The True Life Adventures of Sparrow Drinkwater

Stan Chung teaches English at the College of New Caledonia in Prince
George, B.C.

Trevor Ferguson is one of the most magical, inventive, and imaginative
Canadians writing fiction. So why is his brilliant, offbeat fourth novel
ultimately unsatisfying? Sparrow Drinkwater, the hero, is an eccentric
creation, partly because he originates out of a Georgia swamp,
supposedly sired by a raven and born of a madwoman who pees in the woods
nightly. But as Sparrow grows up, so does the rationality in his wild
and unfettered voice. By the end, everything makes sense, to Sparrow and
to the reader. When the novelist and his hero are imbued with such
vibrant magic, it is a shame that the urge to explain seems to triumph,
especially when the enchantment is such a strength. Trevor Ferguson’s
talent is indisputable; the writing is inspired, but, unfortunately, the
novel underachieves.