Summer Gone

I picked up this book several years ago because I loved David MacFarlane's quirky weekly column in the Globe & Mail. Instead of the lighthearted journalism I was expecting, I found a soft and dreamy story, full of bittersweet thoughts and raw relationships and cold lakes in summer. The narrative flows effortlessly back and forth in time, often without defined edges. There isn't quite a defined plot so much as a critical mass of memories and moments that blur together to create a vivid, gorgeous piece of very Canadian writing that deserves to be read out loud.

I've never felt compelled to write a review before. Summer Gone is now my favorite book, and i read everyday. It compels you to revisit your own past as the story unfolds of a father and his son. By the end you are uplifted and joyed by the beautiful writing and keenly focused storyline.

One of the more interesting twists of our consciousness is how we tend to remember those things for which we have lost and, how we often forget what we have. Bay Newling, one of the central characters in David MacFarlanes' excellent book, Summer Gone, struggles with just that conundrum during his trips to and memories of, Ontario's cottage country. His story, that of his son's and his parents all intertwine amongst the pine needles, rocks, summer storms, clear waters and in particular, one special canoe trip. A moving book, Summer Gone reveals the many intricate faces of the warm months often hidden behind the common veneer of carefree days around the lake. To my American readers, this book will give you a rare glimpse of a summer lifestyle Canadian's hold sacred.

It was a pleasure to read Mr. Macfarlane's story of a man's thoughts and memories of childhood though adulthood. I liked the way all the thoughts blended together across the years as thoughts do in our minds as we reminisce. The forced Sunday School experiences recalled my childhood times for me. I've stayed a little closer to religious practice than Bay in the novel but I felt Bay was still a man of faith. Many descriptions in the novel are extremely hope-filled. The characters are all well-drawn and believable. It is just wonderful to read a novel of this caliber, so much writing today is not even worth reading. Summergone, mentioned only once in a list of other flowers, is a wildflower found in Canada. The author doesn't try to imply any heavy-handed symbolism but leaves any connections to be made by the reader. I really liked the economy of Macfarlane's prose in a book that any sensitive reader should love.

I picked this because the cover intrigued me! (I don't usually do that!) I was captivated throughout the entire novel. The author's style was unique and refreshing. I could not wait for the surprising conclusion, but wished for more once I reached it!