The Winter Boy

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 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 threaten to tear their entire society apart. And a winter that should have been a gentle, quiet season becomes one of conflict, anger and danger.

"...with the kind of mysterious tone and a sense of a complete world apart that is the hallmark of the best...The Winter Boy...exists in...a mythic, spiritual realm. Even ordinary lines resonate with this sense of the unseen." –Peter Damien Bellis, author of "The Conjure Man"

"...a very rewarding read that raises your self-awareness in a way that only great books do....A literary triumph" –Dr. Babus Ahmed

"Sally Wiener Grotta blends pain, love, lust and adventure into a tale you may not want to put down." –Robin Baum