LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE

Penang, 1939. Sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. Half English, half Chinese and feeling neither, he discovers a sense of belonging in an unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, and in return Endo trains him in the art and discipline of aikido. But such friendship comes at a terrible price.

Tan Twan Eng's masterful debut novel is a haunting and unforgettable story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage and enduring love.

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

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

"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 *