- This second novel from Robbie Arnott is engrossing from the start. The story is highly original and tense, and the writing beautiful.
- There's been a military coup in this unnamed country. Ren has fled her coastal town and is surviving in a cave on a mountain on her own. She knows where the fabled 'Rain Heron' is to be found. The heron is believed to influence weather events like floods and droughts that frequently devastate the local communities.
- I’m not a great fan of magical realism in serious literature but here it is integrated into real life drama very effectively.
- Zoe Harker is a cruel army Lieutenant, under orders from the coup leaders to find the magical heron if it exists. She pressures Ren to help her.
- Unlike in Arnott's first novel Flames, there is a narrative discipline here. The stories are linked in a satisfying, coherent way. And Arnott can really tell a story. He has a masterly control of pace and tension, making for a thrilling and absorbing read.
- There are strange elements in the tales of course, but they are fascinating in themselves and add a spicy flavour of mystery and intrigue. Fantasy and reality mesh in a very satisfying way.
- The nature descriptions are sublime, like nothing I’ve ever read. The natural world in all its variety, mystery, dynamism, cruelty, comfort and spiritual beauty is a major player in this novel. But Arnott's essential focus is on the human connections between his characters, particularly family and mother/child relationships. There is death and unbearable suffering. But it is this personal pain that makes us who we are, and makes us yearn for redemption and forgiveness.
- I was reminded of Jock Serong's novels at times. They have a similar feel - a mix of action, adventure, politics and personal stresses and strains.
- The Rain Heron is well worth reading. It's a major achievement.
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