Winger (novel)
| Company type | Young adult novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Andrew A. Smith |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Book |
Winger (2013) is a young adult novel penned by American writer Andrew A. Smith. As the sixth YA book authored by Smith, it has garnered predominantly positive critical reception.
Premise
Set at the elite Pine Mountain boarding school in Oregon, the story follows fourteen-year-old Ryan Dean West as he confronts the complexities of adolescence and personal growth.
Synopsis
Ryan Dean shares a dorm room with Chas Becker, a senior student he does not get along with. After losing a poker game to Chas, Ryan Dean is compelled to consume alcohol for the first time. This event upsets another student, Annie, leading Ryan Dean to apologize and arrange a meeting at Stonehenge, a secluded forest spot where Annie believes wishes can come true. Ryan Dean confides that his wish is to prove himself as capable as any other boy at Pine Mountain; Annie reveals that her wish was for his wish to be fulfilled.
Following a study session, Ryan Dean begins a secret relationship with Megan, who is Chas’ girlfriend. When he discovers Annie will accompany him to the Halloween dinner, feelings of jealousy emerge. During a resistance drill, Ryan Dean sustains an eyebrow injury during an altercation with JP, his former roommate. Later, he travels to Seattle with Annie, where Megan and Chas confront one another over Ryan Dean. Joey steps in to defend Ryan Dean and warns Chas to back off. After a match against Sacred Heart, Kevin is stabbed by one of four scrubs searching for Joey. Joey explains that the attack is linked to threats stemming from his past involvement with Mike’s brother, marking the beginning of their strong friendship.
While in Seattle, Ryan Dean and Annie find an abandoned sawmill featuring a painting of overlapping circles labeled "someday," which reminds Annie of their Stonehenge wish. They share their first kiss; however, Annie later pulls back from further intimacy, causing strain between them. Upon returning to Pine Mountain, a romantic triangle develops among Ryan Dean, Megan, and Annie.
During a second poker game involving Chas, Joey, Kevin, and Casey, the boys drink whiskey and lose again, resulting in a challenge to purchase Halloween costumes. Joey drives while Ryan Dean admits his relationship with Megan to Chas. Joey reveals he has a boyfriend but keeps this private at school; he also discloses that Casey Palmer is secretly gay and interested in him. Subsequently, Ryan Dean ends his relationship with Megan out of consideration for Annie’s feelings.
Ryan Dean organizes another date with Annie at Stonehenge where he persuades her that she can love him despite her earlier reservations. Joey remains his closest confidant. Back at school, Ryan Dean faces accusations of being gay from Casey and Nick but chooses not to reveal Casey’s secret.
At Pine Mountain’s Halloween party, Ryan Dean apologizes to both Megan and Chas; Megan admits her love for him. Joey openly criticizes Casey’s conduct toward other gay students and confirms that Annie and Kevin are his genuine friends. That evening, Ryan Dean encounters a drunken Casey who threatens him.
The following day, after an altercation with Nick and Casey, Joey goes missing; police begin searching for him with assistance from Chas and Ryan Dean. Joey is later found dead in the woods; the dormitory is subsequently locked down. Ryan Dean becomes withdrawn except when confiding quietly in Annie. Despite his parents encouraging him to leave Pine Mountain, he chooses to stay near Annie. Over time, Ryan Dean develops a closer bond with Chas while Kevin acts as mediator between them. Reflecting on these events, Ryan Dean understands that maturing shifts one’s focus from physical desire toward emotional connection.
Characters
Ryan Dean Mario West (Winger) – Serving as both narrator and main character, Ryan Dean earns the nickname "Winger" due to his role on the varsity rugby squad. Throughout the narrative, he transforms from viewing himself as a failure to developing a strong sense of self-assurance.
Joey Cosentino – Ryan Dean's closest companion and the rugby team's fly half. Their friendship remains unshaken despite Joey's homosexuality.
Annie Altman – Ryan Dean's girlfriend, who is two years older and was the first individual he encountered at Pine Mountain. She regards Ryan as intelligent and good-looking.
Chas Becker (Betch) – A senior student and Ryan Dean’s roommate in O-Hall, Chas is an accomplished athlete known for his abrasive demeanor. Though their relationship begins with tension, it gradually improves over time.
John-Paul Tureau (JP) – The popular and bright fullback who used to be Ryan Dean’s best friend and roommate. Their bond deteriorates primarily due to Annie’s involvement.
Sean Flaherty (Seanie) – Once Ryan Dean’s roommate and scrum-half on the rugby team, Seanie’s friendship with Ryan becomes strained because of disputes involving JP.
Megan Renshaw – Chas' girlfriend, who is both intimidating and attractive from Ryan Dean’s perspective. She participates in a calculus study group with Ryan and Joey, eventually forming a closer connection with Ryan than Annie does.
Casey Palmer – Recognized as a bully at Pine Mountain.
Nick Matthews – Casey’s roommate and fellow aggressor, openly antagonistic toward LGBTQ+ individuals. He cautions Ryan about potential threats from both himself and Casey.
Metanarrative style
Winger utilizes a framed metanarrative approach, featuring Ryan Dean as he reflects on past experiences in a sometimes ambiguous manner that links various story segments.
Graphic style
Ryan Dean’s enthusiasm for drawing is reflected through comic strips included in each chapter that depict significant moments. These illustrations work alongside his use of Venn diagrams to help explain aspects of the narrative.
Gender themes
The novel delves into male-female disconnects through Ryan Dean’s interactions with Annie, Megan, and his mother, contrasted by his comfort within the male rugby team environment. At fourteen among older peers, Ryan struggles with developing masculinity, seeking validation through male friendships while confronting challenges posed by influential female figures.
Reception
- "Ryan Dean recounts his misadventures with a sharp, learned, profanity-filled voice that captures a fourteen-year-old boy’s fixation on sex, belonging, and sports. The book’s violent finale fulfills the promise of an "unthinkable" event—an ending that might provoke tears or appear as an effort to give meaning to one boy’s sexual fantasies," Claudia Mills, Children's Literature.
- A.J. Jacobs of The New York Times described Winger as "Smith's funniest work yet," calling it "both humorous and poignant in a style reminiscent of 'Looking for Alaska' combined with Rabelais and 'Friday Night Lights.'"
- Kirkus Reviews commended it as a "clever, darkly humorous piece of realistic fiction."
Sources
- Matos, Angel. "Unrealistic Expectations: (Meta)Narrative in Andrew Smith’s 'Winger'"
- Smith, Andrew. Winger, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York,