Engaging . . . rich . . . thoughtful, evocative, undoubtedly provocative - Guardian

A powerful first novel about a tumultuous and almost forgotten period of history - Times Literary Supplement

A remarkable book -- IAN McMILLAN

Gripping . . . compelling - New Yorker

Glorious . . . as robustly absorbing as it is achingly poignant - USA Today

Eng's graceful prose evokes a time and place that is little known or remembered now, making it both exotic and familiar, and his beautiful narrative is woven with strong images and characters . . . The Gift of Rain is a gift to read - San Francisco Chronicle

A true saga . . . The Gift of Rain overflows with mesmerising beauty and wonder . . . an eloquent tale about friendship transforms into a frightful chronicle of betrayal and survival - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Haunting and highly evocative . . . a deeply moving tale - Cape Times

Beautifully written and deeply moving, Tan Twan Eng's debut novel is one of the best books I've ever read . . . Anyone who thinks the novel is in decline should read this one - Philadelphia Inquirer

The Gift of Rain sends the reader back into the world of Somerset Maugham - the waning British Empire, the simmering discord between classes and races, the thick tropical surroundings that are both beautiful and suffocating - but at a different angle. Maugham casts a cynical eye on human nature and its frailties; Tan Twan Eng looks upon them with compassion, like a creator might view the imperfections of his handiwork - Cleaveland Plain Dealer