Rainwater is a fascinating picture of life in Texas during the depression. A change for Brown, who has been writing thrillers of late, this is a heart-wrenching tale of a young mother, Ella, with an autistic child who runs a boardinghouse to survive after her husband disappears.
David Rainwater comes to her as a boarder. Upfront, she is told by the town doctor that Rainwater is dying and won't be there long. His interest in her son gives her cause for concern as well as hope, and the tale of their relationship is a beautiful one; never cloying. The characters are well-drawn, the town bully Conrad is especially effective and the black preacher Brother Calvin is inspiring. The racial tones of the time are evident and the picture of the program that sent government men to kill the cattle of the farmers who couldn't afford to feed them is well-done. A moving story with a surprise ending that is very plausible. A wonderful tale.
Submitted by Katherine @ Zablocki
