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A Hiker's Guide to Purgatory
A Hiker's Guide to Purgatory is Norton's first novel.
One morning, attorney Dan Geary, seventy-seven years old, finds himself in the middle of a rolling, polychrome landscape. The greens are bold and bright. Birds sing in the distance. Tall grasses surge like a sea before the wind. He has never seen anything quite like it. But somehow—with the doctors and beeping monitors suddenly gone—he knows exactly where he is: the afterlife.
What a relief not to be floating on a cloud, playing a harp. Instead, a hiking pack full of gear sits on his back, and he feels the familiar itch to start walking toward the far-off mountains. But he finds there is no trail, no map, no signage, and no one else in sight. As gorgeous as the scenery is, Dan feels in his bones: this is Purgatory.
Growing up, he'd imagined Purgatory as a detention center for delinquent children. What a surprise to see its beauty, and to feel so much hope. Yet along the winding way, Dan starts recognizing his tangled, imperfect, often wasted life, and he wonders if he will ever be ready to meet God. With no clue how long his hike will take, he gradually learns—through memories and through encounters with other Heaven-bound hikers—how to desire the good, how to wait, and how to long for love.
With confessional honesty and a sense of humor, this book reimagines the purification of the afterlife as a tough journey saturated with faith, hope, and love—and with overwhelming beauty.
One morning, attorney Dan Geary, seventy-seven years old, finds himself in the middle of a rolling, polychrome landscape. The greens are bold and bright. Birds sing in the distance. Tall grasses surge like a sea before the wind. He has never seen anything quite like it. But somehow—with the doctors and beeping monitors suddenly gone—he knows exactly where he is: the afterlife.
What a relief not to be floating on a cloud, playing a harp. Instead, a hiking pack full of gear sits on his back, and he feels the familiar itch to start walking toward the far-off mountains. But he finds there is no trail, no map, no signage, and no one else in sight. As gorgeous as the scenery is, Dan feels in his bones: this is Purgatory.
Growing up, he'd imagined Purgatory as a detention center for delinquent children. What a surprise to see its beauty, and to feel so much hope. Yet along the winding way, Dan starts recognizing his tangled, imperfect, often wasted life, and he wonders if he will ever be ready to meet God. With no clue how long his hike will take, he gradually learns—through memories and through encounters with other Heaven-bound hikers—how to desire the good, how to wait, and how to long for love.
With confessional honesty and a sense of humor, this book reimagines the purification of the afterlife as a tough journey saturated with faith, hope, and love—and with overwhelming beauty.
269 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2022
40 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Michael Norton
1 book15 followersA former newspaper reporter and public relations guy, Mike Norton abandoned the Catholic faith when he was 18 and spent almost 40 years trying to find his way back. Now retired, he and his wife Karen live in the village of Old Mission, Michigan and hike as often as they can.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 22, 2024
Hot take: I enjoyed this. I think if you’re looking for a nice fiction Catholic book, this is a good one. Nothing super profound and theological but I was pretty entertained the entire time, also reconvicted to pray for the souls in purgatory for SURE
June 28, 2022
This book is inspiring. It is not only well written and a compelling story. It fills the reader with THE STORY, our quest for God. Everyone should read it!
May 16, 2023
3.5 stars (rounded up for the Goodreads)
Don't let the lowish rating fool you. This story is wonderful. Sometimes the description bogged me down - there's a lot of focus on the landscapes that Dan found himself in, which is obviously an important part of the story.
The concept of Purgatory as a hiking trip was revelatory. I have always personally considered Purgatory to be a place of cleansing; mystics have mentioned that it is painful, but I always understood the pain to be spiritual - to be so close to God, but to not be worthy of being in His presence. Especially recently I've learned that we can experience something similar on Earth. There were many stand-out moments that definitely merit further prayer, but my favorite was one where Dan has finally begun the ascent towards Heaven. He reaches a point where he can see across the landscape, and is blown away by the beauty and grandeur of it all. He pauses, lifting his arms, and is overwhelmed by a moment of unspoken praise. I have experienced this in real life, and the extreme lows and highs of hiking a tall mountain are why this makes the perfect analogy for Purgatory.
It's been so long since I finished this, that this review is sadly incomplete, but I can't recall more thoughts. The book comes recommended, and it's a breath of fresh air to read a work of contemporary Catholic fiction.
*I had the chance to discuss this with a couple of others who had read it, and we talked about how weird it was to read a book where the character was in no physical danger; a wild animal would appear, and we'd both privately panicked, thinking that Dan was going to get mauled.
Don't let the lowish rating fool you. This story is wonderful. Sometimes the description bogged me down - there's a lot of focus on the landscapes that Dan found himself in, which is obviously an important part of the story.
The concept of Purgatory as a hiking trip was revelatory. I have always personally considered Purgatory to be a place of cleansing; mystics have mentioned that it is painful, but I always understood the pain to be spiritual - to be so close to God, but to not be worthy of being in His presence. Especially recently I've learned that we can experience something similar on Earth. There were many stand-out moments that definitely merit further prayer, but my favorite was one where Dan has finally begun the ascent towards Heaven. He reaches a point where he can see across the landscape, and is blown away by the beauty and grandeur of it all. He pauses, lifting his arms, and is overwhelmed by a moment of unspoken praise. I have experienced this in real life, and the extreme lows and highs of hiking a tall mountain are why this makes the perfect analogy for Purgatory.
It's been so long since I finished this, that this review is sadly incomplete, but I can't recall more thoughts. The book comes recommended, and it's a breath of fresh air to read a work of contemporary Catholic fiction.
*I had the chance to discuss this with a couple of others who had read it, and we talked about how weird it was to read a book where the character was in no physical danger; a wild animal would appear, and we'd both privately panicked, thinking that Dan was going to get mauled.
December 25, 2024
Did not think this was gonna be a contender for my top must read books! Not sure exactly if I would put it up there fully, but I think it's a great read especially for anyone lukewarm in their faith.
May 12, 2024
A 3.75 actually. Make a Catholic Hallmark movie about purgatory and this is it. It’s cheesy but thought provoking and relatively entertaining. It’s got a time and place.
January 30, 2025
Very sweet story with some truly touching moments, and a super fast read. My only criticism is that it felt very derivative of the CS Lewis classic, The Great Divorce, which I personally find to be a superior novel. However, Lewis writes purgatory (or something like it) with more of a perspective of how sin gets in the way to keep people separated from God, even in purgatory. Norton's take has a more gentle, airbrushed feeling of purgatory, and how it is a part of the purification process.
November 29, 2022
When it boils down to it, this was an entertaining read that which bore more than a little weight. It was something of a contemporary Catholic parallel to C.S. Lewis' ,The Great Divorce. And much like Lewis' masterpiece, the presentation was sometimes a bit too forward for my liking. I would've appreciated more subtlety and nuance instead of being handed everything by either the narrator or dialogue. On that note, there were moments when I felt the dialogue was a bit overly cheesy and corny, which honestly may be difficult to avoid given the topics addressed. That being said, behind all the cheese and corn lies a refreshingly Catholic work of substance.
November 5, 2022
This is one of the most deeply profound and thought provoking books I have read recently. I put it on a scale with The Great Divorce by CS Lewis, it is that well done. I highly recommend this book, I couldn't put it down. It will also certainly cause one to reflect on one's own life and wonder what it will be like for each of us to complete our journey towards Heaven.
February 16, 2024
Overall, a very thoughtfully crafted imagining of the soul’s purifying journey through Purgatory. I would give it 4.5 stars if Goodreads did half points. Now, just like a book about Heaven would be hard to please everyone, I don’t know if this depiction of Purgatory is universal enough for all readers to fully appreciate, but it definitely will score if you enjoy nature and the great outdoors, camping, hiking, fishing, and/or wildlife. At times, the story’s pacing is a bit slow, but it’s worth the read if you take time to savor it. I think the main character, Dan, should be relatable to a variety of readers, not in his exact lifestyle or personal history, but in the way that his story demonstrates God’s redeeming mercy despite all of our worst struggles with sin.
December 12, 2023
A fantastic spiritual read!
Not to jump the gun (as this is Michael Norton’s first novel), but he reminds me of CS Lewis. They write so simply, not using dressed up language to prove their points, while their metaphors and symbols are understandable without being weak or overdone.
Specifically, this book felt similar to “Screwtape Letters” with its wisdom and insights into the Christian life.
It didn’t quite reach the honor of 5 stars as certain places and dialogue felt corny. However, I’d recommend this to anyone striving to live the Christian life, and I’m excited to read more by this author.
Not to jump the gun (as this is Michael Norton’s first novel), but he reminds me of CS Lewis. They write so simply, not using dressed up language to prove their points, while their metaphors and symbols are understandable without being weak or overdone.
Specifically, this book felt similar to “Screwtape Letters” with its wisdom and insights into the Christian life.
It didn’t quite reach the honor of 5 stars as certain places and dialogue felt corny. However, I’d recommend this to anyone striving to live the Christian life, and I’m excited to read more by this author.
March 15, 2025
This book is thought-provoking and genuine. I appreciate that the author is both from my home state of Michigan and an avid hiker. I, too, love to hike.
The process of reconciliation in this book touches on every emotion. Like the author, I walked away from my faith as a young adult and have recently found myself back at Mass, praying fervently for my past mistakes and looking forward to dropping my pack and running toward the mountain of glory.
This book has inspired me to write about my time in the military, the disconnection I experienced from God and my faith, and how returning home to the Church has been the greatest thing I could have done for my wife, my children, and myself.
The process of reconciliation in this book touches on every emotion. Like the author, I walked away from my faith as a young adult and have recently found myself back at Mass, praying fervently for my past mistakes and looking forward to dropping my pack and running toward the mountain of glory.
This book has inspired me to write about my time in the military, the disconnection I experienced from God and my faith, and how returning home to the Church has been the greatest thing I could have done for my wife, my children, and myself.
February 25, 2025
Purgatory. A very pleasant hiker's journey (Dan Geary) through purgatory from the moment he dies until he reaches his final destination of Heaven. The healing and forgiving takes place during this journey with his Dad and with a helpful angel named Rafe and with new friends he meets while he is there traveling. Also we can't forget his dog who is also travels with him. My feelings about purgatory have changed and I think I might like this place -- but only for a while.
October 11, 2025
A book with charm and punch; well worth reading and pondering. I hope there are alternatives though for those of us who dont like being outside.. LOL
January 4, 2025
Michael Norton’s A Hiker’s Guide to Purgatory offers unique questions for contemplation. I recommend it.
I read Dante’s Inferno in college (truthfully, I mostly only read Cliff’s Notes, and my grade reflected that approach!), but I found it dreadfully dark and obscure.
The main character of A Hiker’s Guide to Purgatory, Dan, wakes up in a beautiful place with a fully prepared hiker’s backpack at his side, so he starts hiking. He is a recently deceased Catholic, and is relieved to find that Purgatory isn’t the bleak place he had come to expect from his Catholic upbringing. It is a mountainous place with crystal clear, lakes, and breathtaking vistas.
At first, Purgatory feels very easy and enjoyable - Dan’s dog even shows up, and a good-natured (albeit solemn) angel named Rafe checks in with Dan from time-to-time; however, Dan begins to be haunted by incidents from his life which require some soul-searching and prayer. Dan - and the reader - conclude that purgatory is a place of readying the soul for heaven: through an introspective cleansing (which can be somewhat tortuous), but also through healing joy.
According to Norton, God wants to give us a chance to comprehend the ways our souls are broken and the time, ability and grace to heal them. This healing flows from complete trust in Him and spills out into all our relationships. The path and pace of this restoration occurs as uniquely to each soul as the lives that preceded Purgatory.
I found the story to be thought-provoking and hopeful. It was an easy and enjoyable read (and thankfully, no need for Cliff’s Notes!).
I read Dante’s Inferno in college (truthfully, I mostly only read Cliff’s Notes, and my grade reflected that approach!), but I found it dreadfully dark and obscure.
The main character of A Hiker’s Guide to Purgatory, Dan, wakes up in a beautiful place with a fully prepared hiker’s backpack at his side, so he starts hiking. He is a recently deceased Catholic, and is relieved to find that Purgatory isn’t the bleak place he had come to expect from his Catholic upbringing. It is a mountainous place with crystal clear, lakes, and breathtaking vistas.
At first, Purgatory feels very easy and enjoyable - Dan’s dog even shows up, and a good-natured (albeit solemn) angel named Rafe checks in with Dan from time-to-time; however, Dan begins to be haunted by incidents from his life which require some soul-searching and prayer. Dan - and the reader - conclude that purgatory is a place of readying the soul for heaven: through an introspective cleansing (which can be somewhat tortuous), but also through healing joy.
According to Norton, God wants to give us a chance to comprehend the ways our souls are broken and the time, ability and grace to heal them. This healing flows from complete trust in Him and spills out into all our relationships. The path and pace of this restoration occurs as uniquely to each soul as the lives that preceded Purgatory.
I found the story to be thought-provoking and hopeful. It was an easy and enjoyable read (and thankfully, no need for Cliff’s Notes!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2024
This book was recommended to me from a great friend of mine and I am extremely happy that he did so! I am praying that Purgatory is exactly like described in this book. All Catholics and every non-Catholic whether you understand or even do not believe in Purgatory, this book helps us believers comprehend the reason that there is a Purgatory! We are all sinners. Some confess our sins and some of us bury the most embarrassing of our sins. Purgatory allows us to rectify those sins, reflect, and ask for prayers and forgiveness. I highly recommend this book for all believers and non-believers alike. Remember God loves all of us, forgives us, and desires us to share eternity with Him.
November 3, 2024
I wish there were more stars to give. I think this will be my favorite book of the year. I've never been one to reread a book. This will be my first.
July 11, 2024
Cross-posted to StoryGraph
Norton's debut novel takes readers on a scenic journey through Purgatory in a way that feels almost Tolkien-esque in its descriptions of nature. The pace is as relaxed as one might expect from a meandering hike through rolling mountains but punctuated with frequently intense flashbacks through life that our protagonist needs to work through.
Despite being a story about Purgatory I can't say that this book felt exceptionally Catholic. It may as well have been The Great Divorce but for all its brief mentions of Catholic theology. There were no deep dives- no point at which Dan had a profound experience through any sacrament in his life, and that left me wanting more. The book was also a little too introspective for my taste, but I anticipated that going in. As it stands, A Hiker's Guide to Purgatory feels inescapably like a first novel, but with more time spent on editing (there were a few missing words, typos, and pacing issues) I think this could have easily gained 4.5 stars. In the end, this was a quick and enjoyable read that invited me to spend more time reflecting on my life, and that's really all I can ask.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage and Infidelity
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
Norton's debut novel takes readers on a scenic journey through Purgatory in a way that feels almost Tolkien-esque in its descriptions of nature. The pace is as relaxed as one might expect from a meandering hike through rolling mountains but punctuated with frequently intense flashbacks through life that our protagonist needs to work through.
Despite being a story about Purgatory I can't say that this book felt exceptionally Catholic. It may as well have been The Great Divorce but for all its brief mentions of Catholic theology. There were no deep dives- no point at which Dan had a profound experience through any sacrament in his life, and that left me wanting more. The book was also a little too introspective for my taste, but I anticipated that going in. As it stands, A Hiker's Guide to Purgatory feels inescapably like a first novel, but with more time spent on editing (there were a few missing words, typos, and pacing issues) I think this could have easily gained 4.5 stars. In the end, this was a quick and enjoyable read that invited me to spend more time reflecting on my life, and that's really all I can ask.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage and Infidelity
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
August 23, 2022
This is, of course, a fictionalized novel of a time in purgatory, hiking through purgatory. It would be most wonderful if even with the struggled endured, it would be this easy. This book does a good job of explaining the things we don't see about ourselves or acknowledge and for some, not caring. All debts will have to be paid.
I found the adventure to be enlightening and several times convicting and the soul searching Dan had to do hitting home and bringing me to tears. We will all have to atone for our sins and dying a saint would be the goal, but if we do not, let us pray that we at least repented and had the time to reconcile with God before we go. If not, we may not get that opportunity to hike through purgatory.
That gate is narrow and those who make it through are few.
I found the adventure to be enlightening and several times convicting and the soul searching Dan had to do hitting home and bringing me to tears. We will all have to atone for our sins and dying a saint would be the goal, but if we do not, let us pray that we at least repented and had the time to reconcile with God before we go. If not, we may not get that opportunity to hike through purgatory.
That gate is narrow and those who make it through are few.
August 24, 2025
The concept of this book was very intriguing. I can’t say I’ve spent much time thinking about purgatory. I loved the author’s take on it. The place we go after our life on earth to be completely prepared for heaven. It is different for each of us. So, the concept was 5 stars. The different takes on the ‘phases’ of purgatory are also very good. The past sins to be acknowledged and dealt with , people that we may need to meet or revisit, people who need prayers, recognizing all those who have been praying for us.
My criticism would be it was about 100 pages too long. There was way too much unnecessary description and the part with Dan and his dad drug on with terrible dialogue and no real point. We never get to find out why his dad became a verbally and physically abusive father. I would have liked some better explanation of that.
Overall, very good and thought provoking.
My criticism would be it was about 100 pages too long. There was way too much unnecessary description and the part with Dan and his dad drug on with terrible dialogue and no real point. We never get to find out why his dad became a verbally and physically abusive father. I would have liked some better explanation of that.
Overall, very good and thought provoking.
August 24, 2022
“ There’s only one reason anyone would want to be in heaven, and that’s because he loves God fiercely and passionately he wants to be with him more than anything else, really Dan, that’s the only difference between heaven and hell.”
The first half of this book was really fast paced and thought provoking and I would have given it five stars except the last half while still thought provoking became a drag. Just how many fish does one person have to catch in purgatory before the point is made?
Nevertheless this is a very thought-provoking novel and worth reading.
The first half of this book was really fast paced and thought provoking and I would have given it five stars except the last half while still thought provoking became a drag. Just how many fish does one person have to catch in purgatory before the point is made?
Nevertheless this is a very thought-provoking novel and worth reading.
March 15, 2025
I really wanted like this book and it gets 3 stars for the last chapter. Character development was OK but the author was over the top descriptive of nature. It felt like he needed to get a certain amount of words in to equal a chapter. You can tell he had a background of walking in nature but explaining every kind of tree, bird and flora got really tiresome.
Interesting take on purgatory even though it may not necessarily follow church doctrine. Fun concept but definitely could have been better.
Interesting take on purgatory even though it may not necessarily follow church doctrine. Fun concept but definitely could have been better.
October 2, 2022
Oct 2022. More fall break reading. I start teaching the PURGATORIO when school resumes.
Finished: made me weep aloud twice, smile often, and only roll my eyes once in 250 pages. I am overwhelmed. A wonderful, refreshing book. Glad I went in knowing the COMEDY already.
Finished: made me weep aloud twice, smile often, and only roll my eyes once in 250 pages. I am overwhelmed. A wonderful, refreshing book. Glad I went in knowing the COMEDY already.
August 26, 2025
Very Enlightening
Recommend to anyone questioning What is Purgatory. I enjoyed the book and was able to read, then stop and Talk to Christ, then pray, then return to reading. What a blessing.
Recommend to anyone questioning What is Purgatory. I enjoyed the book and was able to read, then stop and Talk to Christ, then pray, then return to reading. What a blessing.
July 10, 2022
Well written. Kept me into the story. Ending a little flat.
October 15, 2022
Quite interesting. Left me feeling good about what Purgatory could be, and what could happen there.
November 8, 2022
A journey through Purgatory. It reminded me of the CS Lewis book The Great Divorce (I need to reread that one) and the JRR Tolkien short story Leaf by Niggle. I enjoyed it very much.
February 4, 2023
What a great heart stirring read! I hope this is exactly what purgatory is like!!
March 16, 2023
This was an easy and quick read. It was a good book club choice, provoking a lot of discussion/debate.
March 19, 2023
An interesting view thru purgatory. Hope you like to hike and run.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews