The Summit by the Sea by Michael Lajoie: A Book Review
Genre: Realistic Fiction/ Parable
[ Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Summit by the Sea with my promise of giving it an honest review. This does not reflect my overall rating or view of the book. ]
The Summit by the Sea was not at all what I was expecting. I guess I have been stuck in a Fantasy genre loop because even after reading the synopsis I was expecting more of a heroic journey arc. Instead, Lajoie presented something more in line with a parable that would make the philosopher, Kierkegaard, proud. In order to talk about Lajoie’s work, I am going to need to get a little technical and bring the Father of Existentialism into this review.
For background, Kierkegaard is a 1800s philosopher who made what is known as an “attack on Christianity”. One of his main idea is that nothing in Christianity is known. No one alive has met/ known Christ. No one has met/known the writers of the Bible who are said to have known Christ. Brought into the faith, however, we are expected to believe in the Bible without doubt because it is the Word of God. We are expected to believe in what the priest/preacher/minister teaches because they belong to God. Kierkegaard brought up the problem that this does not equal faith in God. Faith in God does not equal believing in God.
Lajoie practically writes this in the character of the Man of God. I actually expected the Man of God to disappear and turn out of be Jesus (that’s how much the story reminded me of a parable) but what Lajoie did was even more incredible. He took so much wisdom and shoved it so that it fit beautifully into 101 pages. There were lessons on every page and explanations/ discussions in between. There was space to understand and to work through what was happening. There was even acknowledgement towards how forgiving can be hard, but necessary to move forward yourself. To put it simply, this book is a must read.
I can’t stress enough how important I think this work will be and become. Whether you believe or don’t, The Summit by the Sea is something you should climb the mountain for.
Who would most enjoy the work and who should stay clear (if necessary):
Soren Kierkegaard’s Practice of Christianity
| Plot: | 10/ 10 |
| Characters: | 10/ 10 |
| Writing: | 15/ 10 |
| Editor: | 9/ 10 |
| Total | 44/ 40 |
Title: The Summit by the Sea
Author: Michael Lajoie
Edition: Paperback
Published: 2020
Publisher: Reddington Press
ISBN: 9780578763231
If you want to get it: Amazon; Barnes&Noble; Author Website
Rosey Reviews 