The Winter Boy
Sally Wiener Grotta
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars
3.67
· 3 ratings · 497 pages · Published: 06 Nov 2014
Reminiscent of Margaret Atwood, Mary Doria Russell and Ursula K. LeGuin, The Winter Boy explores important political and social issues within a dynamic, character-driven otherworld, wrapped up in masterful storytelling.
The Valley of the Alleshi is the center of all civilization, the core and foundation of centuries of peace. A cloistered society of widows, the Alleshi, has forged a peace by mentoring young men who will one day become the leaders of the land. Each boy is paired with a single Allesha for a season of intimacy and learning, using time-honored methods that include storytelling, reason and sex. However, unknown to all but a hidden few, the peace is fracturing from pressures within and beyond, hacking at the very essence of their civilization.
Amidst this gathering political maelstrom, Rishana, a young new idealistic Allesha, takes her First Boy, Ryl, for a winter season of training. But Ryl is a “problem boy,” who fights Rishana every step of the way. At the same time, Rishana uncovers a web of conspiracies that could not only destroy Ryl, but threatens to tear their entire society apart. And a winter that should have been a gentle, quiet season becomes one of conflict, anger and danger.
Tagged as:
- fantasy 4
- romance 4
- dystopia 3
- war/big battles 3
- steamy 3
- utopia 3
- military 2
- first-contact 2
- magic 2
- family 2
- action / adventure 2
- friendship 2
- political 2
- literary fiction 1
- supernatural 1
- coming of age 1
- military, war & conflict 1
- dark 1
- paranormal 1
- Add topics
- content warnings
- sexual assault 2
- format - reader age
- young adult 1
- book 1