Readers' Comments - Child of the Wild Wind

Reviewed by editor Diana Leafe Christian in Communities: Journal of Cooperative Living, Fall, 2004 [Ms. Christian is the author of Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities.]

How many times do you find a novel set in intentional community? And when you do, how often does it portray community accurately? While I've read the occasional mystery novel in which the protagonist visits an intentional community somewhere, it's usually a trite, media-stereotype portrayal of a 60s-style "commune" where no one works but smokes weed, eats sprouts, and expounds metaphysically. Or, worse, the place is run by a charismatic-yet-diabolical leader with obedient followers who smile serenely. I don't remember ever reading a book about a community that actually felt like one.

Until Claire Garden's short novel, Child of the Wild Wind. Claire ought to know. She lived at East Wind for a year and a half and is a founding member of Terra Nova community in Missouri. She absolutely gets community right. Her two fictional income-sharing communities in the Midwest -- the rather dysfunctional "Wild Wind" and the brand new and hopeful "Plum Creek" -- sure do feel like rural income-sharing communities I've known. People work at community businesses, live in small living groups, and get their duds at Commie Clothes. The usual cast of community characters pass through the dining hall. The usual kinds of friendships and conflicts rise and fall. Everyone is family. People take showers with no doors. Nudity is normal and unremarked on.

Claire's main character is Mockingbird, a 12-year old boy coming of age in community, with friends ranging from little kids (and he's on the childcare team) to teenagers of all ages, as well as his dad and other community adults. Claire sure does seem to get her adolescent characters
right. They act and talk just like community kids I've known. The characters and their motivations seem wholly believable. Mockingbird and his friends run into challenges, get new insights, do course-correction, learn new behaviors, and grow and change. Mockingbird feels like a real kid, and a really likeable one. He's also funny, with a wry, self-deprecating sense
of humor.

More than once when community members, or the community itself, functioned badly, or well, it was thoroughly familiar. These things have happened to me and my community friends too.
The book also promotes ecological sustainability, as we watch characters build passive solar natural buildings and set up off-grid power systems.

I did find myself exclaiming in alarm from time to time, though. Not for normal reasons though, since I thought the plot and dialogue was fine, but because I thought some descriptions of community processes were so foreshortened in time or underestimated in money they could mislead a reader unfamiliar with community. Mockingbird's dad, for example, wanted to join
Wild Wind and live there the rest of his life after just one brief visit. Egads! Wild Wind's new-member process, though described well, was extremely short in duration. What about the well-being of the newcomers, and the community, since no "long engagement" period allowed the parties to better understand if there was a good fit in values, vision, and purpose? Further, the main characters started a new community far too easily and quickly and with a relatively small, so it seemed, source of start-up funds, then maintained their financial stability partly from a member's craft items selling successfully at a New York art gallery. I don't think this is realistic! But this isn¹t really a fair criticism, since I'm an admitted fanatic about these matters. What am I worried about -- a reader might go out and try to join join a community or start a new one based solely on what they'd read in this novel?

Another minor concern: since it's electronically published it's not as robust as regular books, and some of the pages fell out. But overall I liked Child of the Wild Wind. If you'd like to share a sense of community life with friends (or to give your community mates a novel that finally does community living justice!) consider giving them this book. And though it's written for all ages, I think young people might enjoy it especially.

More good news: Child of the Wild Wind is the first novel in a series of five. Thank you, Claire!

Diana Leafe Christian, Earthhaven Community

Blue Ridge Mountains, NC

Josh's parents are going their separate ways. Josh opts to stay with his father, who quits a job in restaurant management to join an intentional community—a commune, to those of the sixties persuasion. Both have to learn how to come to terms with a life under a very different set of rules. Josh chooses a new name—Mockingbird—and also decides to be home schooled rather than going to public school. We watch him mature from ten-year-old child to thirteen-year-old young man, developing awareness of who he is and what he is capable of accomplishing. Many of the adults around him also seem to be going through sea changes in their own lives, finding themselves for a second or third time—seemingly just the growth environment Mockingbird needs.

Initially, the book reads a bit like an introductory text on communal living, but as we start to feel comfortable with the mores and routine of the boy's new home, empathy for the youngster's struggles takes over and we root for him to succeed. His triumphs are ordinary, everyday victories, but of the kind which make a boy develop faith in his abilities and assure a teenager that he will be able to take his place in the adult world.

A story for the thoughtful young reader ... or the adult curious about modern intentional community life.

Barbara Brown, Macomb, IL

I was eager to read CHILD OF THE WILD WIND as soon as I could hold a paper copy in my hand. I had three main reasons: 1) I wanted to find out how my friend, a woman in her 60s decided how to structure words and sentences to create a novel for young adults; 2) I have experienced life in an "intentional community", but I have never before read a fictional account of that style of life; 3) I have an 11-year-old grandson to whom I will give this book when I am finished with it.

1) Claire has managed to keep my attention from beginning to end—even though I, too, am a woman in my 60s. She began with the world falling apart for Josh and ended with a world of possibilities opening into his future. Much of the story is told as conversation between the characters. They talk about their feelings, but they also talk about the concrete, physical aspects of living in primitive conditions and building a community from "scratch".

2) The account of the joys and tribulation of life in an intentional community accorded with my own experience. I recognized my friend, Ant, and his gentle ways. I also recognized the havoc caused when children are raised without limits. It seemed to me that making this a fictional rather than an historical account freed the writer in her construction. She could bring in actual experiences from several different communities, create composite characters, and give a realistic flavor of community life without the restraints of protecting the privacy of living people.

3) I want my grandson to read this book. It will introduce him to issues in life that he either is or will be facing—and help him think through the consequences of various choices he might make. It will also give him visions of ways of living and thinking that are not present in his daily world of school, friends, divorced parents, TV, and video games. I am uncertain whether other adults in his life might want to "censor" certain parts of the book—if they should become aware of them. However, I notice that his life is full of "uncensored" information that I wish he did not receive. He knows Claire, who has read him one of her stories, so that might encourage him to read her book. However, he is so engrossed in the "virtual reality" of the video screen, that reading still seems like a chore to him.

I'm glad Claire Garden has written this book and found a publisher. I look forward to seeing more of her work in print.

Esther Frances, Mt. Vernon, Iowa

Claire, I just finished reading your novel, Child of the Wild Wind. I enjoyed it very much. It was quite readable and interesting. You included lots of extremely good advice for young teenagers, and I like the way you made the consequences of unrestrained sexual acting out for males clear. I liked Mockingbird very much. So many people are unable to do much of anything for themselves these days. Many can't even cook, and Mockingbird built his own house. That would be an empowering experience for anyone. Especially though, I thought your portrayal of the shifting and often temporary nature of relationships between and among people and of your characters' reaction to those changes was valuable. The relationship between Mockingbird and his dad was really great. It is too bad kids don't get more exposure to the ideas expressed in your book.

Elaine Hartley, Columbia, MO

You have really captured the spirit of a conflicted youth, and your description of living in "intentional community" was just fascinating. Really, I couldn't put Child of the Wild Wind down. While the lifestyle is not one that I particularly aspire to, I certainly was forced to think about a lot of things in a different way.

Becky Hull, Dallas, TX

Fascinating! I find myself relating to the people and circumstances.

Mildred Laughlin, Kansas City, MO

Great book! I felt like I was back at East Wind seeing it through a young person's eyes. It's realistic about problems and strengths.

My major problem with it is the cover art. Too young for the age group the book is targeted for, I think. Can't wait for your next book!

Minnette Lesser, Redmond, WA

Child of the Wild Wind really held my attention. Lots of good issues addressed without being didactic. I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. It's clear Claire knows what she is writing about. I'm thinking of sending a copy to my daughter-in-law who's a special ed teacher in high school in Maryland.

Joan McElroy, Columbia, MO

In the years that I have either been a customer of or worked with Community Bookshelf, not many works of fiction have been offered in its catalog. Most of the novels and stories that portray intentional communities do so in an unrealistic and sensational way. It is a real pleasure to encounter Child of the Wild Wind, which presents a sympathetic picture of community life.

The novel is the story of Joshua Weil, who finds himself experiencing an unexpected life change when his parents go their separate ways and he moves with his father to the intentional community known as Wild Wind. His adjustments to a new way of life, his changing relationships and his process of maturing makes for a fascinating and involving story. Diana Christian, the editor of Communities Magazine, says of this book, "I don't everremember reading a book about a community that felt like one. Until Claire Garden's short novel, Child of the Wild Wind".

Although this book is classified as young adult fiction by the publisher, the level of the writing is sophisticated and the author does an outstanding job of incorporating her own experience in different communities into the framework of the story. She provides insights into what it is like to grow up in community, to pioneer a new group, and to live life within an ecological framework. I think Child of the Wild Wind will appeal to adult readers because of the depth of the characters and the real sense of community this novel conveys.

Kathe Nicosia, Sandhill Farm, Rutledge, Missouri

My sister-in-law who is from Ava, Missouri, is very excited. She is going to give the information about Child of the Wild Wind to her daughter's school in their suburb of D.C. to see if they are interested in incorporating it into the curriculum. They are presently discussing different cultures and communities. She thinks they will value the content of your book.

Yvette Silvey, Columbia, MO

Just finished Child of the Wild Wind and was really impressed. I've wanted to write stories before, but there's a real art to making dialogue seem natural and clear, a talent I don't possess but that you've got down pat. It was a good story and I can see a sequel coming. I look forward to finding out what Mockingbird and his "family" are up to as he grows up.

Peggy Stacy, West Plains, Missouri

I think Child of the Wild Wind is VERY well written. The characters are so well developed that they leap off of the pages. The action never drags. I could "get into" much of the efforts to make a place to live out of nothing. Found it good recreational reading — but I don't believe I would want to be a part of any of those communities. I simply do not like the shared nudity.....especially not for the young persons of opposite sexes.

Thelma Thornton, Rustburg, VA

We enjoyed Child of the Wild Wind. The descriptions of community life ring true.

Allen Treadway, Xenia, OH

Child of the Wild Wind is quite good and it held my interest. Mockingbird is a really likeable kid, very believable, and his character development is very well done. Athena is great, too. Mockingbird's dad seems almost too good to be true, though, and his mother pretty selfish and detached—though I know such women do exist.

Joan Walsh, NC

I think the nudity shows a change from city life, a different culture. I liked Joshua/Mockingbird and Athena best. Athena is nice and considerate. Best girl of the community. She was able to care about what Joshua was going through, and could empathize with his emotions. Mockingbird seemed real enough, since he'd gone through a lot; he got things from his experiences. I thought the ending was good; it sums up the questions, but I want some answers—a sequel. I want to know what happens next, because I feel concerned and want to know what happens to Joshua/Mockingbird. We just went to the web site to see your drawing of Mockingbird. I thought the t-shirt on the book cover was intriguing, to try to read what it says.

Maria Waltz, age 12, Crystal Lake, IL

The book was hard to put down, and I cared about Mockingbird and Athena. I'd like to read your revision of You May Get It, since I'm getting it mixed up in my head with Cynthia Voight's Come, A Stranger that followed Dicey's Song. I thought Arika was much more sympathetic now, but since she's not the main focus of Child of the Wild Wind, you don't get to know her well. I think you did a good job cutting down on your preachiness and tutorials that tend to want to creep into your stories. ;-)

June Waltz, Crystal Lake, IL, formerly of Sioux City, Iowa

I read Child of the Wild Wind and really liked it. It was especially cool to use it as a little window into your experiences and to learn more about different ways of living. I guess that I have a lot more choices than I was aware of should I leave the beaten path.

Rebecca Waltz, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN