Lush, imaginative, and emotionally insightful…
Gutteridge’s atmospheric brilliant latest novel tells a young boy’s coming-of-age journey in rural Canada of the WWII era. It’s 1945. Eleven-year-old Will’s father is still away because of the war, but his parents have decided to live separately. When his mother moves both of them to a new town, his father’s regular letters become his refuge from loneliness. Gutteridge’s prose crackles with insight and energy as he paints a vivid portrait of 1940s Canada. Using Will’s coming of age journey as a focal point, he explores the era’s educational and socio-political structure and day-to-day living. He deftly captures the essence of his varied cast: Will shines with life, and his awkward new-student feelings plus a growing awareness of boyhood yearnings ground the story with relatable emotions; the secondary cast, especially Will’s tortured mother, his loving Gram and Gramps, the spirited Em, are equally compelling. A marvelous story of adolescent passions and drama, friendship, and familial conflicts, this is a solid masterpiece that makes for a must-read for lovers of literary fiction.
Winter’s Descent
Don Gutteridge
Coming soon
