apagetoturn's review against another edition
4.0
The Rain Never Came is a debut novel. A great dystopian read, set in the dry and drought stricken outback. I really enjoyed the realness of this book, even though it's set in a country that I've never visited before. I've always had a joy in reading a book written by an Aussie - and this one didn't disappoint.
'The Rain Never Came' has a writing style that is so refined, it was so easy to read, very fast paced, and super interesting. It's the tale of two Australian friends battling the authority figures of their time, and can't manage to get their lives together. Their stories very real, and very flawed. It definitely wasn't short on well developed characters, or crazy plot devices that kept me on my toes. I don't always understand Aussie humor, but for some reason I don't care! I just enjoyed this book for exactly what it was, an entertaining read.
A complementary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my review of the book.
'The Rain Never Came' has a writing style that is so refined, it was so easy to read, very fast paced, and super interesting. It's the tale of two Australian friends battling the authority figures of their time, and can't manage to get their lives together. Their stories very real, and very flawed. It definitely wasn't short on well developed characters, or crazy plot devices that kept me on my toes. I don't always understand Aussie humor, but for some reason I don't care! I just enjoyed this book for exactly what it was, an entertaining read.
A complementary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my review of the book.
deskdiver's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I felt it ended too soon! Hopefully there is scope for further reading about Tobe, and Bill.
michaeljpdx's review against another edition
4.0
You can read my review “The Rain Never Came” at my web site.
octavia_cade's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyable post-apocalyptic novel that gets extra points from me for its refusal to engage in the most obnoxious (and nearly ubiquitous) trope of this genre: sexual assault to show how bad things are. Instead, attention is given to how communities come together in unfortunate circumstances, how choices are necessary in order to survive, and how those choices are often more to do with the survival of self-respect than they are with anything else. Also worth noting is the strong and continued emphasis on environmental degradation, and the skilful way that environmental apocalypse is folded in with social change is such a relief to read after coming across some similar stories that were far less intelligently thoughtful (The Silent Invasion, I am looking at you). Also the tone was very enjoyable - granted I'm a Kiwi and not an Aussie, but there's a real sense of familiarity in the way people talk in The Rain Never Came which is rare and entertaining.
There are a few nit-picky things - I'm not at all convinced by the junk walls, for instance, and the back-story of Bill's sister seems a little tired - but on the whole it's a really refreshing take on the whole post-apocalyptic scene.
There are a few nit-picky things - I'm not at all convinced by the junk walls, for instance, and the back-story of Bill's sister seems a little tired - but on the whole it's a really refreshing take on the whole post-apocalyptic scene.
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