When it comes to fiction, readers are willing to accept the most fantastic and supernatural, but this willingness has a lot to do with the genre. We can accept almost anything in Fantasy or Science-Fiction that we could not accept in psychological fiction. This is more or less the case with The rainbow and the rose.

Like many of Nevil Shute's novels The rainbow and the rose is set in the world of aviation. More than other novels, The rainbow and the rose describes a lot of bravoura and daring-do, even to the point where endangering others is discussed by characters in the novel. To see what people are willing to do for others, the true test of friendship and loyalty, are an important theme in the novel. Some of the norms and values in Shute's work are now quite distant to us, and start feeling quaint. Although The rainbow and the rose is one of Shute's final novels, first published in 1958, Shute's moral framework belongs firmy to the 1920s - 40s. Still, unlike much other fiction from that period, the novels of Nevil Shute are still very readable because they are so well-written.

What is a bit difficult about The rainbow and the rose is the jumping perspective. The narrator who for the most part is the main character sees the past through they eyes of another character. When this first happens, the circumstances seem very natural, as the narrator, Ron Clake, is deadly tired and stays the night in the home of the other character, John Pascoe. However, throughout the novel this happens a few more times, really stretching the reader's willingness to go along in this. Toward the end of the novel the narrator even has a moment that by the end of the novel is explained or supposed to have happened around the time Pascoe died. Still all in all this is a powerful and memorable novel. ( )

I usually enjoy Nevile Shute’s stories but I have to admit that The Rainbow and The Rose, originally published in 1958, will not go down as a favorite. The book tells two stories and while I was quite interested in the one about the various attempts to rescue a severely injured pilot from a remote location, the second story, told through dream sequences, was a series of flashbacks through the pilots’ life.

Although an interesting concept, having one story frame another, I found the style of the flashback portions was very confusing, and it didn’t make a lot of sense that his past would be revealed in this manner. The survival story was more interesting but again there were a number of strange coincidences that the reader had to accept that were pretty far-fetched.

I will continue to read this author as The Rainbow and The Rose is the first of the many books of his that I have read that I didn’t really like. My enjoyment of A Town Called Alice, Pied Piper and On the Beach offset this one disappointment. ( )

Good story...it would make a pretty good movie too. Older pilot trying to rescue an injured veteran pilot in Tasmania and reflecting on his own past. ( )

Good, in standard Shute style. Outback Australia, injured pilot, connections - the boy he taught to fly is a commercial pilot now and wants to go rescue him, but the weather isn't cooperating. Two very different doctors, two very different women with their own connection to the injured pilot - and some very strange dreams. It's not a happy ending, but it's not a sad one either - very rich. Worth reading, probably worth rereading in a few years. ( )

I am a massive fan of Shute ever since reading 'On the Beach' a number of years ago. Since then I have worked my way through most of his catalogue and always enjoyed the softness of his works and captivating storylines. I suppose it had to happen one day, but this is the first of his books I really just couldn't get into.

The book follows Johnny Pascoe, a brilliant pilot who has has crashed his plane in an attempt to rescue a sick girl in a remote Australian location. He is seriously ill and although being looked after by the girls mother if a real doctor does not get to see him it is obvious he has little time left. An old pupil of Johnny's by the name of Ronnie Clark offers to fly a doctor to the site in the hope of providing treatment, but hampered by bad weather and a landing strip no better than a small clearing it is much harder than imagined. Whilst waiting for the doctor and in between attempts Ronnie stays at the Johnny's home where he is able to look at the ailing pilots belongings and build a picture in his mind of the life he has led. By way of a series of dreams Ronnie lives through some of the major events and lost loves of Johnny's youth and allows the reader to understand the events that have shaped the man.

Where I enjoyed the almost supernatural element shown on 'In the Wet' here I felt it really distracted me. The book seemingly drifted from Johnny's life to Ronnie's with no warning which made it really difficult at time to know who was speaking. I am sure this must have been quite an innovative way of writing at the time, but I just found it annoying. I suppose if I had to sum up the book I would say that as an introduction to Shute it may be worth starting elsewhere, as if this was my first novel by the author it would have also been my last, and I would have missed out on some brilliant stories. ( )