Carolyn's Reviews > A Place Called Winter

Born in England at the turn of the 20th century, Harry Crane lead a very conventional life as the elder son of a wealthy man. Used to looking after his brother Jack since their mother died during Jack's birth, Harry and Jack shared bachelor lodgings after their school days finished and Harry set out to become an idle man about town while Jack studied to become a vet. After meeting Winifred a quiet girl from a good family, Harry married, had a daughter and settled down to continue his fairly directionless life. However, when he is discovered of indulging in an imprudent passionate affair with an actor, he is told he must leave society and his wife and child. Harry chooses to travel to the Canadian Prairies to take up a land package and become a farmer.

Harry eventually ends up near a town called Winter with few neighbours and even fewer home comforts. However, through hard work and deprivation he truly comes to know himself and thrives in the spartan environment. The story of his life on the land is a moving account and is beautifully described. Harry forms strong bonds with his nearest neighbours, Petra and Paul which are shattered by the intervention of a jealous evil man, Troels Munck who Harry earlier encountered on his way to Canada, with devastating results for all three of them.

This is a beautiful story written with beautiful, evocative language. Harry is a fully formed, complex character and the author paints a very atmospheric sense of life on the Prairies at that time. As well as being an exploration of sexuality this is ultimately more than a romantic love story set in a difficult time and place.

With thanks to Marianne and Julie who both recommended this book to me.