necessary to avoid drowning. The impulse to breathe, and the impulse to stifle it, seem to stand in conflict on many levels in this intense coming of age story. The death that bookends the story, as the main character, now an adult paramedic, is called to the scene of a teenaged boy's apparent suicide by hanging, darkens the novel and limits its readership to adults.
Told with Winton's usual stark, inventive, and vivid prose.
Book Review: Risky business
Summary: 4 Stars
Breath
Breath is a coming of age story about two young Western Australia surfers and their mentor. I appreciated most aspects of it, the pared-down style, the well-drawn characters, the evocative surfing scenes, and the semi-surprising plot. Early on you will think you understand the full significance of the title, but you should hold off for awhile. Winton is an admirable writer.
Book Review: Sorry I have to be the bearer of bad news!
Summary: 2 Stars
This book is well written, however, unless you are obsessed with surfing, you may not enjoy this novel. A significan part of the story, > 80%, is spent through the eyes of a teenager on a surfboard, literally!!
Pikelet and Loonie have always been mates. They do everthing together that involves courage and dares. This includes getting the guts to ride the most gnarly waves. Sando, an adult drifter, whom the boys admire turns them onto waves that are beyond description. To reach some of these waves one has to paddle a mile out to sea. As you can see surfing to two young teenagers in Sawyer, Australia, is not a hobby or even a passion, it's a way of life.
I found the story not only repetitive but pretty depressing as well. Pikelet, only 15 years old, begins an adult relationship, with a emotionally insecure woman who also has a death wish. Not fully understanding we he has gotten himself into, Pikelet finds himself usually depressed and being treated like garbage. He is also introduced to some pretty sick sex.
The book culminates with one sad story upon another. This is not coming of age fiction but the story of a kid wasting away his young life. Maybe the mill town of Sawyer where everyone seems so one dimensional really leaves him no other alternatives.
Book Review: Surfing the monsters waves with Breath...
Summary: 5 Stars
Breath is told from the view of a 14 year old boy and his coming of age during the 1970's with his danger seeking best friend, Loonie, and their surfing Guru, Sando coupled with his wife Eva. The group seeks to push the envelope harder and harder facing their fears in a spiral of adrenaline rushes. Once the characters overcome the waves they seek new fear-thrills though the use of Sport and breath control. Winton's description of the sport will take you there. You will ask yourself what is ordinary? Where do we cross the line? And Why do people seek to play on the balance beam between life and death? This is a well written Adult book with great characters (do not recommend for Adolescents and Teens- contains sex, drugs and edgy thrills- all meant for mature readers).
Winton writes using every nuance of english language including Australian slang. As in all Winton's books you have a strong sense of the land (and water), it's power and spiritual undertones. A most enjoyable book.... A great beach read!