Ryan Dean West is starting his junior year off on teh worng foot. He's living in Opportunity Hall (the dorm for trouble makers), his roommate is one of teh meanest people on campus, and the object of his desire looks at him like a kid. Did I mention he is also only 14 years old? He does have good friends who eventually help his life get on good footing- Annie finally starts thinking of him as more than just a kid, rugby is in full swing. That's when teh bottom falls out and his friend Joey is beaten to death for being gay. Ryan Dean is shocked by the lost but finds solace in those still around him.
I found this book to be slightly off balance. There are almost 400 pages about Ryan Dean and his normal teenage problems and 40 or less dealing with the loss of Joey. I felt this event deserved more. However, this was for the most part a very enjoyable read. There were moments were I laughed fairly hard and I loved the addition of Ryan Dean's sketches. The thing which Winger really has going for it is how realistic the characters are. Ryan Dean thinks about everything from sports to school to sex in a matter of seconds, much how I imagine all teenage boys do. There is quite a bit of cursing in this novel and there is of course violence, yet Winger would make an excellent addition to a high school library.
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