Breath, by Tim Winton

It’s a sign of a good book when an author can take subject matter that is completely alien and render it in a way that immerses you, fascinates you, moves you. The Australian Tim Winton did that for me with Breath, a coming-of-age tale about surfing and other extreme adventures.

In Breath, two boys in their early teens growing up in Western Australia find companionship in one shared interest: holding their breath underwater. Bruce Pike (or Pikelet, our narrator) is a quiet boy from a quiet working family whose parents want him to stay away from the water. Ivan Loon (Loonie) is a reckless daredevil from poor and abusive parents.

Although they have nothing else in common, their love of the water makes them almost inseparable. This bond tightens when they fall under the sway of two Americans: Sando, a larger-than-life, vagabond surfer and extreme sports adventurer, and his wife, Eva, a mysterious woman who seems to be stoked by anger.  Under their tutelage, Pikelet and Loonie follow a lifestyle that leads them into ever-escalating risks and find that their friendship has a dark rivalry at its base.

Winton’s description of the ocean will leave even non-swimmers feeling like they have just been pummelled by a giant wave. Visits to Sando and Eva’s remote house take on an almost mystical pull. 

The story is framed at start and finish by a few scenes from Pike’s later life as an EMT. Although not destroyed, he’s clearly haunted by a past that has given him wisdom, but a sad kind of wisdom. Ultimately, this is a book about how the instinctual decisions and obsessions of youth can have dramatic, far-reaching impacts–impacts that can define a life.

There is some dark content here: fear, betrayal, recklessness, and some extreme sexual conduct, but Winton handles these subjects with respect and gravity. I heartily recommend this powerful little novel.

Check the WRL catalog for Breath