Cover of The Property of Rain

Sam Savage is born during hard times in a poor rural Suffolk village in England. His father is home from war and is suffering the consequences of witnessing death in the trenches. His wife and children are suffering too, his fists beat them and his lust ensures the arrival of Sam into the world.

Sam survives the school bullying, starvation and a brutal father. His mother follows all laws laid out in the bible and Sam learns to read it during an illness. When fear or doubt clouds his vision, he remembers inspirational words and they give him hope. His love of reading intensifies and he is encouraged by his teacher.  Sam has character and stamina, the will to live and survive against the odds. Eventually he escapes the clutches of his father.

Image via Wikipedia

On a parallel line of life, Lakshmi  lives in Kanpur, India. She is the daughter of a sweeper and is in the lowest caste, The Untouchables. To add to her misery, she is unwanted by her parents. The young couple meet, they are fifteen years old and a monsoon rages all around. Tragic events take place, harrowing events.

The author gives us vivid insights and descriptions of what both characters endured in their own villages. There are no frills around the edges, traditions are compared and there is a price to pay. Injustice, cruelty and a simple tale is told through the extremely sad times of this young man’s and woman’s life.

This was the last novel written by Angela Lambert before her death in 2007.