Author: Natasha Rai
Publisher: Pantera Press
Genre: General Fiction
Year of release: 2025
Release date: 04/03/25
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
TW Suicidal ideation, suicide, Systemic Racism, Physical abuse, mental illness depression grief
Synopsis
A luminous, beautifully observed novel about the people we once were, and the people we can become – if only we’re brave enough to try.
1990: Indu and Vijay leave India for Australia, seeking a better life. But the move isn’t easy on anyone. Not gentle Indu, who becomes even further estranged from her family, nor the ambitious Vijay, who finds himself unmoored in a culture he doesn’t understand. At the centre is Archana, their quiet, sensitive daughter, who forms a shell to survive the bullying of children and the neglect of adults.
2022: Arch lives her ideal life, solitary and isolated. When her brother calls to say that Vijay is unwell and needs her help, Arch has no choice but to re-enter the world. To do so means confronting her relationship with her father, her queerness and the wounds of her upbringing. But it also might mean opening herself to the potential of a life filled with love.
Can Arch do what it takes to let in the light?
Review
In 1990, Vijay and his wife, Indu, leave Bombay, India, for Australia in search of a better life for themselves and their children—their eldest daughter, Archana (Arch for short), and their young son, Sunny. However, the move comes with its own set of challenges, both individually and as a family. As outsiders in a foreign country they now call home, they struggle to adapt. Indu becomes increasingly disconnected from her family, while the once-ambitious Vijay finds himself adrift in a culture he doesn’t understand.
Archana, the eldest daughter, quickly learns to build a protective shell around herself, adopting a survival mode mentality—if you keep people at a distance, the bullies at school and the adults who fail to notice what’s happening can’t hurt you. Maybe then, she might just make it in this new country, this place she is now forced to call home.
By 2022, Arch is living the life she has always wanted—solitary and isolated. Then, one day, her brother, Sunny, calls to inform her that their father, Vijay, has fallen ill and needs her help. Try as she might, Arch can no longer ignore the outside world—or her father. His declining health forces her to confront the man she has spent years shutting out of her life. Can she face him, or should he remain locked away in her past, alongside the wounds that have long kept her company?
As Archana grapples with her father’s presence in her life once more, she must also confront her own identity—her queerness, her sexuality. If she allows herself to open up, she might finally embrace a life filled with love rather than loneliness, surrounding herself with light instead of remaining in the shadows.
There is no bond stronger than the one we share with family—whether we are born into it or create one of our own. Every family is unique, shaped by love, hardship, and the ties that hold us together. An Onslaught of Light offers a rare and compelling glimpse into a family’s journey across cultures, an experience I couldn’t pass up. This is a novel that will be talked about everywhere—and once you hear about it, you’ll want to read it immediately. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Arch is a dynamic main character, though I initially struggled to connect with her. In the 1990s, I found her sullen teenage attitude difficult to tolerate. However, by the time we reach 2022, she has grown into an adult, and the longer I spent in her perspective, the more I realised something significant—change had been happening all along.
At first, these changes seemed subtle, barely noticeable. But as the story progressed, especially around the halfway point, it became clear that Arch had been transforming little by little the entire time. Unfortunately, this wasn’t necessarily a positive change. She was withdrawing from the world, constantly keeping people at arm’s length or cutting them off entirely—especially those who tried to get close to her. The reason behind this shift was heartbreaking, and as a reader, it was impossible to ignore how much she needed help. This didn’t make Arch unlikeable. If anything, it made me want to protect her.
Whilst I struggled to form a strong connection with Arch, I found myself growing increasingly attached to her mother, Indu. I desperately wanted her to find her light and her place in the world. She was my favourite character in this novel, and I wish more mothers in literature were written with the same warmth and devotion, rather than the distant or detached portrayals we so often see.
One of the greatest strengths of An Onslaught of Light is how it allows the reader to spend what feels like a significant amount of time with the family, truly getting to know them rather than just scratching the surface. This outstanding attention to detail is the reason behind my glowing five-star rating.
The author’s passion for this story and its characters is evident, woven seamlessly throughout the entire book—not just at the beginning or as an afterthought in the closing chapters. An Onslaught of Light has found its way into my heart and will stay with me forever. The dual-perspective technique adds depth and keeps the story moving, making it even more compelling.
I devoured the first 159 pages in one sitting—it felt natural, much like life itself, where moments can rush by in a blur. The plot demanded my full attention. However, the second half of the book felt noticeably slower. I wonder if this was intentional, allowing the reader to fully absorb the weight of the events that befall the family rather than having them pass by in just a few lines of a chapter.
An Onslaught of Light” has quickly become one of my most memorable reads of 2025, and it’s only March. In recent years, I’ve come to appreciate, and even seek out, family dramas within the general fiction genre. What made this title particularly interesting was not only the family dynamic, but also its exploration of self-discovery and self-acceptance. It tackles the challenges we face when society tells us we don’t belong because of how we eat, what we look like, or some other superficial difference. This is especially resonant when we’ve long called a place home, speak the language fluently, and have adopted the culture. So, how can we simply accept ourselves and keep moving forward despite this external pressure?
My advice to future readers is this: don’t investigate the book beforehand; don’t even read the synopsis. You’ll be rewarded with a masterpiece that truly tugs at the heartstrings. I had no idea where the story was taking me, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. Knowing anything in advance would have completely ruined the magic of this book.
Even before finishing this book, I knew Natasha Rai would be an author I’d be reading and recommending for years to come. “An Onslaught of Light” feels like Natasha’s seventh or eighth novel, not her debut. If I had to describe it, I’d say it feels like emerging from the shadows into the light and finding your feet in life, no matter what some people might say.
The author has done a brilliant job of bringing sensitive topics to the forefront of her novel. Thanks to her skilled writing, these subjects are approached with sensitivity and care. As I write this review, I know this approach helped provide a much softer landing into the darker chapters.
Sub plots and tropes included in An Onslaught of Light:
- Acceptance
- Coming of Age
- Depression
- Family Life
- Father/Daughter Relationships
- Father/Son Relationships
- Grief
- Immigration to Australia
- Love
- Mental Illness
- Mother/Daughter Relationships
- Multiple Generations
- Multiple Timelines
- Multiculturalism
- Same-Sex Relationship
- Self-Discovery
- Suicide
- Suicidal Ideation
- Systemic Racism
After spending so much time within these pages with this family, I was left feeling content. This is one of those endings where you’ll always want a little more, but you understand why the story has ended there; it was certainly satisfying.
When it comes to “An Onslaught of Light” and its emotional impact, I could write an entire review on that topic alone. However, to avoid spoilers, I’ll simply say that every emotion is explored in this book. And if you’re a reader who cries easily, have tissues at the ready.
Fans of Natasha Lester, Mark Brandi, Pip Williams, Tracey Lien, and Trent Dalton should add this book to their shopping list and start reading it immediately.
I highly recommend this book to a mature audience. Readers of general fiction and family dramas should investigate this title if they haven’t already.
With continued thanks to author Natasha Rai and Pantera Press for sending a physical copy of this book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.