The Boy Who Loved Rain by Gerard Kelly

About The Boy Who Loved Rain

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Lion Fiction (January 27, 2015)

Colom had the perfect childhood, the much-loved only child of a church pastor. Yet he wakes screaming from dreams in which his sister is drowning and he can’t save her.

Fiona turns to her husband, desperate to help their son. But David will not acknowledge that help is needed—and certainly not help from beyond the church.

Then they find the suicide pledge.

Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees… but when will she acknowledge that the unnamed demons Colom faces might be of her and David’s own creation?

This beautifully written and searching novel by poet Gerard Kelly explores the toxicity of secrets, the nature of healing, and the ever-present power of rain.

My Review:

Four stars

Copy received from TLC Book Tours for an honest review

The tension in "The Boy Who Loved Rain" by Gerard Kelly grabbed my attention from the beginning of the story. The author instantly clues the reader in on the tension that will persist throughout and also on the secrets that intertwine through the lives of the characters.  

Colom is the only son of Fiona and a church pastor-David.  We know that he has reoccurring nightmares about his sisters drowning, but Colom doesn't have a sister. Pretty soon Colom finds himself mentally frustrated.

The symbolism of the rain was also very powerful. It served to help Colom and his family ultimately cleanse of their demons.  Colom was a young teenage boy who is caught between his father, mother and the church that is suppose to save him. 

Aside, from the family secrets there is the presence of the church and the role that it plays in the life of this family.  Kelly had me on the edge of my seat. The twist and turns was shocking, some things I did not see coming.  This is a pretty intense and at time dark read. For anyone that loves mystery and emotional reading, they will love this story.

Praise

‘The reader is drawn ever deeper into a labyrinth of lies, truths and half-truths, of guilt, shams, of shallow-buried regrets, walled-up secrets and harsh recriminations. Before the stumbling in the gloom can lead out into the daylight where hope becomes a possibility, the dark places must be explored where psychosis, religiosity and faith jostle in disequilibrium. It is not only Colom who has to discover his identity; his parents and others at the centre of the tale have to face their own mirrors of truth. This is a compelling debut novel, written in a style that combines elegance and passion. Like all good fiction, it turns the reader’s gaze inwards.’ — Derek Wilson, author of Charlemagne