Wintering by Peter Geye Book Club of the Month Park Grove Library

We have started to shelter ourselves, bury ourselves in our home, look for our comfort foods, look for warmth, so it was appropriate that we were reading Wintering by Peter Geye.  He will be a visiting author Tuesday, November 1 at Park Grove Library 6:30 pm.  The 15 members that were at this book club meeting took to task in wondering why the book was titled Wintering?  Some felt that it was the physical change in season, the winter, the snow, the cold, and another thought was that the book title also had to do with the characters in the book, the wintering is shutting down some feelings, some memories, putting something to rest.  Someone mentioned that is the time before the glorious spring, a time to prepare. One member said:  "So much was hidden in the interior that prepares for rebirth that was happening in their lives."  The combination is physical, the winter, cold, hibernating time and yet with some relationship dynamics we do the same thing.

One member said she "liked it" and had read Safe from the Sea, another book by the author and both had similar themes: fathers/sons, secrets and bad marriages. Another said "I liked the switching back and forth, made sense to me; enjoyed how it all fit together" while another disagreed, and thought that made it confusing.   "It was a fast read" someone said.  Another shared that "his use of words painted a vivid visualization, I knew a lot from that."

Some had read the book "Lighthouse Road" which was the prequel to this story and knew a little bit more about the family history and dynamics.   One person said they were left with questions and intrigued by the family, another said, too, they liked the intertwining of the family.  I think a few of us will be going back to read Lighthouse Road.

Someone said the book "reminds us that sharing stories are healing" and "the stories are proof  of love."

One of the questions was " At the opening of the novel, Berit Lovig says that "two stories began" the day that Gus came to see her in November.  She says, "One of them was new and the other as old as this land itself."  What does she mean by this?  What is the story that is "as old as (the) land itself?"  This was a perplexing question.  We really didn't know for sure.   Was it relationships with each other, was it having to do with the land itself?  Did it have to do with Thea when she came to Gunflint?

Another good discussion question was "Why does Harry want his son, Gus, to go with him into the wilderness and why does he choose to embark on this journey as the winter season is approaching?"  One thought it was hard to go it alone, need to two to journey on something like this; another thought was that Gus was involved with Charlie's daughter so he is involved already and needs to go along for his safety, and another thought was it was a time for the two to be together.  They had been through a lot and maybe this time was for Harry and Gus.  The reason they left was because of Charlie, they wanted to have a fair "fight" out in the wilderness without Charlie managing the people in Gunflight.

We had a great discussion on Gus figuring out how to get back home, adventuring on his own, and making new maps.  We thought of how hard it was, once Harry was injured that Gus was able to make it back to Gunflint, almost losing their life at Devil's Maw.  We thought the maps faded over time, like memories in this story.  We talked about Berit waiting all those years, waiting for the right moment for Harry, how she didn't have children of her own, but she was connected to Harry's children.

One more analogy, we talked about the antlers. Why was that story in the book? What significance did it have?  Someone stated that they though it represented Harry and Gus. They couldn't lock and fight or they wouldn't be able to fight the wolves (Charlie).  But yet, that antler at the end saved them and helped open the door with the fire.

Some of us enjoyed the aspect that it was representative of Grand Marais and loved that Devil's Kettle was written into the story.  Someone brought a map of the Boundary Waters and we enjoyed looking where this might have taken place, what route the author, Peter Geye may have gone with the story.

Over all, most said they liked the book, a few weren't able to read or finish it, but overall it was a well-liked book and members are looking forward to seeing the author in a week!