Winter's Descent

by Don Gutteridge

“Winter’s Descent” takes up where “Summer’s Idyll” left off. The time is 1945. Will and his mother have moved to a new town. Will is growing up. His story is one of loneliness, of finding girls, of discovering books, of learning to write. A story told with rare insight and gentle humour.

Genres: Fiction

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Don Gutteridge was born in Sarnia and raised in the nearby village of Point Edward. He taught High School English for seven years, later becoming a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the Western University, where he is now Professor Emeritus. He is the author of twenty-two novels. including the twelve-volume Marc Edwards mystery series. Don is also an accomplished poet and has published twenty-three books of poetry, one of which, Coppermine, was a finalist for the 1973 Governor-General's Award. In 1970 he won the UWO President's medal for the best periodical poem of that year. To listen to interviews with the author, go to: http://thereandthen.podbean.com. Don currently lives in London, Ontario.

Reviews

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written coming of age story which takes place during WWII. You feel like you live in the small town with each of the characters coming alive under the narration of Will, the central character of the book. The author has been able to convey how tough kids can be on other kids and then suddenly shift to be very caring. Each of the characters have something they have to overcome - Will with the relationship of his parents and moving to a small town, the teacher having a wooden leg and a secret engagement, as well as minor mishaps for various characters. A well woven story which takes place in Canada, much of it in the winter. I am reading this in the summer but felt like I should be curling up in a blanket with hot cocoa because of the cold and snow.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this story now. It is quite good. I never read the first book and do not think I am missing much of anything from the plot. Main character is a preteen living hand to mouth with his mom during the years of WW2.

Good story. Glad I won it here on Goodreads. It is not a story I would have chosen on my own. The story takes place during part of a school year. They go to a small country school. It ke0pt my interest. Well written.

If you are a fan of fictional life stories this book is for you.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the story very much, the style of writing was hard to keep up. It was definitely written more like a screen play with the abrupt way from changing from one scene to the next. I would like even smaller chapters to make know a time change or setting has taken place. I could see the characters and their lives but would like to have know them a little deeper. It would make a great Hallmark Special like back in the day when Hallmark put on such great movies during the holidays.

[Irene Wenner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Magical winter

Will and his mother move to a small town where Will must navigate the time honored traditions of his school mates. Set in Canada during the Second World War, the play of his classmates is inventive and follows traditions. My favorite part was the time in the snow with sleds and ice skating.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a give away. A little slow at first, but it was enjoyable. I found myself wondering about certain parts of the story that seemed to end suddenly. Having not read the first book, I also wonder if any of my questions could be answered in it. How did Miss Neilson injure her leg? Were Will’s parents having problems before he left for the war? Who was replacing Miss Neilson? 😬

[Angela Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I enjoyed reading this book about these kids in Or time error/the tuition. It was a good reading I think that anyone who wants to read it while I kit.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

[MiMi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was a bit lost

Okay so apparently this is a follow up to another book I had no idea about. It makes sense now because I had so many questions. Like with Miss Nielsen and her peg leg, Wills parents separation, etc.,

So will is sent to live with his mother and friend Em and visits his gram and gramps ever so often. With each visit they give him letters from his father with hopes and promises for the near future. Will is sent to a new school where he seems to sort of fit in but doesn’t quite get the “country lifestyle”

The story was a bit slow and a confusing for me but it’s my own fault for not reading the first book. I didn’t really enjoy how within chapters scenes would go from one to another without any real transition. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style it kept me bewildered throughout the book. I did enjoy reading about the play and how the children were excited about being apart of it. I also enjoyed the little skating party they had towards the end.

I might have to go and read the first book Summer’s Idyll to give it a fair rating.

DISCLOSURE: I was gifted Winters Descent through the Goodreads Giveaways. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Goodreads Giveaway is my first experience with Gutteridge, I'm I'm pleased at having found him! I love his writing style, the well fleshed-out characters and events, and the total lack of what I call "lazy writing" (which is basically just writing to a formula even when not doing so would produce a much finer end result).

I enjoyed it being centered in Canada during WWII and the "coming of age" tale was a great read!

My favorite quote: "Think hard, boys and girls, about Nazi Germany before the War. Is it not possible that Hitler may never have come to power and nearly destroyed the world if individuals in that country had had the courage to speak out, to expose the epidemic of lying on which the Fuehrer built his dictatorship? What, you may ask, stopped them from doing so? Fear of what their friends and neighbours might think, of what the mob might do, of being alone with only the truth on your side. Now I want you boys to think carefully about what I’ve just said. Someone must always be the first to speak the truth and accept the necessary consequences.”

[Don Gutteridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

06/27/2016
Review Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed By Tracy A. Fischer for Readers’ Favorite

Don Gutteridge has done it again! In a wonderful follow up to Summer's Idyll, the book that first introduced his readers to protagonist "Billy" or "Junior," this second work, Winter's Descent, continues this lovely story and will certainly keep readers enthralled from beginning to end. Following Billy and his life as he moves with his mother to the countryside of Ontario during the Second World War, the story is one that provides deeply personal historical detail that Gutteridge's fans have come to know and love. Billy is eleven now, and his father is fighting in the war. He attends a one-room schoolhouse, which serves as the main setting for this novel. With twenty-six students and an impressive teacher, Miss Neilson, the life of this boy and his friends from school S.S. No. 9 is one that any young reader, or any reader looking for a book that will lend them a great deal of nostalgia, will simply love!

I so enjoyed Winter's Descent. Author Don Gutteridge has again provided a story in which the reader will truly feel as if they have been picked up and placed in Ontario in 1945, so detailed is the work. Readers who are looking for a superficial read without much use of description will probably not enjoy Gutteridge's work, but for those of us who love a realistic and highly informative work of fiction in a historical setting, this book is simply amazing. I am so pleased to again highly recommend a book by author Don Gutteridge, Winter's Descent, and I certainly hope that I have the chance to read more of his excellent work in the future.

[Tracy Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don Gutteridge has done it again! In a wonderful follow up to Summer's Idyll, the book that first introduced his readers to protagonist "Billy" or "Junior," this second work, Winter's Descent, continues this lovely story and will certainly keep readers enthralled from beginning to end. Following Billy and his life as he moves with his mother to the countryside of Ontario during the Second World War, the story is one that provides deeply personal historical detail that Gutteridge's fans have come to know and love. Billy is eleven now, and his father is fighting in the war. He attends a one-room schoolhouse, which serves as the main setting for this novel. With twenty-six students and an impressive teacher, Miss Neilson, the life of this boy and his friends from school S.S. No. 9 is one that any young reader, or any reader looking for a book that will lend them a great deal of nostalgia, will simply love!

I so enjoyed Winter's Descent. Author Don Gutteridge has again provided a story in which the reader will truly feel as if they have been picked up and placed in Ontario in 1945, so detailed is the work. Readers who are looking for a superficial read without much use of description will probably not enjoy Gutteridge's work, but for those of us who love a realistic and highly informative work of fiction in a historical setting, this book is simply amazing. I am so pleased to again highly recommend a book by author Don Gutteridge, Winter's Descent, and I certainly hope that I have the chance to read more of his excellent work in the future!