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lindsayaunderwood's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was so different from anything I've read recently. I loved the raw and emotional description of surfing.
evawilson's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mrs_bonaventure's review against another edition
5.0
I read this over a weekend in Devon with the green lapping under the window, and I dived into the world Tim Winton creates, a deep and broad world of forests, estuary, surf, small towns and danger. Sucked in, I didn't surface until I was finished. It's a great portrait of adolescence and the stale taste of adulthood after you realise you're mortal and that being alive lasts a long time.
meatballhead02's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
An amazing and well-written story about the friendship of two boys in Western Australia who befriend an older surfer and his American wife. Under the tutelage of the older surfer, the two boys, Loonie and Pikelet progress in their surfing skills, taking on ever bigger waves, but also continuously pushing themselves to dangerous new heights.
somanybookstoread's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the writing and the thematic current of breath that ran thoughtout but I couldn't get into the subject matter. Ultimately, I found the book to be about two topics -- surfing and S&M. The jump from one to the next happened abruptly, and as soon as we got to sex, surfing didn't matter anymore. Just when I was starting to get into the surfing... Besides our narrator, I didn't find the characters very likable. But I do give Winton credit for his simple and precise prose.
t_banks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mercury4mercy's review against another edition
4.0
Breath is written from the perspective of an adult man telling the story from a period of his youth. Born in raised in Australia, Pikelet forms multiple relationships that push him past his comfort zone at the sacrifice of his sense of self. His first friend, Loonie was a neglected thrill seeker that sought validation and approval with increasingly high-stakes stunts. The two boys are taken in by an older surfer, Sando, who woos them with his skill and proficiency on the board. Ultimately, Pikelet is abandoned by Loonie and Sando and taken in by Sando’s wife Eva. Eva is a bitter unfulfilled ex-athlete who was forced into retirement from her professional ski career by a knee injury. In every relationship Pikelet has, he is pushed to prove his loyalty and value before ultimately being abandoned at the first sign of dissent.
The book highlights increasingly abusive relationship dynamics with each successive relationship Pikelet has. With Loonie the line between healthy boundaries is blurred between himself and others. It is clear that the years of friendship with Loonie facilitated a 'don't push back' mentality when met with a challenge. Sando actively isolates the boys from their other friends by refusing to acknowledge them while they are around and instills a belief that an individual’s value stems from overcoming fear through dangerous activities. With Loonie's continued influence, their relationship with Sando only served to solidify the risk-taking behaviors to the point of necessity. Finally, his relationship with Eva oversteps physically boundaries when she sexually abused him (he's a teenager while she is in her mid-twenties) while openly despising Pikelet. Eva emotionally and sexually tortures Pikelet to actuate her frustration with her unfulfilled life.
When Pikelet ventured to set any kind of boundaries he was abandoned, instilling a massive amount of distrust that he will ever be more than a passenger in someone else's car. In the end, Loonie despised him for being first, Sando despised him for being scared, and Eva despised him for being weak. Pikelet never found the relationship he was looking for in the end but instead found peace in his solitude and that I suppose is its own sort of overcome fear.
---
Winton’s writing flows beautifully and the use of ‘the adult man telling the child’s story’ creates a sense of disconnect and foreshadowing. Between the child-like behavior and adult awareness, awareness not only from life experience but having lived this story himself, Winton capitalizes on what amounts to foreshadowing the next major conflict Pikelet will face long before the behaviors of the characters do. Though not a happy story it is a joy to read.
The book highlights increasingly abusive relationship dynamics with each successive relationship Pikelet has. With Loonie the line between healthy boundaries is blurred between himself and others. It is clear that the years of friendship with Loonie facilitated a 'don't push back' mentality when met with a challenge. Sando actively isolates the boys from their other friends by refusing to acknowledge them while they are around and instills a belief that an individual’s value stems from overcoming fear through dangerous activities. With Loonie's continued influence, their relationship with Sando only served to solidify the risk-taking behaviors to the point of necessity. Finally, his relationship with Eva oversteps physically boundaries when she sexually abused him (he's a teenager while she is in her mid-twenties) while openly despising Pikelet. Eva emotionally and sexually tortures Pikelet to actuate her frustration with her unfulfilled life.
When Pikelet ventured to set any kind of boundaries he was abandoned, instilling a massive amount of distrust that he will ever be more than a passenger in someone else's car. In the end, Loonie despised him for being first, Sando despised him for being scared, and Eva despised him for being weak. Pikelet never found the relationship he was looking for in the end but instead found peace in his solitude and that I suppose is its own sort of overcome fear.
---
Winton’s writing flows beautifully and the use of ‘the adult man telling the child’s story’ creates a sense of disconnect and foreshadowing. Between the child-like behavior and adult awareness, awareness not only from life experience but having lived this story himself, Winton capitalizes on what amounts to foreshadowing the next major conflict Pikelet will face long before the behaviors of the characters do. Though not a happy story it is a joy to read.
bessieking's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
esshgee's review against another edition
2.0
*Full disclosure: I am NOT a TW fan, and only read this because it is this month's choice for my book club*
Didn't much like this book but I didn't dislike it enough to chuck it after my self-imposed "50 pages or it's gone" rule, hence the 2 stars. Some of the surfing description I found a bit boring and repetitive, and I really hated the "twist" which seemed to be shoved in there along with a few later comments in order to link back to the story's beginning. This book is not for me, but I managed to finish. Am still confounded as to why TW is so popular - clearly I just don't get it
Didn't much like this book but I didn't dislike it enough to chuck it after my self-imposed "50 pages or it's gone" rule, hence the 2 stars. Some of the surfing description I found a bit boring and repetitive, and I really hated the "twist" which seemed to be shoved in there along with a few later comments in order to link back to the story's beginning. This book is not for me, but I managed to finish. Am still confounded as to why TW is so popular - clearly I just don't get it
cashm0ney's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
All these dudes do is surf in silence