The Winter Boy

The Winter Boy is a fascinating story.

Initially, the reader may believe the setting to be based on Native American culture, but there are too many non-Native American characteristics involved and the spirituality factor could be considered multi-cultural.

The idea of bringing a young boy into manhood using the wisdom and physicality of a mature woman (in this case a widow who has been "trained" in how to educate her "First Boy") is a concept that seems to combine "Wise Woman" with "Mrs. Robinson". But this occurs in a female based society and is accepted and, indeed, sought after as the proper way of things among the villages surrounding the Valley of the Alleshi, a peaceable community whose purpose is to create a world of peace and cooperation for the masses.

The main characters of the story are a newly trained Alleshi, Rishana, and her First Boy, Ryl. Rishana is reluctant to take on the education of Ryl due to his difficult, combative nature, but her elder Alleshi persuade her to do so. As time passes during Ryl's Season of training, both teacher and student come to realize that their pairing has a hidden agenda and now the two must decide whether to continue on with their Season or not. Do they remain true to the peaceable teachings or do they submit to the plans that have been set into motion by others?

My review would have been five stars were it not for the constant name changes of the majority of the characters throughout the story. By turns Rishana is referred to as Rishana, Janit and Tayar depending upon whose company she is keeping. Likewise, Ryl is referred to as Ryl, Boy, Winter Boy and Dov. Other pivotal characters also have multiple names which switch dependent upon whether Rishana or Ryl or another secondary character is in their presence. I caught myself having to think back to when the character was initially introduced into the story to recall who they were/are. Perhaps a "pet name" between the two main characters when they were alone would have sufficed.

In all other aspects, The Winter Boy is an intriguing story that's unlike any other. I have read. It is another take on how to create a "perfect peace" in an imperfect world.

Rishana is an Allesha, one of a cloistered society of widows whose task is to teach chosen young men to become Alemen, leaders, and to preserve the peace that they have enjoyed for centuries. During her first season as an Allesha, Rishana’s boy is Ryl, a “problem boy” who repeatedly challenges her. Her winter also becomes problematic when she learns that their cherished peace is being threatened from both within and without.

This post-apocalyptic novel is reminiscent of Margaret Atwood’s speculative fiction, but it also reminded me of John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. In the latter there are hints of an earlier technologically-advanced civilization, the Old People, which was destroyed by Tribulation; in the former, the Great Chaos destroyed the advanced civilization of the Before Times.

Also, like The Chrysalids, The Winter Boy is a coming-of-age story. David Strorm, the protagonist of Wyndham’s novel, is an outsider who learns that his world is not all it seems to be; Ryl also proves to be an outsider who too realizes that the world of the Alleshi harbours secrets. At the beginning, Ryl is immature: he is arrogant and lacks self-control. Rishana helps him “become the self he had always been, under all his bluster and fear.” Watching his transformation is indeed one of the pleasures of this novel.

Speaking of pleasure - Alleshi use various teaching techniques to train their young men, the most original of which is sex. Love and maintaining peace “require the same skills of constant care, creativity and awareness.” Furthermore, as Rishana tells Ryl, “What you learn in passion, you’ll never unlearn.” I loved this twist of women using sex for their purposes, though I question Rishana’s ability to enjoy sex as much as she does and still remain emotionally detached and view sex “only as a teaching aid.”

It is not only Ryl who is a dynamic character. Rishana also changes. At the beginning, she claims that “Faith in the wisdom and power of the Alleshi was the foundation of her life.” That foundation is shaken, however, when she feels that the Alleshi have manipulated her. She questions whether she still wants to be an Allesha, a role that embodies both joy and pain.

The book has considerable suspense. Early on, it becomes clear that Rishana is not being the truth. Her own training is shortened by four months so she can take on a Winter Boy; she is told, “’Waiting until the spring won’t prepare you any better.’” In a conversation between two Alleshi, however, one of them says, “’Four months could have made such a difference.’” As the novel progresses, suspense increases because it is obvious that there is a lot of subterfuge in this apparently utopian society and it becomes difficult to know who can be trusted.

The point of view is third person omniscient. At different times, the viewpoints of various characters are given. This technique adds suspense: two Allesha conclude a discussion with one of them stating, “’But let [Rishana] remain innocent for a little while longer.’” It also is useful for characterization when a reader becomes aware of a character’s true feelings. Point of view is even used to create humour: Ryl’s thoughts reveal his pride in his sexual prowess whereas Rishana’s thoughts are that “he didn’t have much skill.”

Rishana is the type of strong female protagonist I look for in a story. The one thing that is missing, however, at least for much of the novel, is her love of family. Certainly her feelings for Jared, her dead husband, are clear. It is her love for her children that is absent for much of the book. As a result, her concern for her son’s safety towards the end of the book seems out of character. In the first three-quarters of the novel, not once does she mention missing her children!

A problem for me was the constant name changes. Rishana used to be Jinet, but Ryl names her Tayar. Rishana gives Ryl the name Dov. Dara, Rishana’s mentor, is also known as Evanya and Le’a. And that’s just three of the many characters!

The novel certainly gives one much to ponder: Are humans capable of maintaining lasting peace? Is violence ever acceptable as a means of protecting peace? How can cultural clashes be avoided? What is the difference between teaching and brainwashing?

I quite enjoyed the novel. It is strong both in terms of characterization and theme. Regardless of the season, I would recommend The Winter Boy.