In High Places

Tom Morrisey
Bethany House (2007)
ISBN 0764203460
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (5/07)

“In High Places” by Tom Morrisey opens with Patrick Nolan and his father, Kevin, bonding as father and son during a rock climbing expedition at Seneca Rocks in West Virginia in 1976. The opening is a bit too filled with rock-climbing terminology, but if the reader is patient, within a few pages, the novel draws us in as Patrick and Kevin return home, only to discover Patrick’s mother has died, apparently by committing suicide.

Patrick and Kevin’s grief is tremendous, but as men, they find themselves unable to discuss it with one another. The reader is aware both are silently suffering, not knowing how to comfort each other, and their lack of belief in God makes it more difficult for them to find solace for their pain.

Unable to live in their home because it reminds them too much of their lost loved one, Patrick’s father decides they will return to Seneca Rocks and open up a shop selling climbing equipment. This new life keeps them busy and helps them forget their grief for a short time.

The plot becomes complicated when Patrick meets and falls in love with Rachel, a preacher’s daughter. When the preacher and Patrick’s father meet, the preacher tries to talk to Kevin about God and Heaven, but Kevin’s father becomes angry, refusing to believe in a God who would allow his wife to commit suicide.

Some readers may be turned off that “In High Places” is clearly a Christian book, but Kevin Nolan’s questioning of God made me feel the book was not trying to preach or convince the reader of the truths of Christianity. Instead, it asked a legitimate question about why God would allow bad things to happen to good people. The book does not give easy answers; even when Patrick learns more about the details surrounding his mother’s death, the novel does not seek to answer the question of why God allowed his mother to die. Rather than bring simple closure, the book opens up layers of complexity regarding the human condition and human behavior; it explores the difficulties and unanswerable reasons behind why people love and hurt each other. The book is hopeful, but the hopefulness is mixed with a strong realism throughout.

I think Morrisey handles the difficult questions and situations he creates with great maturity and tactfulness. I especially admired his decision to tell the story from Patrick’s perspective, which allowed for all the questioning of a teenage boy, making the novel a story of a father-son relationship, a coming of age story, and a love story combined.

I have always thought rock-climbing would be fun, but the book’s descriptions of the complexities of rock-climbing made me think I should stick to reading books. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the descriptions of the activity, which clearly Morrisey is an expert in. Whether or not the reader is a Christian, “In High Places” will appeal to a wide audience, especially male readers, who will enjoy a father-son story where the male characters act with maturity and respect toward each other. Many young men would do well to model themselves upon the character of Patrick. This book would make a great gift for Father’s Day or to a teenage or college-age boy. “In High Places” has made me want to read more of Morrisey’s books.

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