Reviewed by Kylie Buckley
Country boy Andy Lightfoot is on his gap year and, upon a recommendation from a
fellow backpacker, sets his sights on Lake Grace as his next destination. After
a two-hour bus trip, he arrives in the wilderness at a place with no village,
no backpackers’ hostel, and no phone reception. What Lake Grace does offer is
the Rainbow Trout Private Hotel, a heritage-listed building that seems to be in
a state of hibernation.
The hotel is run by the McGinn family who offer Andy work in exchange for food
and board. During his four-month stay, Andy gets to know each member of the
McGinn family as well as meeting a diverse range of visitors that stay at the
hotel. While he doesn’t make any money during his time at Lake Grace, he earns
a whole lot more in life experience.
The Secret History of the Rainbow
Trout Private Hotel is a
beautifully written young adult novel with a strong sense of place and an
eclectic cast of characters. Its themes include conservation, greed, family
dynamics, and differing world views.
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