With grand scale and original texture, The Drowner is at once a fable of European ambitions, within the mysterious Australian landscape of the nineteenth century, and an intimate portrayal of haunting sensuality, an exploration of the essential difference between men and women. The intense love story of William Dance and Angelica Lloyd is at the heart of The Drowner, but it is only a part of the daring drama that unfolds. By mingling history, myth, and technology with a modern cinematic and poetic imagination, Robert Drewe has reached remarkable heights of storytelling. And it is these qualities that have already made this book one of the most popular Australian novels in many years.