Set in the Blue Mountains in the early twentieth century, this is a historical novel that shows the area in a profound way, all through atmosphere, longing, and place.

Eureka Jones, a young pharmacist’s assistant, becomes absorbed by Harry Kitchings, an outsider obsessed with photographing clouds, and the book follows that attachment through illness, desire, local myth, and the slow changes of a mountain town. Falconer is interested in how landscapes hold feeling, fantasy, and projection; the Blue Mountains here are not backdrop so much as weather changes. 

This is the sort of Australian literary novel that sits comfortably beside late-90s historical fiction but feels stranger and more inward than the usual prestige fare. It was shortlisted for several major Australian prizes, which helps its standing, but it is still primarily a reader’s copy rather than a collectible one in this format.