Redemption

The theme of redemption is explored through the journeys of Jaxie and Fintan, two characters who have sought refuge in the harsh Australian wilderness for very different reasons. Jaxie, a teenage boy fleeing his abusive father and the repercussions of a violent altercation, begins the novel as a deeply wounded and angry individual. Meanwhile, Fintan, a disgraced priest banished to the desert, lives with his own moral and spiritual burdens. Both characters, though drastically different, share a need for transformation and healing. Their unexpected companionship becomes a catalyst for each to find redemption in different ways: for Jaxie, it is a matter of personal growth and reconciling his violent past; for Fintan, it is a quiet quest for penance and spiritual acceptance.

Jaxie’s journey toward redemption begins with his escape from the violence of his father’s household. Initially, his notion of survival is purely...