The Old Ways: A Review of Never the Wind, by Francesco Dimitri

            Few stories are more timeless than the coming-of-age tale, a genre which never ceases to be popular in the public consciousness.  These stories tend to feature younger characters, either pre-teens or teenagers, and follow them as they learn life lessons and mature throughout the course of the story.  It is not so much about becoming an adult by the end of the story as it is stories about the changes we all experience when we are younger.  There comes a time in everyone’s life when they gain a certain understanding about the world, commonly referred to as the loss of innocence. Children learning that their parents are not infallible, or teenagers learning that the world is vastly more complicated than they ever believed.  Many times, coming-of-age tales show the main character developing their personality and becoming their own person, outside of the projections of their parents.  While these stories may feature young characters, they are not normally considered YA fiction, as the target audience tends to be adults rather than other teenagers.  There is an element of nostalgia in reading a coming-of-age story, and thinking back to when you were the age of the characters.