4 ⭐️

Dusk follows twins Iris and Floyd through the Tasmanian highlands as they hunt a human-killing puma who has been terrorizing the town.

The twins come from a life on the run: first as tools in their parents’ deceptions, and then as people forever stained by their lineage. But they’ve always stayed together.

I remember really enjoying The Rain Heron, and this was more of the same sort of story. My only complaint is the suspension of disbelief required to explain away some of the more “plot-armor” feeling moments. I understand Arnotte incorporates magical realism elements, but it didn’t feel like it justified it enough.

Overall a good, atmospheric read! I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

I have been waiting to get my hands on this book for nearly a year after seeing someone outside the states recommend it on their youtube channel. However, this was not available in the US even in ebook form that I could find. I was so thrilled to see this on netgalley with a US release date later this year!
This is my first Robbie Arnott book, and I will definitely be adding more to my list. His writing style was so beautiful and descriptive. I felt like I could see the upper highlands of Australia as I rode along with Iris and Floyd.
Iris and Floyd Renshaw are middle aged twins looking for any work they can find. They are enticed by a large bounty set for a man killing puma that is terrorizing the local graziers. As they journey to find this cat, you get a slow reveal of their backstory and childhood and you see how they got to where they are in the current time line.
This is a pretty short book (about 250 pages), and I savored every minute of it. It's different than anything I've read in a long while, 4.5/5 stars!

In his fourth novel, Dusk, award-winning Australian author Robbie Arnott continues to solidify his reputation as one of the most evocative stylists writing today. Set in the wild, mythic highland plains of Tasmania, the novel follows 37-year-old twins Iris and Floyd Renshaw as they set out in search of a legendary puma believed to be killing livestock—and hunters. Ill-prepared, debt-ridden, and physically vulnerable, the siblings are nevertheless drawn into a landscape that feels at once ancient and alive.

Arnott’s storytelling blends the elemental with the psychological. The twins’ fraught journey—part bounty hunt, part emotional reckoning—is as much about confronting their own shadowy past as it is about facing the creature known only as “Dusk.” Their childhood, marked by chaotic love and the infamy of fugitive parents, lingers like mist across every encounter. “The truth of what they had done wasn’t the truth of all that they were,” Arnott writes, capturing the novel’s central tension: the impossibility of fully escaping our origins.

What elevates Dusk beyond mere adventure is Arnott’s extraordinary prose—lush, lyrical, and laden with natural metaphor. The highlands are rendered with a painter’s eye and a poet’s ear: “mirror tarns,” “glassy arteries,” and “divine colour” illuminate the terrain and mood alike.

A tale of loyalty, wilderness, and the myths we build around what we cannot control, Dusk is a powerful meditation on grief, survival, and the profound ties that bind. Once again, Robbie Arnott proves himself an essential voice in contemporary fiction.

This was beautiful.
I felt like the land was the main character and it made for a very atmospheric and dreamy tale.
I loved the relationship between the the twins, so full of devotion and both hope and despair, which reflect in their interactions with others.
The quest is larger than we might think at first, and the ending was absolutely perfect.
Thank you Astra publishing for this ARC!

“First she spotted the birds. Pulses of feathered texture in the nearest stand of trees: silvereyes, grey wrens, flame-chested robins. Clawed onto the upper branches was a gang of black cockatoos, ripping seed cones apart with the curved blades of their beaks, their yellow tail feathers flashing with the work. High above them all floated a pair of eagles, dark as death, arcing serenely through the weak clouds.”

Dusk is the fourth novel by award-wining Australian author, Robbie Arnott. Thirty-seven-year-old twins, Iris and Floyd Renshaw, out of work, low on cash, and mostly unwelcome in the lowlands, are headed up to the highland plains. They have heard there’s a bounty on the puma that’s up there killing sheep, shepherds and anyone hunting for her, even a certain Patagonian professional. Not that they have experience, much of a plan, or a suitable weapon. And Floyd’s physical condition can be variable.

But when they arrive, Iris feels an immediate connection with the highlands. “Instead of harshness or bleakness she felt a freeing, lung-emptying openness that bounced off the hard stone, that waved through the thick mounds of tufted grass, threaded through the gnarled trees, fell down the chalky textures of the small tors she and Floyd rode below. That lived most of all in the tarns that appeared without warning, rising through the rock, pooling in her peripheries, dark and glossy and mirror-like.”

Encounters and incidents during their journey bring to mind a somewhat troubled childhood with their escaped-convict parents, whose care could be erratic, whose notorious reputation tainted the twins, the mixed emotions attached to good memories and bad: “… the truth of what they had done wasn’t the truth of all that they were.”

When Iris rides west to earn some coin cutting peat, she learns a bit more about the puma they call Dusk, and that not everyone wants her dead. In Rossdale, news of yet another victim may put the bounty in doubt, but does nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of a certain charismatic individual for the hunt. Patrick Lees somehow convinces Iris: what can Floyd do, but reluctantly go along. “Floyd came to see that the greatest gift of his life was that he spent it riding by her side, and that the troubles they faced were worth it, and would always be worth it, if you had a sister like Iris.”

But when the three arrive high up where the rivers begin, where they are confident they will find the cat, a surprise awaits them, and things don’t at all go according to plan.

Arnott gives the reader a plot that takes a turn or two before a heart-thumping climax (or two), and protagonist twins who can read each other intimately and are deeply devoted: “A distilled terror drenched his broken body; he couldn’t watch what was happening, and neither could he look away. He felt he was coming to an end of all things, not merely in his life but in the life of the universe, for without Iris there was nothing – no reality that held him alive and not her.”

Arnott’s language is never a blunt tool, but gorgeous prose, rich and lyrical,. Whether a phrase, a sentence or a paragraph, it is exquisite, as these examples demonstrate: “… through the golden wattles while their last flowers still brightened the air. All that divine colour might have felt like an omen: heaven leaking between the trees” and “… watching the moon glow to life and pour its cold light onto the rippled sea” and “Rock and water had come to dominate the landscape: broken boulders fields of snow, mossy stones, mirror tarns and among it all little rivulets, trickling through the land as glassy arteries.” Once again, Robbie Arnott does not disappoint.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Astra Publishing House.

Robbie Arnott's work exemplifies my belief that love of nature gives you the soul of a poet. He is just incredible at making the land a character in his novels, and in his latest novel, Dusk, the characters work and grapple and commune and suffer and love with the land as much as they do with each other.

The novel follows Iris and Floyd, twins living on the outskirts of society as a result of hard times and reputations soured by locals’ knowledge of their outlaw parents. They cobble together their livings through temporary and itinerate work, and when they hear of a large bounty that has been placed on a puma, named Dusk, that has been killing livestock and men in the highlands, they think — despite their lack of hunting knowledge and experience — that this could be the solution to their financial problems. The trek that follows is desperate, harrowing, and somehow, thanks to Arnott’s skillful writing, beautiful.

I am truly in awe of the tapestry that Arnott has woven here, threading the highlands and the lowlands, the flora and the fauna (both real and magically real, as there is certainly more than a touch of magical realism in the plot of big cat hunting in a country that allegedly does not foster anything of the sort), and the people both native (although her physical presence in the book was small, I loved Iris’s meeting indigenous farmer Lydia, and her spiritual presence in the novel was so strong) and colonizing.

Arnott’s prose paints the land without overwriting; his description offers enough to create an atmosphere that allows your imagination to fill in the rest, and his turns of phrase are neither sparse nor bloated, just perfect, and ideal for crafting a story in which nature and country is so integral. I found myself reading this novel slower and slower as it went on, in order to savor it.

I’ve been recommending The Rain Heron to friends ever since I read it, and I think I’ll be doing the same for Dusk, as well as picking up Arnott’s other novels in order to sink into his landscapes. Thank you so gratefully to Netgalley, Astra, and the author for an ARC of this magnificent novel.

Robbie Arnott’s Flames and The Rain Heron were five star reads for me, but I struggled through Limberlost. I was hesitant going into Dusk because of this, but Arnott pulled me in, just like I’d hoped he would.

This was a curl up in bed and read in one afternoon kind of book. Loved the twins, both so developed and easy to root for. The plot didn’t feel as original as Flames or The Rain Heron, but it was exciting and satisfying nonetheless. The ending? Perfect.

Arnott’s landscape is so tangible, so vivid in my head without the story becoming too bogged down with the little details. He is such a talented writer—how easily he builds this complex living world around you!—and I am so glad that Dusk lived up to my expectations.

This is my first read by Robbie Arnott. And now I want to dive into his backlist (I do have Limberlost somewhere in the depths of my TBR though.)

The writing was lovely, really capturing the setting, the despair of the twins and their complex sibling relationship. Their back story comes out little by little, giving clarity to their interaction. I was kept engaged throughout and I probably could have binged this in a single sitting, if life didn't get in the way.

I do wish that the topic of the indigenous people had been a little more prominent in the story. It felt almost like an afterthought, although maybe it was only meant to mirror the plight of Dusk. Regarded as a nuisance to be exterminated (or displaced in terms of the first people), despite just acting according to its nature.

This was beautiful.
I felt like the land was the main character and it made for a very atmospheric and dreamy tale.

I never imagined I could fall so in love with a landscape that I’ve never seen.

Arnott’s novel “Dusk” is subtle, quiet, and moving. Set against the imposing Tasmanian highlands, even the most dramatic events feel subdued by the land, like words shouted across a waterfall. The central characters, twins Iris and Floyd, are complex and carry a unique backstory into an engaging narrative.

I searched images of the Tasmanian highlands this evening, and I was not disappointed. I regret the unlikely probability that I’ll ever make it there to experience in person, but this I suppose is why we read books.

Thank you to Astra House, Robbie Arnott, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

USK-Robbie Arnott-Publishing August 5th, 2025 by Astra House.

Summary:
“In the distant highlands, a puma named Dusk is killing shepherds. Down in the lowlands, twins Iris and Floyd are out of work, money and friends. When they hear that a bounty has been placed on Dusk, they reluctantly decide to join the hunt. As they journey up into this wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people of the highlands than they imagined. And as they close in on their prey, they're forced to reckon with conflicts both ancient and deeply personal.”

This was my first time reading Arnott. I cannot remember reading a book by an Australian writer before. Going into this book, I had no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing, and the character development. Arnott has done a masterful job with this story, showcasing the Australian landscape and wilderness, putting the reader on the mountain with Iris and Floyd. Arnott’s writing portrays the Australian landscape as the real main character. I loved this book. Good story and ending. Not a hard read, but a lasting one.

Thanks to @netgalley and @astrahousebooks for the ARC.

#writing #booksaredeadly #robbiearnott #dusk #bookerprize #australia #fiction #readmorebooks

The absolute chokehold this book had on my productivity today...

Twins Iris and Floyd were raised by thieves. Forced by their parents to participate in the criminal mischief the Renshaws were known for, it's no surprise they took the opportunity to strike out on their own.

Seeking a change from their dismal existence in the Tasmanian lowlands, they strike out for the highlands to pursue the bounty placed on Dusk, a puma known for destroying livestock.

With no weapons or knowledge of the land, Iris and Floyd are at the mercy of the people they meet. Some offer genuine help, while others only use them to accomplish their own plans.

I couldn't put this book down. The descriptions of the land, the suspense of the hunt, and the twins' relationship and history kept me completely hooked.

Thanks to @netgalley and @astrahousebooks for bringing this book to the US!

Dusk is an incredible book. The nature writing is so beautiful the land feels like a character itself. The sibling bond is one of the best I've seen written, and I couldn't ask for a better ending that what we got. Highly recommend!

Dusk is a book that reminded me a lot of Beastings by Benjamin Myers and The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt, which is to say, I enjoyed it a whole lot. Atmospheric and tense, this is a book that sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout reading it, and it's convinced me that Robbie Arnott is one to read more by.

The story follows two twins, children of a pair of con artists, in 19th century (I think?) Australia. Desperate for work that no one will give them - on account of the aforementioned connection with con artists - they decide to head upland and take on the bounty for a man-eating puma. As you do.

Much like Beastings and The Sisters Brothers, a lot of this story is in the journey and the landscape around the characters. It's brought to life so vividly here that you can almost feel like you're there alongside the characters, treading in their footsteps as they hunt down the puma. That's the best kind of book, one where the world it inhabits feels almost like another character, one where you can tell how much care has gone into crafting that world too.

Of course, the characters are also compelling here. The twins with their past, which is slowly and steadily revealed to the reader, their unspoken wants and grudges, which come to bloom as the story unfolds. I mentioned that the world is meticulously constructed and vibrantly brought to life - the same is true of the characters who feel as though they might leap off the page at any moment. These are characters who you don't want to leave at any point, characters you want to know more about after the events of the book are over. The ending is a little open, as is the wont of litfic, but it suits it well still.

Overall, this is a book I would highly recommend and Robbie Arnott is definitely an author I'll be reading more of.

Robbie Arnott’s Dusk is an atmospheric, slow-burn quasi-western set in Tasmania. If you’re looking for a lot of action, this may not be the book for you. But if you’re a fan of strong character work, beautiful descriptions of the natural world, and a slow unfolding, Dusk is a wonderfully immersive and rewarding work.

Two generations ago, a group of unthinking graziers in Tasmania brought in a handful of pumas to deal with an overpopulation of deer. As is often the case in such eco-system meddling, things go awry as the puma decided it was a lot easier killing off the slow and docile sheep than chasing after fleet deer, so the puma and their descendants had to be hunted to near extinction. Perhaps the last one (called “Dusk” by the locals) has now been driven ever deeper into the highlands and has turned to killing people rather than sheep. Twins Iris and Floyd hear about the large bounty and, desperate for work, head into the highlands despite having no rifle and no experience killing large cats. Their interactions with the land, other hunters, a group of indigenous people, and the Dusk itself will change their lives forever.

As noted, this is a slow-burn of a novel, and I mean that in the best sense; I loved the pace. Early on we’re given a lot of time to see how Iris and Floyd are with each other and with strangers and presented with long, lyrical descriptive passages of the highlands and their impact on Iris (nearly all the novel is filtered through her). The main narrative — the hunt — is further slowed or interrupted by side trips and by flashbacks to the twins’ childhood, a feral existence wandering with their thieving, murdering, alcoholic parents. That last part sounds entirely grim, and it mostly is, but moments of surprising tenderness and familial love still arise amidst the violent, hard-scrabble life. And while that life could have hardened them into amoral outcasts who turn to violence themselves, it instead engenders within them a deep bond of love and loyalty, both fierce and gentle, that protects them against how the world views them. That’s not to say their relationship is idealized; they get on each other’s nerves, they sometimes need space, they give each other the silent treatment. It’s a nuanced depiction of an abiding love. Love, in fact, is central to this story in surprising ways. The love between the twins, but also a love by Iris for the unfamiliar land they’re traveling through and that unexpected, really almost shocking, love for their parents, presented in some of the most moving passages of the novel.

The nuance of the relationship is echoed in the nuanced way Arnott handles questions of colonialism and indigenous culture. When Iris, an outcast herself, is speaking with Lydia, one of the peat cutters she works with for a while, she is shocked to be grouped by Lydia with the colonists as “you lot.” In that same conversation, Iris notes she had assumed that the peat wine she had drunk days earlier in town was “something you’ve been doing forever … and old tribal remedy.” But Lydia disabuses her of that notion, replying that, “We’ve used the peat forever, but selling it to you lot is a new thing … Gotta survive somehow.” In just a few lines Arnott manages to encapsulate how indigenous culture is romanticized, the ripple effect of colonization, and the inevitable loss and/or morphing of indigenous tradition.

Prose-wise the novel is simply beautifully written and in some ways reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy, but not in any derivative sense or in a one-to-one stylistic match; it’s more atmosphere, setting, and a paradoxical rich sparseness of language. Arnott also does an excellent job of seeding moments that set up later scenes.

In the end, it’s hard not to root for these two, aching to “assist in an act that went beyond their own survival. A chance to fix a wrong in the world, and in the process somehow fix a wrong within themselves.” And hard as well not to root for Dusk herself, driven into a harsh corner of a world she had no choice in choosing. The cat is a beautiful, powerful creature. As is the novel named for her. Highly recommended.

Much like the title puma, this book snuck up on me. (Sorry for the cheesy simile). I knew from my Australian buddies that this book was really good, which is why I requested it from NetGalley. But Dusk was an unexpectedly tender Western-esque novel.

Dusk takes place in the wilds of Australia, likely the Tasmanian Highlands. A puma, part of a group that was introduced to help manage wildlife in the highlands, has become more vicious and is attacking humans now too. A bounty is put up for her death, which draws groups of people to the wilds, include twins Iris and Floyd. Escaping a troubled past, they come seeking jobs and a new life. But they are not prepared for the task that lies ahead.

Without a doubt, Robbie Artnott is an excellent writer. The nature writing is top notch. I feel like I say this a lot about books but the setting here feels like a separate character. I fell in love with the landscape, just like Iris does. But Arnott also writes great characters. Iris and Floyd are complex characters. You slowly learn about their history and their relationship through flashbacks as the story progresses. It is beautifully handled.

This is a short book but packed with complexity. I loved the writing style and would recommend it for that alone. But if you're like me, you will also fall in love with the characters (even, maybe, the puma!).

Like fellow Australian writers Charlotte McConaghy, Tim Winton, and Peter Carey, Robbie Arnott creates literary magic with his remarkable prose and powerful sense of place. Set in the rugged highland terrain of Tasmania, DUSK is the story of twins Floyd and Iris, loners trying to outrun the infamy of their parents' criminal history. They live on the edge of society and struggle to find work and peace. When they learn that a huge bounty is being offered to anyone who can kill a huge puma that has been terrorizing the small towns and farmers in the highlands, they set out to try their luck. DUSK is a slow burn, following them as they ride into a land they know nothing about and encounter landscapes and people that are completely alien. Arnott's gift, besides his language, is the ability to create a mythic story that could be taking place in many places and yet is unmistakably Tasmania. The story is both universal and very particular. Floyd and Iris are seeking redemption from their parents and their childhood on the run, peace in body and mind, and a way forward in the land of the living. Arnott slowly turns the screw, increasing the sense of foreboding as the twins interact with an unforgiving natural world and a variety of characters who can't be trusted. The legend of Dusk's ferocity haunts them, but she is not the only threat to their lives. If Cormac McCarthy had been a Tasmanian, he would have written novels like DUSK.

A gritty and yet magical "western" story of a brother and sister finding their way in a brutal, unforgiving, and beautiful (presumably Tasmanian) landscape. A unique and moving novel of love and endurance that's tightly, yet poetically, writte and that reminds me of NORTH WOODS...but also of works by Jonathan Evison, Frederick Manfred and A.B Guthrie.

I discovered DUSK (and the author) earlier this year on a road trip in Tasmania...and saw the book recommended at every bookstore I visited. I would have bought it there if I'd been traveling with more than a carry-on...and if I hadn't seen that this U.S. edition was coming. I don't understand why this gifted and versatile writer doesn't appear to have a large audience here. He certainly deserves it.