Encountering Riel

by David Orr

Willie Lorimer is a young poetry student who forgot to resign his commission in the Canadian militia. When he is called up to join the fight against the Métis rebel leader, Louis Riel, Willie is scared, but bolstered by his own naïveté. The journey to the heart of the rebellion is long and full of anguish. When the militia reach the West, things go tragically wrong, and their once-heroic cause is marred by the cynical realities of politics, and the harsh realities of war.

305 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2017

About the author

David Orr is the poetry columnist for the New York Times Book Review. He is the winner of the Nona Balakian Prize from the National Book Critics Circle and the Editor’s Prize for Reviewing from Poetrymagazine. Orr’s writing has appeared in Poetry, Slate, The Believer, and Pleiades magazine. He holds a B.A. from Princeton and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished ‘Encountering Riel’ and recommend it as very readable and a well researched piece of historical fiction. As a first novel by author David Orr the accomplishment is quite impressive. The year is 1885 and Willie Lorimer is a nineteen year old poetry student at the University of Toronto. Because he forgot to resign his militia commission from a disbanded student regiment he is called up for active service with Company 4 of the Toronto Infantry and sent West to the District of Saskatchewan as an “accidental” leader of men in Canada’s first war, the Northwest Resistance led by Louis Riel.

Willie is the narrator of the story, and, as the only “educated” man amongst the officers of his company, he sets the stage for us in a voice which reflects a Canadian worldview that is familiar even in the 21st century. A complementary narrative ends each chapter with a brief passage from Willies fiance, Alice, as she chronicles her own struggles. Her fear for Willie, inseparable from her fear and aspirations for her own future, is implicitly contrasted against her struggle with a patriarchal family out to stymie her independence. Both characters are sympathetic, perhaps even “progressive” in the context of the 19th century. But while Alice retains something of her integrity over the course of the story, as Willies odyssey progresses it becomes increasingly apparent just how flexible his principles are, and how unreliable his worldview is.

A sympathetic character undergoing a transformative experience, Willie’s story is, however, secondary to the author’s objective of coming to terms with the question of “why” did the war happen. It is the set decoration which grounds the main act. The heart of the novel plays out in ten pages near the end, and is advanced through a conversation between Louis Riel and Captain Roley Collison. Collison, who we come to know as Willie’s commanding officer, and a best friend who has come to rely on Willie because of his relative sophistication in intellectual matters, is in crisis as the war reaches its conclusion. The ideals which formed the basis for his sense of self have been shattered by his experiences. In his explanation Riel responds by shattering the mirror in which the self that Collison is struggling to hold together is reflected. In the process he shatters illusions which mask the reality of the Canadian nation itself.

Fascinating historical context, dynamic characters, and a thoughtful (and thought-provoking) narrative style make this book worth reading.

[Stephen London · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction about the Riel rebellion from the perspective of a young Canadian college student who has to fight in it. It is a very well written story about the battles and the disillusionment that follows.

[Juletta Gilge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was well done and delves into a deeper understanding of this part of history. It made me think, and it made me feel. Great book.