Customer Reviews

The Monk Upstairs: A Novel

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a passionate fan of "The Monk Downstairs" and devoured this second book about Michael Christopher, a former monk in his 40's who has tremendous wit, patience, sensuality and deep, common-sense spirituality...and his relationship with his world and mostly Rebecca, a single mom and former hippie, whom he marries in the first chapter of this new book. How a monk who retreats for prayers and has so much love and time for people meets or doesn't meet the corporate world, and how he and Rebecca and Rebecca's bright young daughter make a life is the story of this book. He is just the man to be a tender help to Rebecca's sick mother and console the dying homeless, but not quite as good as a competitive breadwinner. It is wonderful to have a protagonist with a real spiritual life. A jewel of a novel! -- from Stephanie Cowell, author of MARRYING MOZART and NICHOLAS COOKE

This book is the tender sequel to the The Monk Downstairs (Plus). It picks up the story with the wedding of Rebecca (single mother of one) and Mike (former monk and former fry cook at MacDonalds) and lovingly describes the early days of their marriage and the final days of Rebecca's mother, Phoebe. As in the first book, the characters all have human faces and plenty of warts, kindness and realism abound and tragedy is treated with respect and love. It's a quick read, but a worthwhile one.

Those who have read 'The Monk Downstairs' will be familiar with the key characters in this novel. 'The Monk Upstairs' starts with the marriage of Mike and Rebecca and gently observes and explores many of the relationship challenges faced when people from such diverse backgrounds commence a shared life. Mike has his own struggles with post contemplative life while at the same time bringing wonderful perspectives to the lives of others. The scenes between Mike and Phoebe (Rebecca's mother) are magical. Rebecca is learning to adjust to a slightly different pace of life as well. Her new role as wife joins a role of responsibility for her mother Phoebe and her adaptation to the changed roles of her previous partner Rory.

The novel is about life, adaptation, change and acceptance. The novel is also about the changing roles in relationships, and focusses more on the journey than the destination. Tim Farrington's prose is elegant and spare. His insights are both simple and powerful.

Highly recommended to all who enjoy well written fiction. I have enjoyed each of the Tim Farrington novels I have read, and this is no exception.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This book is the sequel to "The Monk Downstairs." I quickly read both books back-to-back. "The Monk Upstairs" moves a bit slowly in some places. There is too much detail in some parts of the book. (For example, see pages 72-73 about the trip to the volcano). Also, the inclusion of Phoebe's perspectives is a departure from the first book, which disrupted the flow of the book in my opinion. However, all in all, the author does a great job continuing the story line of the lives of Rebecca and Mike. I'm looking forward to the next book.

The Monk Upstairs is, of course, the sequel to The Monk Downstairs, in which Michael Christopher has just dropped out of the monastery and is groping his way into "real" life. Rebecca is his landlady, and, of course, they fall in love. In The Monk Upstairs, Mike and Rebecca have returned from the honeymoon to face a daunting array of real-world problems, including the decline and impending death of Rebecca's mother. All the improbable characters from the first book are back, and they're still changing and developing. Will the marriage work? Will Mike even find a job? And what's going on with the ex-husband, Rory, the surfer? You'd be amazed.

Like the earlier book, this one is beautifully written, engaging, even enchanting. An incredible marriage of the earthy and the spiritual. Author Tim Farrington is a genius at characterization. He makes all of his unlikely characters not only believable, but lovable. Redemption is an ever-present possibility, even in the worst of times and the most trying situations. Prayer and Scripture are always in the background, enlightening but never intrusive.

I can't say enough good things about this short novel. You just have to read it. I recommend it most highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Reading Tim Farrington's writing has transformed me. This book brought out the romantic in me in more ways than one. First, I could relate with the heroine of the story - a divorced mom carefully headed into a forever kind of love while still balancing her previous life with her ex in the wings as her child's immature but trying father. And I fell in love with Farrington's descriptive writing that placed me right inside the story. He writes with such detail, making even the most ordinary suddenly beautiful. The ending scene had me holding my breath. When the book ended, all I wanted to do was curl up and stay inside the novel forever. I recommend this book, and the prequel to this story (The Monk Downstairs, emphatically.

I just adored this this book. I was a great fan of "The Monk Downstairs," Tim Farrington's previous "monk" book, but I was surprised to find I liked this even more. (Don't worry: you don't have to have read the first to completely enjoy this one.) It restores my faith in publishing that a quiet, yet deeply moving book like this, with real characters living very real lives, can still be published today. There's not a false note in this novel. I highly recommend it.

Ken Harvey (author of "if you were with me everything would be all right")

Loved The Monk Upstairs but where can a romance go when chapter one is a wedding?

Surprisingly, this book goes into the heart of real marriage, the struggles that go with finding ways to get along with another person. In addition, it goes into the heart of real spirituality.

For a light novel, it is unusually thoughtful.

I was truly worried that "The Monk Upstairs" would not rival in content its predecessor, "The Monk Downstairs". However, no need to be worried -- the content and emotion are there. If you enjoyed 'Downstairs', you will be even more satisfied with 'Upstairs'.

The beloved characters from the Monk Downstairs continue on with their lives, now with the fridge in the living room and a stroke-affected mother in the studio apartment. There is sadness, but there is also so much patience, humor, gentleness and joy. It's so compassionate and so very real.

I wish there were a third book. Please, will there be a third book?