Penni Russon's "Breathe"

Today's feature at the Page 69 Test: Penni Russon's Breathe, the second volume in the "Undine" trilogy.

About the book, from the author's website:

Six months have passed since Undine discovered the powerful magic within her and very nearly threw the entire world into chaos. Life has gone back to normal—almost. The magic still swirls relentlessly below her surface, demanding that she break her promise not to use it.

And then there's Trout. Trout, with his messy, unrequited love for Undine. Trout, who can't sleep and who roams the streets at night instead. Trout, so desperate to learn about Undine's magic that he's willing to trust a mysterious young woman who knows an awful lot about him, about Undine, and about chaos theory.

As their lives continue to both unravel and coalesce, Undine and Trout feel drawn back to the Bay, where it all began.

Is Undine stronger than the magic she contains? Is she more girl than magic, or more magic than girl?

Among the praise for the novel:

"Russon's bracing, poetic voice and earthy, likable characters ground the story's esoteric symbolism, and many readers will find their own fear and love reflected in the beautiful, open-ended metaphors."
--Gillian Engberg, ALA Booklist

"[Breathe] is a fascinating character study, continuing to probe the allergorical connections between magic, female sexuality and sublimation of self while intorducing questions of predestination, indivduation, and a "multi-verse" of realities. Worth reading for the prose alone..."
--Claire E. Gross, Horn Book Magazine

Read an excerpt from Breathe.

Visit Penni Russon's website and her blog, Eglantine's Cake.

The Page 69 Test: Penni Russon's Breathe

--Marshal Zeringue