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The Rain Heron
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
12 posts | 8 read | 2 reading | 17 to read
A gripping novel of myth, environment, adventure, and an unlikely friendship, from an award-winning Australian author Ren lives alone on the remote frontier of a country devastated by a coup d'tat. High on the forested slopes, she survives by hunting, farming, trading, and forgetting the contours of what was once a normal life. But her quiet stability is disrupted when an army unit, led by a young female soldier, comes to the mountains on government orders in search of a legendary creature called the rain herona mythical, dangerous, form-shifting bird with the ability to change the weather. Ren insists that the bird is simply a story, yet the soldier will not be deterred, forcing them both into a gruelling quest. Spellbinding and immersive, Robbie Arnotts The Rain Heron is an astounding, mythical exploration of human resilience, female friendship, and humankinds precarious relationship to nature. As Ren and the soldier hunt for the heron, a bond between them forms, and the painful details of Rens former life emergea life punctuated by loss, trauma, and a second, equally magical and dangerous creature. Slowly, Ren's and the soldiers lives entwine, unravel, and ultimately erupt in a masterfully crafted ending in which both women are forced to confront their biggest fearsand regrets. Robbie Arnott, one of Australias most acclaimed young novelists, sews magic into reality with a steady, confident hand. Bubbling with rare imagination and ambition, The Rain Heron is an emotionally charged and dazzling novel, one that asks timely yet eternal questions about environment, friendship, nationality, and the myths that bind us.
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MariettaSG
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
Pickpick

I‘ve had a think about this book now and I‘ve concluded that its mostly about colonialism and the environment, about the lengths people will go to control and economise places and the features of that place. The spiritual element of the rain heron takes this further as I feel it represents the desire of people wanting to control other people, especially the original people of a place and the deep connection they have with their environment.

11 likes1 stack add
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MariettaSG
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott

Finished and not quite sure what to say… not quite sure I understand it, which is an uncommon experience, need to sit with it for a bit.

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MariettaSG
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott

Only half way through this, loved part 0, not so sure after that, not enjoying it as much as Flames. I think it could have been condensed. Struggling to connect the squid to the heron, I know it‘s about the character Zoe but a connection between the animals would be better. Hopefully there is one.

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Freespirit
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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Travel haul…so far..spending a week in Brisbane,Australia. Living on a farm I love my city visits❤️A week of culture including bookshops, galleries, some stage shows and The Brisbane Symphony Orchestra on Sunday..😊
#travelhaul #literature #brisbane

EvieBee Sounds like an amazing trip! 2y
CarolynM Sounds like you‘re having a good time😁 Some good books there. 2y
batsy Sounds lovely! And great stack 💕 2y
See All 6 Comments
Freespirit Thanks @EvieBee it‘s a lovely destination 2y
Freespirit Thanks Carolyn I always love visiting the second hand book shops..so many great books!! @CarolynM 2y
Freespirit Hi @batsy I spend a week doing all the things I love about the city, then I‘m very happy to go home🤣 2y
54 likes1 stack add6 comments
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CarolynM
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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Mehso-so

Look, this is OK, it's probably quite good. I just don't relate to stories with mystical elements (not when they're meant to be taken seriously anyway) and I really don't like writing as po-faced and portentous as this. There was too much telling not enough showing. And a totally unnecessary sex scene. I listened to the audio which I had to speed up to x1 1/2 to make it bearable. I would have bailed if it hadn't been a book group choice #ozfiction

Tamra Thanks for the blunt review. I wouldn‘t enjoy it for those reasons so that‘s an “unstack.” (edited) 3y
CarolynM @Tamra I honestly don't mean to put anyone off, it's just not the sort of book I like. 3y
Reggie Oof the book club pick. I just read one where I mentally told the author your lucky other people make me read your books. Totally relatable. 3y
CarolynM That's about right @Reggie but I'm sure my book group friends have felt that way about some of the books I've made them read too🙂 3y
54 likes4 comments
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AnneCecilie
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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Pickpick

A woman lives in a cave. One day a soldier arrives looking for the rain heron or is the heron a myth?

A book about our relationship with nature and how we feel we are entitled to use it.

I loved the writing and will read more by Arnott.

Tamra Intriguing! 3y
Cathythoughts Nice review! Beautiful cover 3y
CarolynM I'm about to read this one for my IRL book group. I'm not especially interested, but you've given me hope I might enjoy it after all🙂 3y
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Well-ReadNeck
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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Pickpick

Another fabulous climate changey book. This one is so atmospheric (pun intended). Dark and full of mythology and dread. Beautiful writing.ARC #netgalley

Bklover Loved your review! 4y
candc320 That‘s such a gorgeous cover! 4y
reluctantangeleno Ooooh, I've had this one on my list for a few months now! Glad to hear it was good!! 4y
76 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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rockpools
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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Pickpick

I may dream about the south sea squid ink harvest for years to come.

A mythical bird, made of water. A woman who retreated to the mountains, after the coup. A girl growing up in a working coastal town. And the damage we do, to each other, to the world around us, to ourselves...

It‘s bloody, raw and violent, in a human vs nature kind of way, yet I absolutely loved this book. The writing‘s beautiful, the landscapes are vivid, and the story 👇🏻

rockpools comes together in unexpected ways. I can‘t wait for other people to read this one, so I can talk about it without fear of spoilers.

Thank you #netgalley and #atlanticbooks for an advance e-book and the chance to review this title. Opinions are my own.

Here‘s my slightly more sensible review @nute @mayjasper

#booked2020 #covercrush 💙
#BBRC #growup - because more than one character is prone to #SeeingRed
(edited) 4y
Cathythoughts Beautiful review & pic ✨ 4y
Sarahreadstoomuch Gorgeous cover too! 4y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage Sounds amazing! 4y
LibrarianRyan 😁❤️👍🏻 4y
arubabookwoman Sounds wonderful. Stacked! 4y
CarolynM This has just been released here and is getting a lot of praise. I don't know if it's for me, though. I'll keep thinking about it. Have you read 4y
rockpools @CarolynM Just released here too, though I hadn‘t heard anything about it. I can totally see it‘s not for everyone, & it really wasn‘t what I was expecting. I haven‘t read Flames yet , but it‘s bumped up my tbr - have you? I hadn‘t actually realised it was the same author when I started this one. 4y
MariettaSG Bloody, raw and violent - yep the squid inking!! 2y
rockpools @MariettaSG 😬 At some point I‘ll get to his other books! I did enjoy this, though, even with the squid! 2y
56 likes4 stack adds10 comments
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rockpools
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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Struggling slightly to review this one without spoilers. So for now, here‘s a non-review:

- This is gorgeous, mythological writing. I love it.
- What‘s going on? Where are we?
- Oh. It‘s going to be *that* kind of story 😞
- WHAT? NO!
- I need to read the rest of this immediately! Please don‘t ruin things for me Mr Arnott 🤞
- I love this book, bloody and violent though it is. How the flip do I review it? And what else has he written?

Cinfhen Well that was fabulous!!! And your photo is stunning 4y
Freespirit Beautiful💕 4y
MayJasper I love your 'non-review' please write more 4y
61 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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rockpools
The Rain Heron: A Novel | Robbie Arnott
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I might be just a tiny bit obsessed with this cover. Only a little way into this ARC (thanks #netgalley!) and the book may be as good. 🤞🤞🤞 It‘s out Thursday 2nd July, so I should probably get a move on.

TrishB That is a beautiful cover ♥️ 4y
TheAromaofBooks Ooo I love that cover, too!! Can't wait to hear how the book comes out! 4y
squirrelbrain The cover is gorgeous - book sounds good too! 💙 4y
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rockpools @TrishB @TheAromaofBooks @squirrelbrain Isn‘t it great? There‘s a description of the rain heron (which I think is a mythical magical-real-type beastie) in the first chapter and this is absolutely what it looks like! 4y
Cathythoughts That it quite a brilliant cover ✨ 4y
Nute An absolutely lovely book cover. Intrigued by what the story is about as well. How is it so far? 4y
rockpools @Cathythoughts Isn‘t it beautiful? 4y
rockpools @Nute It‘s beautifully written. The prologue feels almost mythological- there are floods and droughts and this mysterious bird. Then it jumps and I‘m not sure what‘s going on yet, but I really think I‘m going to enjoy it! I can tag you when I review it if you like? 4y
Nute I would like that very much!😃 4y
MariettaSG I liked the prologue the best so far 2y
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