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Breathing Water
Effie Greer watches the final days of summer play out from her grandparents' home in Lake Gormlaith, Vermont, with her boyfriend, Max. Despite the idyllic setting, Effie is hiding a secret. With a heated temper and shattered past, Max is headed toward self-destruction, and Effie, unwilling to let go, is close behind. Slowly, Effie begins to gain the strength necessary to leave the suffocating relationship. But on the evening she decides to go, Max's violence results in a tragic boating accident and the death of a child.
Unable to deal with her role in that terrible August night, Effie drifts aimlessly from city to city. Only when she learns that Max has died of a heroin overdose does she find the strength to return to Lake Gormlaith and face the demons that have kept her away. No longer a naive young girl, Effie is now a woman desperately seeking absolution. She ultimately finds her chance in the most unlikely of people.
Unable to deal with her role in that terrible August night, Effie drifts aimlessly from city to city. Only when she learns that Max has died of a heroin overdose does she find the strength to return to Lake Gormlaith and face the demons that have kept her away. No longer a naive young girl, Effie is now a woman desperately seeking absolution. She ultimately finds her chance in the most unlikely of people.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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929 people want to read
About the author
T. Greenwood
25 books1,813 followersT. Greenwood is the author of sixteen novels. She has received grants from the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Maryland State Arts Council. She has won four San Diego Book Awards. Five of her novels have been IndieNext picks. BODIES OF WATER was finalist for a Lambda Foundation award and KEEPING LUCY was a Target Book Club selection.
She teaches creative writing for San Diego Writer's Ink and The Writer's Center. She and her family split their time between San Diego and Vermont. She is also a photographer.
More information on T. Greenwood can be found at her websites: http://www.tgreenwood.com
She teaches creative writing for San Diego Writer's Ink and The Writer's Center. She and her family split their time between San Diego and Vermont. She is also a photographer.
More information on T. Greenwood can be found at her websites: http://www.tgreenwood.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
January 18, 2013
Book Review- Breathing Water
Breathing Water is a novel written by T. Greenwood about the ability to stay naïve and tenderhearted in the midst of heartbreak. Effie, the main character in the novel is small and kind though damaged. Her ex-boyfriend and conflicting character Max is true to his physical appearance. He is large and unintentionally harsh. He compares Effie to his mother and believes that he is responsible for being her caretaker the way a father would care for a child. Max’s overly protective and controlling ways spiral out of control leaving Effie like the Robin’s egg she finds on her porch one morning, small and broken yet delicate and beautiful.
It is my opinion that the book is extremely well balanced and relatable though there are odd circumstances throughout the entire novel. Everything from the way Greenwood describes the trees to the physical appearance of the characters relates to the emotions that can be stirred up inside a person from the circumstances faced in the novel which is what ultimately makes the book relatable. The book is similar to a popular book by Sarah Desson, Dreamland. The parallelism between the books is the main character describing herself as a ghost and the smallness they feel from the abuse of their boyfriends.
The book is also parallel to the bestselling book turned major motion picture Perks of Being a Wallflower when Sam speaks of feeling “small” after being cheated on. The book is a romantic book on the basis that the main character depends on the man in her life to take care of her and without him she feels invisible like a ghost. It is tragedy on the basis that her boyfriend does not know how to make her feel wanted because of his own insecurities. After all of the emotional damage Effie finds her innocent naivety with the new man living in the house next to hers.
The plot thickens as Effie comes to see that Max is the reason that her new boyfriends sister died. Noah represents forgiveness as he himself is very forgiving of the treacherous waters that his sister died in and symbolizes the path out of suffering through forgiveness. The book as a whole teaches the reader about how life goes on and forgiveness is key but it does so in an unconventional way which shows true human emotions and how confusing the gray areas of life are.
Breathing Water is a novel written by T. Greenwood about the ability to stay naïve and tenderhearted in the midst of heartbreak. Effie, the main character in the novel is small and kind though damaged. Her ex-boyfriend and conflicting character Max is true to his physical appearance. He is large and unintentionally harsh. He compares Effie to his mother and believes that he is responsible for being her caretaker the way a father would care for a child. Max’s overly protective and controlling ways spiral out of control leaving Effie like the Robin’s egg she finds on her porch one morning, small and broken yet delicate and beautiful.
It is my opinion that the book is extremely well balanced and relatable though there are odd circumstances throughout the entire novel. Everything from the way Greenwood describes the trees to the physical appearance of the characters relates to the emotions that can be stirred up inside a person from the circumstances faced in the novel which is what ultimately makes the book relatable. The book is similar to a popular book by Sarah Desson, Dreamland. The parallelism between the books is the main character describing herself as a ghost and the smallness they feel from the abuse of their boyfriends.
The book is also parallel to the bestselling book turned major motion picture Perks of Being a Wallflower when Sam speaks of feeling “small” after being cheated on. The book is a romantic book on the basis that the main character depends on the man in her life to take care of her and without him she feels invisible like a ghost. It is tragedy on the basis that her boyfriend does not know how to make her feel wanted because of his own insecurities. After all of the emotional damage Effie finds her innocent naivety with the new man living in the house next to hers.
The plot thickens as Effie comes to see that Max is the reason that her new boyfriends sister died. Noah represents forgiveness as he himself is very forgiving of the treacherous waters that his sister died in and symbolizes the path out of suffering through forgiveness. The book as a whole teaches the reader about how life goes on and forgiveness is key but it does so in an unconventional way which shows true human emotions and how confusing the gray areas of life are.
February 4, 2013
Love the prose - one of my favorite writers almost soley based on her ability to conjure and evoke feelings and emotions about her characters. Engaging and beautifully written.
August 31, 2015
well thank goodness I found out this was her debut piece of work. good but she does better, way better in storytelling and writing. this was descent start to her writing novel career.
September 4, 2020
3.5 stars. Good end of summer read. Wanted something easy and this book fit the bill. This was her first book and so far from what I have read she just gets better.
March 30, 2016
After reading this author's latest novel "Where I lost her", I had to find more of hers, (gotta love Kobo, I can have the book immediately without even getting off the couch) even breaking my strange rule of never reading two books by an author back to back.
I bought a bunch of hers and was thrilled to realize that this book featured the same characters and setting so I chose it to read first. I did just read a different review stating this was her first novel and that her novels got better with as they went. I did enjoy it, would give it a 3 1/2 but I wasn't wowed like the previous novel I had just read.
The story is mostly Effie's story, after being away three years, she returns to her grandmother's summer cottage at Lake Gormlaith in Vermont. We go back and forth from the tragedy of the last summer she was there and the events surrounding it, to three years later, when she returns and feels it's time to start living again.
I found the jumping around pasts and present rather confusing at times. Yes, the dates were at the head of the chapter but I found the chapters didn't flow smoothly and just a personal preference, I found it a little too poetic at times when I would wonder what she was trying to say.
I love the descriptive way she writes, I can visualize everything, it's like I am there and I can feel with the characters. From the books I have read of hers so far, there's a lot of emotion packed into them. I look forward to reading more of her.
I bought a bunch of hers and was thrilled to realize that this book featured the same characters and setting so I chose it to read first. I did just read a different review stating this was her first novel and that her novels got better with as they went. I did enjoy it, would give it a 3 1/2 but I wasn't wowed like the previous novel I had just read.
The story is mostly Effie's story, after being away three years, she returns to her grandmother's summer cottage at Lake Gormlaith in Vermont. We go back and forth from the tragedy of the last summer she was there and the events surrounding it, to three years later, when she returns and feels it's time to start living again.
I found the jumping around pasts and present rather confusing at times. Yes, the dates were at the head of the chapter but I found the chapters didn't flow smoothly and just a personal preference, I found it a little too poetic at times when I would wonder what she was trying to say.
I love the descriptive way she writes, I can visualize everything, it's like I am there and I can feel with the characters. From the books I have read of hers so far, there's a lot of emotion packed into them. I look forward to reading more of her.
February 10, 2018
(3.5 stars) I'd had this author on my radar for a while after reading some good reviews of her works, but hadn't managed to get my hands on any of them until an Early Reviewer copy found its way to me.
Basically, the main character of Effie returns home to her grandparents' lakeside cottage in Vermont after a few years away following a "tragedy" at the lake. Throughout the novel, the reader gets small references to this alluded tragedy, but never quite gets the full story, although it's somehow related to Effie's earlier relationship with an abusive boyfriend.
There are some beautiful passages in this novel and the prose is quite good for the most part, especially for a debut novel. I loved the lake cottage setting in Vermont and I instantly wanted to be there myself. But what kept me from enjoying this novel more was the character of Effie herself, I think. She was weak, and granted -- this was a story of recovery & healing, but I never really felt comfortable with the way she evolved. I enjoyed the way the story gradually unfolded via flashbacks, but I still felt like things were left unresolved by the end of the book. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I'd hoped, and I can't exactly put my finger on why that is. However, I do still want to pursue Greenwood's other novels & will seek them out in the future.
Basically, the main character of Effie returns home to her grandparents' lakeside cottage in Vermont after a few years away following a "tragedy" at the lake. Throughout the novel, the reader gets small references to this alluded tragedy, but never quite gets the full story, although it's somehow related to Effie's earlier relationship with an abusive boyfriend.
There are some beautiful passages in this novel and the prose is quite good for the most part, especially for a debut novel. I loved the lake cottage setting in Vermont and I instantly wanted to be there myself. But what kept me from enjoying this novel more was the character of Effie herself, I think. She was weak, and granted -- this was a story of recovery & healing, but I never really felt comfortable with the way she evolved. I enjoyed the way the story gradually unfolded via flashbacks, but I still felt like things were left unresolved by the end of the book. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I'd hoped, and I can't exactly put my finger on why that is. However, I do still want to pursue Greenwood's other novels & will seek them out in the future.
October 18, 2012
I can't even think of the accurate adjectives to describe the essence and presence I 've felt while reading these stories... in random order... from this author. When I find an author I enjoy I try to find all of their stories, most times going in order from recent to earliest or vice versa. This time around... random... and so glad I chose to go this route - feeling as though backstories of some of the characters were like visiting an old friend and realizing you just didn't know everything you should have about her; or finding parts that you share spoken or silent. In and out and back again through bits and pieces of a small Vermont community -the seasons, the heartaches, the picturesque settings... have all kept me turning pages anticipating the next twist, the next piece that adds to the completed whole.
December 14, 2015
T. Greenwood's gorgeous Breathing Water tackles some hefty themes: drug abuse, racism, abusive relationships, tragedy, and loss. But she tempers that darkness with themes of friendship, family, home, and love.
Effie escapes her abusive boyfriend and flees across the county. Three years later, she has reason to return to her beloved childhood home situated on a lake in Vermont. Trying to recover from her horrible ordeal, Effie feels overwhelmed to be back in her grandparents home. Everywhere she turns, there are symbols of security, yet she is so broken, she can't take them in. Redemption is available to her, but can she accept it?
Greenwood writes such a beautiful love letter to Vermont, the state itself becomes a major character in her story.
Greenwood's storytelling skills are definitely on point in her first published novel, and her prose is lush. Excellent!
Effie escapes her abusive boyfriend and flees across the county. Three years later, she has reason to return to her beloved childhood home situated on a lake in Vermont. Trying to recover from her horrible ordeal, Effie feels overwhelmed to be back in her grandparents home. Everywhere she turns, there are symbols of security, yet she is so broken, she can't take them in. Redemption is available to her, but can she accept it?
Greenwood writes such a beautiful love letter to Vermont, the state itself becomes a major character in her story.
Greenwood's storytelling skills are definitely on point in her first published novel, and her prose is lush. Excellent!
August 23, 2009
This book strains a bit too hard to be poetic and meaningful. The metaphors are inconsistant and the prose feel forced. Despite the water imagery and the ghostly passages that begin each section, ultimately Breathing Water is another book about a girl choosing the wrong guy, finding the will to leave him, and then finding herself again. 300 pages of the protagonist Effie's back and forth reflections -from her childhood memories of the lake, to her college years with an abusive boyfriend, to her present day trials of painting her grandfather's cabin - left me feeling bored and wanting.
May 16, 2016
This was a very good debut novel. The author uses very descriptive and lyrical prose.
This is the story of a woman who escapes from a very abusive relationship. Upon learning of her ex-boyfriend's death from a heroin overdose, she returns to her hometown in Vermont to face the ghosts from her past.
She is able to escape and find solace in a very unexpected form.
I am anxious to read more from this author.
This is the story of a woman who escapes from a very abusive relationship. Upon learning of her ex-boyfriend's death from a heroin overdose, she returns to her hometown in Vermont to face the ghosts from her past.
She is able to escape and find solace in a very unexpected form.
I am anxious to read more from this author.
October 22, 2012
I loved this book. Wonderful characters, wonderful setting, wonderful story. I read this book in a day. I read Undressing the Moon and did NOT like it, so I was reluctant to try this one, but I am so glad I did. I want to check out some of her other titles. This will be a definite handsell title for me at work.
June 25, 2015
I was disappointed by this. Effie, running from her secret-ridden past, returns to her childhood home. Meets a guy. Faces her demons. And so on. The only thing that I liked about this was a little twist at the end and a surprisingly sweet drive-in scene. Otherwise, it tried too hard and used too many metaphors that made no sense.
March 7, 2014
Something about this wasn't consistent enough for me. I'd find myself skimming, bored with the words but then engaged and eager to find out what was next. The language got a little too flowery for my tastes in parts. Things seemed so significant in the way it was written that I'd take notice, only for it not to mean much.
dnf
March 3, 2007Honestly one of the worst books I have ever started - I only made it about 20 pages into the book before I gave up and threw it in my DNF pile. Something about the author's writing style that I just could not get into.
February 13, 2013
Timeline was rather confusing. I found Effie interesting, but was annoyed with the way she dealt with Max. It was not at all clear why she hated her sister so much. Although this story had potential, I feel it was not fully developed.
July 20, 2018
“Do not ask me for haunted. Do not ever ask me for haunted, because I will give you haunted and you will never be the same.”
Effie Greer is living a fugitive life. When you are a fugitive, you don’t sign leases, you don’t bother unpacking, and you don’t make any friends. But after three years, she finally feels safe enough to return home to Lake Gormlaith, Vermont. There, she refurbishes her grandmother’s lake house, reconnects with an old school friend, and develops an interest in a mysterious and kind artist. Only time will tell if Effie can truly leave the past behind and begin anew.
Breathing Water jumps from the years 1991, 1994, and 1987 and deals with issues such as domestic violence and substance abuse. Despite its strong and promising beginning, the story just seems to aimlessly float along with no real purpose or direction. At times, the text seems overly flowery (“The rust-gold-orange-purple of the woods behind him blurred through the spray of the hose…”) and the transitions between time periods are awkward and require the reader a few moments to continually readjust. Also, I found the main character to be a bit contradictory. As a survivor of abuse, she is prone to keeping secrets although she eventually finds great relief and peace once she finally divulges her abusive past to friends and family. Despite this, she finds it absolutely reasonable to keep secrets from her new love interest. So, we are led to assume that some secrets are acceptable and absolution is purely discretionary.
All in all, not the worst novel I’ve ever read, but it was lacking on several fronts: the characters were somewhat flat, the plot was thin, and finally reaching the end of the book was akin to treading water—there’s just not that much to hold onto.
Effie Greer is living a fugitive life. When you are a fugitive, you don’t sign leases, you don’t bother unpacking, and you don’t make any friends. But after three years, she finally feels safe enough to return home to Lake Gormlaith, Vermont. There, she refurbishes her grandmother’s lake house, reconnects with an old school friend, and develops an interest in a mysterious and kind artist. Only time will tell if Effie can truly leave the past behind and begin anew.
Breathing Water jumps from the years 1991, 1994, and 1987 and deals with issues such as domestic violence and substance abuse. Despite its strong and promising beginning, the story just seems to aimlessly float along with no real purpose or direction. At times, the text seems overly flowery (“The rust-gold-orange-purple of the woods behind him blurred through the spray of the hose…”) and the transitions between time periods are awkward and require the reader a few moments to continually readjust. Also, I found the main character to be a bit contradictory. As a survivor of abuse, she is prone to keeping secrets although she eventually finds great relief and peace once she finally divulges her abusive past to friends and family. Despite this, she finds it absolutely reasonable to keep secrets from her new love interest. So, we are led to assume that some secrets are acceptable and absolution is purely discretionary.
All in all, not the worst novel I’ve ever read, but it was lacking on several fronts: the characters were somewhat flat, the plot was thin, and finally reaching the end of the book was akin to treading water—there’s just not that much to hold onto.
January 1, 2026
A 3.5 for a debut novel. A good start to her career, but a more recent book shows the excellent maturing of her writing. What I especially enjoyed about this one was how well Greenwood depicted a woman who had been abused by her boyfriend and the long-term repercussions of that abuse, even after he is dead and can never find her again... except in the form of being a ghost, which little sections infer he does to her. She is wasting away to nothing because she was made to feel like nothing. It reminded me of the book Hattie, by Anna Bowen in how well it handled that issue.
There were several things about the book that seemed a little far fetched, so it broke my bubble of believing what was being written, especially with the "accident" that was central to the storyline, and the cold behavior of her parents. Also, the identity of a male character was pretty obvious to the reader and it made the story drag when the main character took so long to figure it out. At times, I felt the author over described things in her story, which took away from the story line, even though it sounded beautiful. So it was fine, but I'll be looking for more from this author that is more recent.
There were several things about the book that seemed a little far fetched, so it broke my bubble of believing what was being written, especially with the "accident" that was central to the storyline, and the cold behavior of her parents. Also, the identity of a male character was pretty obvious to the reader and it made the story drag when the main character took so long to figure it out. At times, I felt the author over described things in her story, which took away from the story line, even though it sounded beautiful. So it was fine, but I'll be looking for more from this author that is more recent.
September 3, 2019
This book is beautifully written with wonderful descriptions of characters and scenery. That said it is not an easy read since it is about a relationship that was an abusive one. Effie and Max, her abusive boyfriend finally break up after the drowning of a young girl at a family cabin at a Vermont Lake. Effie then begins her wanderings, searching for redemption and escape. Three years later she learns that Max has died and she feels safe enough to return to Vermont and the 'camp' that she so loved. Here she is able to reconnect with the past and begin her healing journey. I felt uncomfortable with the abusive aspects of this story but can see how things like this can occur. They creep up on you until one is totally under water and under the spell of the abuser. The author did a great job with this. Effie does find redemption and is finally able to move on with her life when she confronts the truth of what happened, in her relationship with Max and the drowning of the young girl. Recommended!
February 4, 2019
I seem to be the odd one out here. I could not wait for this book to be over! I felt like the prose was over the top and oftentimes did not add to the story.
I read Where I Found Her first, as well as several other of Greenwood’s novels, so I’m really surprised that I didn’t like this one and I’m glad I read the others first.
Effie irritated me. I feel like it was wrong to be irritated by someone so haunted by her past, but that’s what I felt for her. She has a supportive family, it seems, but never turns to them.
I felt annoyed by how the novel skipped around. It was difficult to tell when the days ended and when they began because it was all so disjointed.
This hasn’t thrown me off Greenwood, though. I still love the rest of her works and I hope she keeps writing!
I read Where I Found Her first, as well as several other of Greenwood’s novels, so I’m really surprised that I didn’t like this one and I’m glad I read the others first.
Effie irritated me. I feel like it was wrong to be irritated by someone so haunted by her past, but that’s what I felt for her. She has a supportive family, it seems, but never turns to them.
I felt annoyed by how the novel skipped around. It was difficult to tell when the days ended and when they began because it was all so disjointed.
This hasn’t thrown me off Greenwood, though. I still love the rest of her works and I hope she keeps writing!
August 22, 2018
Not plausible. Starting with the college newsletter the protagonist reads on her abuser's death; newsletter would never follow a person who left no forwarding addresses in her many moves around Seattle, nor would an alumni obituary describe a heroin overdose. Crayfish in Maine are invasive. Back-floating while smoking a pipe is beyond comprehension. I finally quit when she puts burnt brass door numbers that were too hot to handle into her pocket instead. Just a horribly poor reflection on the plight of abused women. I'm stunned at the positive reviews.
July 14, 2019
While I did enjoy this book, I enjoyed Rust and Stardust much more. This one felt very muddled - which I think was supposed to be a reflection of the narrator’s mind, but it wasn’t the best read. The story wasn’t that engrossing and I never felt super pulled to keep reading. I do believe this was her debut novel, so it’s good to know she’s improved! I will definitely read more of this author’s work if I get the chance.
March 30, 2022
The juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness in this book, red-orange and blue, light and dark, water and terra firma...really poetic.
Warning: The story will be repeatedly and habitually triggering, nearly page after page, for anyone who is a survivor (whether directly or indirectly as an observer) of domestic abuse.
If you can handle the content you will find the book exceptionally well done.
Warning: The story will be repeatedly and habitually triggering, nearly page after page, for anyone who is a survivor (whether directly or indirectly as an observer) of domestic abuse.
If you can handle the content you will find the book exceptionally well done.
January 9, 2025
This writer is new to me, gifted by my mom, and a delight. One of my blind spots is why women stay with abusive men and this evocative and thoughtful story of a young woman in northern Vermont revealed some of the whys. Caveats: It has that odd trick of giving you the end first so I had to reread the early chapters, and I would have like more development of some minor characters.
March 23, 2020
This was a great book. I loved the setting, the characters and the story. Her writing is lovely and poetic. Things were described so vividly and is such beautiful colours. Can’t wait to read more of her book.
August 21, 2020
A lot of words
About something. This book doesn’t have much of a story to it, just kind of the bones of one. I wasn’t going to finish it until I saw how far I’d already gotten while trying to figure out what the point of it was. I’m not sure there was one.
About something. This book doesn’t have much of a story to it, just kind of the bones of one. I wasn’t going to finish it until I saw how far I’d already gotten while trying to figure out what the point of it was. I’m not sure there was one.
June 14, 2021
Memories
I like this authors writing and enjoyed this book, but it was kind of confusing at times. I will read more of her work, and hope they will be less confusing. Just my own opinion.
I like this authors writing and enjoyed this book, but it was kind of confusing at times. I will read more of her work, and hope they will be less confusing. Just my own opinion.
June 10, 2017
4.5⭐️
July 24, 2017
There's not really more to the story than what's written on the back cover. There's a lot of description and a lot of recollection with very little action.
February 25, 2018
This just didn't come together for me.
January 10, 2019
Wonderful story, I do enjoy books from this author, she's a 'Storyteller '.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews