The Sky Manifest

August 19, 2013
The tragic loss of his wife and infant daughter sends Nathan Soderquist on a journey to the West. Nathan’s better instincts and the distractions of Canada’s majestic vistas too often prove unequal to his anger need for revenge. He soon finds himself dodging the police on his journey. What should have been a quest for healing transformation goes awry very early on, sending Nathan on an accelerating arc toward a brutal conclusion, yet despite his self-destructive urges, hope for redemption remains. Troubled voyages, grand tableaus, and personal transformations feature in Canadian narratives from the days of the voyageurs to Neal Peart’s moving Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road; by choosing that frame for his story, Panhuyzen (The Death of the Moon) embraces a long-standing Canadian tradition. Panhuyzen’s intricate mastery of words contrasts with his protagonist’s inability to master himself. The author demonstrates a remarkable talent in search of nuance; despite a tendency to reduce women to victims, hostages, and prizes, and a fondness for nigh-Chandleresque violence to motivate the plot, there is enough promise here to warrant close attention.