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The Monk Downstairs: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Tim Farrington (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 364 ratings
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A cynical single mom’s life changes when she rents her apartment to an introverted ex-monk in this “tender, witty” novel (New York Times Book Review).

Rebecca Martin is a single mother with an apartment to rent and a sense that she has used up her illusions. I had the romantic thing with my first husband, thank you very much, she tells a hapless suitor. I’m thirty-eight years old, and I’ve got a daughter learning to read and a job I don’t quite like. I don’t need the violin music. But when the new tenant in her in-law apartment turns out to be Michael Christopher, on the lam after twenty years in a monastery and smack dab in the middle of a dark night of the soul, Rebecca begins to suspect that she is not as thoroughly disillusioned as she had thought.

Her daughter, Mary Martha, is delighted with the new arrival, as is Rebecca’s mother, Phoebe, a rollicking widow making a new life for herself among the spiritual eccentrics of the coastal town of Bolinas. Even Rebecca’s best friend, Bonnie, once a confirmed cynic in matters of the heart, urges Rebecca on. But none of them, Rebecca feels, understands how complicated and dangerous love actually is.

As her unlikely friendship with the ex-monk grows toward something deeper, and Michael wrestles with his despair while adjusting to a second career flipping hamburgers at McDonald’s, Rebecca struggles with her own temptation to hope. But it is not until she is brought up short by the realities of life and death that she begins to glimpse the real mystery of love, and the unfathomable depths of faith . . .

Praise for The Monk Downstairs

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

“Fluent prose, seamless dialogue and a lovingly rendered Bay Area setting lift this novel above the pack. . . . A charmingly written, gratifyingly hopeful tale.” —Publishers Weekly

“This gentle, luminous love story shimmers with warmth, honesty, and self-deprecating humor.” —Booklist
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Monk
  2. Print length
    308 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    HarperOne
  5. Publication date
    June 17, 2010
  6. File size
    2.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Tim Farrington's The Monk Downstairs follows the beguiling romance between a jaded San Francisco graphic designer and a monk who flips burgers at McDonald's. Rebecca Martin is a 38-year-old single mom who has lost her faith in men; Mike is a disillusioned monk who's lost his faith in God. The two meet just after Mike leaves his monastery of 20 years and rents the downstairs apartment of Rebecca's house. The last thing Rebecca wants is another romantic entanglement, especially since she has the emotional well-being of her 6-year-old daughter, Mary Martha, to consider. (A charming character in her own right, Mary Martha also happens to be "an infallible detector of bullshit.") And the last thing Mike wants is to agitate his already troubled soul. But after a few backyard cigarettes together at twilight and a few melted barriers, a tentative love story is underway.

Although Farrington's plot revolves around a classic story of unlikely lovers, there's no sappiness or clichés in his highly polished narrative. Indeed, his vulnerable characters and realistic dialogue will feel especially poignant for grown-up lovers. When the big night arrives and the couple must decide whether Mike will sleep over, Rebecca speaks for all single mothers.

"This is not just about us anymore," she said. "If that freaks you out, then please, please bail now. Because if you are going to stay here tonight, you're going to have to have breakfast with my daughter. You're going to have to be a decent human being. You're going to have to be a man."

In Mike we see what it means to bring spiritual strength to a relationship. When Rebecca suddenly becomes sharp and anxious, he does not retreat, nor does he paw at her for reassurance. Instead he knows how to sit with her, as if in meditation, staying present while not getting caught up in her fear. And in Rebecca we see what it means to speak honestly to a lover. This all may sound too lofty and preachy to be a juicy read, but Farrington has the quirky characters and the masterful skills to make this a highly entertaining and inspiring tale of adult love. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

An independent, "unremarkable" single mother of one and an introverted ex-monk are the unlikely couple sharing the spotlight in this delightful, Anne Tyler-ish third novel from the author of 1998's well-received Blues for Hannah. Rebecca, a 38-year-old divorced San Francisco graphic artist, already has plenty on her plate a six-year-old daughter, Mary Martha, and a pot-smoking professional surfer ex-husband, Rory when she rents her downstairs apartment to Michael Christopher, a monk who has just abandoned monastery life after 20 years. She's sure she's not on the market for romance, but when Michael weeds her backyard, manages to befriend no-nonsense Mary Martha and joins Rebecca for intimate cigarette breaks ("little suicides") on the back steps, she finds herself wavering. Much trepidation predictably gives way to heated romance, though Michael wrestles with his crisis of faith via letters back and forth to the abbey brothers, and Rebecca, between bouts of bailing Rory out of jail, questions whether a romantic relationship with a man like Michael would be a true "fall from grace" for them both. Then Rebecca's mother has a stroke, and Rebecca and Michael are forced to make some rushed but pragmatic decisions. Fluent prose, seamless dialogue and a lovingly rendered Bay Area setting lift this novel above the pack. Farrington touches on many of the themes customary to the genre: forbidden fantasies, passionate first kisses, hovering family members and the tribulations of inconceivable relationships and all are mastered with ease and grace. The writer may have adopted a secondhand premise, but he delivers a charmingly written, gratifyingly hopeful tale. Agent, Linda Chester, Linda Chester and Associates. (May)Forecast: West Coast readers in particular will appreciate the quirky, spiritually inflected sweetness of Farrington's fiction. Farrington has been quietly building up a solid body of work, … la Stephen McCauley, and The Monk Downstairs should bump his reputation and sales up a healthy notch.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003JBI3BK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperOne; Reissue edition (June 17, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 17, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0062517864
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 364 ratings

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Tim Farrington

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
364 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the book and find it a joy to read. They praise the writing quality as easy to understand and witty, with a pleasant tone. The story is described as charming and believable, with a sweet but complicated real life. Readers appreciate the thought-provoking themes and philosophical forays into the life of the spirit. They also appreciate the lovely characters and emotional development.

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ReadabilityWriting qualityStory qualityThought provokingCharacter development
43 customers mention "Readability"43 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it an enjoyable read for all backgrounds, a good beach read, and a thoughtful book with deeper inclinations of faith. The book stimulates discussion at book clubs and could make a good movie.

"This book is a real wonder...." Read more

"...for, but overall, The Monk Downstairs was thought-provoking and enjoyable...." Read more

"...written to have held my attention and to have served as welcome entertainment for the time I was reading it...." Read more

"I think this shall be one of my all time favorite books. It speaks to the risk of love versus the acceptance of a safe, yet solitary existence...." Read more

38 customers mention "Writing quality"38 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book's writing quality. They found the dialogue and prose witty and easy to read. The story was heartwarming with interesting letters that complemented the narrative. Readers appreciated the unique phrases and lovely characters.

"...Not only was Tim Farrington's prose easy and pleasant to read, but with an opening premise so intriguing, I couldn't resist purchasing the book and..." Read more

"...or for not being Great Literature but it is well enough written to have held my attention and to have served as welcome entertainment for the time I..." Read more

"...book in one day -- not because it was slight, but because the prose was so graceful and easy to read, the characters so engaging, and the spiritual..." Read more

"...issues common in parenting children of divorced parents, but with wry humor...." Read more

35 customers mention "Story quality"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the story engaging with a believable plot and realistic characters. They describe it as a sweet yet gritty love story that quickly piques their interest. The book offers an original plot and thoughtful storytelling that makes for an easy read. The characterizations are excellent, and the dialogue and prose are witty.

"...; I heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves a slow motion love story that delves deep into all the psyche of two flawed and engaging..." Read more

"I think this shall be one of my all time favorite books. It speaks to the risk of love versus the acceptance of a safe, yet solitary existence...." Read more

"...are more than their archetypal roots: lovable, flawed, earnest, and striving...." Read more

"...I particularly appreciated the well constructed story line and evidence of proper editing. I admit to being a member of the grammar police...." Read more

29 customers mention "Thought provoking"29 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and enjoyable. They appreciate the forays into philosophy and the life of the spirit. The book provides a good reminder of life as it is, balancing living a life with being contemplative. Readers enjoy the intricate thoughts that live alongside life's struggles and expand each other's ideas of God. Overall, they find the book cohesive and poignant.

"...most remarkable thing about this book is how Farrington describes the intricate thoughts that live alongside life's throwaway moments...." Read more

"...Farrington's prose easy and pleasant to read, but with an opening premise so intriguing, I couldn't resist purchasing the book and immediately..." Read more

"...To be fair, there also are forays into philosophy and the life of the spirit, including some exploration of the tension between contemplation and..." Read more

"...consider to be very wise theology throughout the book, theology which transcends Christianity, in my opinion as a former Christian...." Read more

25 customers mention "Character development"25 positive0 negative

Customers like the character development. They find the characters charming, real, and lovable. The writing portrays emotional evolution well.

"...story that delves deep into all the psyche of two flawed and engaging characters." Read more

"...I spent some enjoyable time reading it and became reasonably invested in the characters. (Once I'm in a book, I'm a pretty easy sell.)..." Read more

"...but because the prose was so graceful and easy to read, the characters so engaging, and the spiritual aspect so deft but satisfying, that I simply..." Read more

"...this character much more than our narrator, who although also a thoughtful character, never gives us much to really like about her...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • N. Wright
    5.0 out of 5 stars captures human complexities, and exquisitely written
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a real wonder. It precisely and achingly captures the vicissitudes of two people with significant baggage finding each other and finding love-- the real kind, flaws and baggage and crises and all. The most remarkable thing about this book is how Farrington describes the intricate thoughts that live alongside life's throwaway moments. His descriptions, if sometimes a little too plentiful, are almost always spot on, the kind that lead the reader to exclaim "yes, that experience is just like that!" I heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves a slow motion love story that delves deep into all the psyche of two flawed and engaging characters.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Dusty
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great premise, great read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Review of The Monk Downstairs
    Hot Toasty Rag, May 7, 2014

    In the opening pages of The Monk Downstairs, we are introduced to a monk who has decided to leave the monastery after twenty years. After being away from the outside world for so long, he doesn't feel qualified or ready to take on a demanding job and a place of his own. He gets a job at McDonalds and rents a room--downstairs--from a single mother looking for a supplemental income.
    In general, I try not to find out too much about a book before reading it. If the back cover blurb contains eight sentences, I'll probably read the first two. Rather than finding out half the plot, I like to read the first chapter to get a feel for the writing style. Not only was Tim Farrington's prose easy and pleasant to read, but with an opening premise so intriguing, I couldn't resist purchasing the book and immediately diving in.
    At times a little corny, and some of the minor characters took up a little more page time than I would have cared for, but overall, The Monk Downstairs was thought-provoking and enjoyable. Many books aimed at women are both written by women and have a woman protagonist, and I really liked the differences a male perspective brought to this story. My favorite passage in the book is almost lyrical; Farrington shows an understanding of a woman's confusions and motivations:
    "She started to reach for her wine, then stopped herself, feeling that it would be rude to drink in front of him without offering him a glass, but not wanting to offer him a glass, no wanting to go any deeper, not wanting the responsibility of that. [...] There was something very appealing in Christopher's hair-trigger sensitivity to thoughts she hadn't even voiced. But she felt no urge to run after him and apologize for what was after all a relatively subliminal rudeness. All she'd done, really, was draw a little line."
    If you're in the market for a rainy afternoon read, or a book to read on the commute to work (assuming you're not driving), check out The Monk Downstairs.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reader
    3.0 out of 5 stars Fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I liked "The Monk Downstairs" but did not love it, say, enough to pay full price for the sequel. (I bought the e-book at a steep discount.) Nevertheless, I spent some enjoyable time reading it and became reasonably invested in the characters. (Once I'm in a book, I'm a pretty easy sell.) The plot revolves around a late-thirties single mother and once-aspiring artist who rents her San Francisco in-law apartment to a handsome, early-forties, now-former Catholic monk who has abandoned his vocation during a time of prolonged soul-searching and spiritual/emotional aridity. He shares her cigarettes, cultivates her back yard and, as it happens, is more attentive to, and responsible around, her young daughter than is her weed-dazed ex-husband. What do you think happens, dear Reader?

    OK, I could slam the book for being predictable or for not being Great Literature but it is well enough written to have held my attention and to have served as welcome entertainment for the time I was reading it. To be fair, there also are forays into philosophy and the life of the spirit, including some exploration of the tension between contemplation and action as expressions of the religious impulse. You may take these explorations more seriously than I did. They weren't trivial but neither were they central to the plot or deeply developed, in my subjective view.

    I wouldn't dissuade you from reading this book, nor would I say "rush to the store" (or to the Amazon link).
    14 people found this helpful
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  • VCBENNETT
    5.0 out of 5 stars A tender story about taking risks
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2002
    Verified Purchase
    I think this shall be one of my all time favorite books. It speaks to the risk of love versus the acceptance of a safe, yet solitary existence. It speaks to the risk of one exploring and accepting another versus that of one gliding from one superficial entanglement to another, precluding real intimacy. One wants the happy ending... but is it worth all the pain that accompanies the risks?
    This is a story that grips you immediately. The story is about a single mom who fixes up the in-law apartment of her house so as to increase her income. Funny thing, the person who shows up has no money and no furniture. He is a monk who has recently left the monastery. However unsure, once she sees the interaction between the monk and her six year old daughter, Mary Martha, her decision is affirmed.
    As the friendship develops, Rebecca waits for the proverbial shoe to drop. She has conceded that she is to remain alone for the rest of her days, but Mike, the monk, captures her imagination providing her a healthy dose of giddiness followed by a pervasive topping of fear of what may be too good to be true. This story captures the emotional risks we all take when we open to love again. It is that fear that rests in the gut.
    This is also a story that invites the reader to explore his/her own relationship with a "God" whose message isn't always crystal clear. Again, it is about acceptance and risk.
    Rebecca and Mike are surrounded by a group of wonderful people. These people are not too neurotic, not too "over the top". Their assortment of idiosyncracies are reminders of the real people who surround us: wishing for our happiness, fearing for our hurts.
    Perhaps my only disappointment is the fact it is cigarettes that provide the initial sensory connection for Rebecca and Mike. So it is not a perfect world after all.
    40 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Relaxed
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on April 4, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Egood reading
    Report
  • Patricia Rhodes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
    Reviewed in Australia on November 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I expected pretty much a 'genre' romance novel - it's not that at all. Interesting and challenging ideas and characters, plus a sweet love story.
    Report
  • crazycat 09
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as I thought it was going to be........
    Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    An okay read but not as good as I thought it was going to be.
    Report

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