Plot Summary

Breath

Tim Winton
Guide cover placeholder

Breath

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2008

Book Brief

Tim Winton

Breath

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2008
Book Details
Pages

215

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Western Australia • 1970s

Publication Year

2008

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In the 1970s, young Bruce “Pikelet” Pike, in Sawyer, Western Australia, forms a complicated friendship with risk-taking Ivan “Loonie” Loon and meets an influential older couple, Sando and Eva Sanderson, through surfing adventures. Pikelet navigates thrill-seeking, evolving relationships, and significant life challenges as he comes of age, leading to lifelong reflections on those formative experiences and their lasting impacts. The novel contains depictions of suicide, risky sexual behavior, and substance abuse.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Adventurous

Nostalgic

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

4.1

26,267 ratings

72%

Loved it

22%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Tim Winton's Breath is lauded for its lyrical prose and vivid portrayal of Australia's coastal landscape, capturing the exhilarating yet dangerous allure of surfing. Critics praise its coming-of-age narrative for its emotional depth and authenticity. However, some find the pacing uneven and certain plot elements predictable. Overall, it's a compelling exploration of risk, identity, and the natural world.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Breath?

Readers who enjoy thrilling, introspective novels with rich, atmospheric settings and character-driven plots will relish Tim Winton's Breath. Fans of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick or Jack London's The Call of the Wild will appreciate its exploration of man's relationship with nature, as well as its vivid depiction of the coming-of-age experience amidst the surfing culture of Australia.

4.1

26,267 ratings

72%

Loved it

22%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Fun Facts

Breath by Tim Winton won the 2009 Miles Franklin Award, one of Australia's most prestigious literary awards, highlighting the novel's significant cultural impact.

The novel was adapted into a film in 2017, directed by Simon Baker, who also starred in the movie, bringing Winton's vivid portrayal of surfing culture to the screen.

Subscribe to discover more Fun Facts!

Tim Winton is an acclaimed Australian author known for his evocative descriptions of the Australian landscape, which are prominently showcased in Breath.

Subscribe to discover more Fun Facts!

Book Details
Pages

215

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Western Australia • 1970s

Publication Year

2008

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!