The Wages of Sin

This is not a religious novel and yet religious practices play a prominent role in it. Many of its characters are influenced by religion, although few, if any, follow its tenets in ways that reflect proudly on their humanity. It appears that the author's intent is to suggest that those who choose to do evil will pay, even if only in the degradation of their own decency. His theme is not overtly religious, however, because he gives no indication that a deity is exacting punishment on anyone. Indeed, it might be argued that a major problem with the world Chatwin creates in this novel is its lack of the moral center that some would argue is provided by religion and God. In this book, retribution seems to be a built-in result of a person's choice to be bad. Punishment is as inescapable as a force...