Billy’s and Ari’s points of view dominate the narration, and while both rhapsodise over Lily’s enchanting beauty, Lily’s personality remains frustratingly underdeveloped until the second half of the novel, when a handful of chapters from her perspective make for a welcome change. At the same time, readers may struggle to find sympathy for Billy, a sneering pantomime villain who revels in his misdeeds. He might have been a more compelling antagonist had he been used sparingly: a menacing figure lurking on the sidelines, rather than one who steals the spotlight from the likable young couple.

It is the Australian setting that sets this quirky historical romance apart from others in its genre. Price’s dreamlike portrayal of a bygone Sydney – with its vaudeville shows and opium dens, lyrebirds and swagmen – establishes a unique mood that transforms the local into the exotic, making The Bird’s Child a memorable tale despite its shortcomings.