Sunday, October 23, 2011

Book 19 - Peak by Roland Smith - Tibet and Nepal

When Peak Marcello, a fourteen year old, is caught and prosecuted for scaling New York skyscrapers, his father suddenly reappears in his life and whisks him away from the publicity to his climbing operation at Mt Everest. Peak hasn't seen or heard much from his father in 7 years and their estrangement continues as his father, Josh, has to cater to his clients, wealthy mountaineers who have paid him to help them summit Everest. Peak joins the group as his father sees an opportunity to ensure his business gets publicity in getting his son to be the youngets person ever to make it to the summit. Peak rises to the challenge and in doing so comes to some new understandings about himself, his father and the sherpa people who give their lives assisting the foreign climbers.

Peak is the narrator of this story but he shares the limelight with Sun-jo, the grandson of his father's close friend a monk called Zopa. Many things can be learned from the world's highest mountain it seems. I think the book's last sentences are a good summary without being a give away of the plot."The only thing you'll find on the summit of Mount Everest is a divine view. The things that really matter lie far below." I enjoyed this book and can thoroughly recommend it.

Roland Smith's website and a Teen Ink review by Elliot K of Colarado Springs also catch the book trailer below....