That Eye, That Sky is his most bewildering novel so far (at least to me). I finished it with a huge sense of what? I made the mistake of going online to see if there was a reading guide or cheat sheet that explains "this is what he meant". I ended up just finding a bunch of reader's suggestions that it all had to do with conversion to Christianity by way of one of the character's (Henry) sudden appearance.

It starts with the ominous warning of a mother telling her son to always wave goodbye when someone leaves, as you may never see them again. You know that can't bode well.

The novel itself is told in the voice of a ten year old boy, whose father is rendered incapacitated by a car wreck (and no, the kid didn't wave goodbye). His teen sister, his long suffering mom and his Alzheimer inflicted grandmother fill out the family tree. They are barely managing, out in the woods, practically camping, when the accident occurs and changes their lives. Henry shows up to 'help' and has long philosophical discussions with the mom and sister, while helping them care for the father. This leads the mother and son into seeking purpose and God's aid.

Do I think Henry helped them? Actually, I have to disagree with all the other online opinions. I think Henry hampered them in everything. I think he represented evil. They weren't considered bad caregivers until Henry was 'helping' them. He ends up seducing their teenage daughter and contributed to her wild behavior. I think the fact that the mother tolerated him for his help is what alienated the daughter in the first place and made her more susceptible to his advances. And the suggestion is made that he prevents the father from actually recovering. I think the mother and son would have had their quest for spiritual guidance regardless of Henry's visit; people in tough times often reevaluate their needs.

I loved his voice as Morton: he sounds just like a kid with kid thoughts and explanations. He must have been a young boy once! I was also interested in how he felt watched by the sky all the time, I think essentially he was describing his conscience. He knew right and wrong, and he had a good heart.

It left me with many questions: why is no other family mentioned? Why is the daughter so angry all the time? Who is the person the grandmother keeps calling out for? How are they getting by financially? Is it possible that the daughter and Henry had a prior acquaintance with each other, and his visit was subterfuge for being there with her?

I don't mind the questions, I like pondering this kind of stuff. I do think Winton took the easy way out by portraying any "church people" as cliche'd personalities: hateful and judgmental (the Lutherans) or theatrical and creepy (the Catholics). That surprised me a bit, usually he delves a little deeper than what you would expect from a skit on Saturday Night Live. ( )

I found ths a very readable novel but, of course, highly didactic. Having non-Christians as unhappy, lost people, practising Christians in different denominations also miserable people (like Warburton's father) and only those naturally embracing God being able to manage and then be rewarded with miracles is really disingenuous of Winton - a case of distorting reality to suit his theme. While it may be fine to believe in a god, making people who don't believe seem gratuitously hurtful or degenerate takes away the credibility of the novel.

Still, I liked the style, Ort's narrative voice and the humour working well, even if the latter is to distract the reader from incredulity when miracles occur. ( )

I would recommend that eye, the sky to fiction readers, but a lot of people will probably go away from it unsatisfied. There is a LOT to this story for which the author leaves no explanation and this may frustrate some people. Me, I love quirky writing and I know that I'll be mulling this book over in my head for a while now that I've finished it. For anyone who hasn't read a Tim Winton novel, I wouldn't suggest you start with this one -- try The Riders or Dirt Music (I haven't read anything else by him, but I did like the two I just listed). I plan to get my hands on every book this man has written.

On page 102, it's Christmas Eve morning and the Flack family is having breakfast. Twelve year-old Morton Flack, called Ort, offers a prayer: "Jesus fix us up. We're breaking to bits here." This one line sort of captures the flavor of the entire novel. Set in Australia, the story is told from Ort's perspective. After a tragic car accident, the life he once knew changes. Ort lives with his mom, Alice, Sam, his father; his teenage sister is Tegwyn and there is Grammar his grandmother who is old and perhaps a bit senile. The family got by by raising chickens and their own veggies; Sam took on the odd job or two. One morning, though, Ort learns that his father was in a car accident and after that life completely changed for everyone, but perhaps most keenly felt by Ort. The biggest change of all, though is the appearance of Henry Warburton, who shows up to "nurse" Sam, home from the hospital but unable to function. While Ort is busy trying to make sense of all of the changes, Henry is trying to atone and expiate for something that happened in his past. Ort just keeps praying for a miracle as his household falls apart.

You really have to take this one slowly. It is well worth the time and effort if you put some thought into it. If you're looking for straightforward plot line or everything neatly tied up in a bow at the end, you're going to be disappointed. This is a tough book to read, but beautifully written & sort of reaffirms your faith in the power of a child's love. ( )