In February Dragon the fire is climax but not reason for the whole story. I think the author may have meant it to be more integral, for early on he makes it clear that Aunt Hester, whose arrogance it is that causes the fires, is not a likeable person. But the book is really a chronicle of the Pine family, whose children … go through the routine of Australian youth—playing up at school, fishing for yabbies, keeping pets. The story lacks point and distinction, in fact, until the fire begins, and then the author is almost forced into strong, realistic writing. He finds the courage to put his characters into real peril and to allow real tragedy…. In other words, this is not a Technicolour fire but a natural disaster well described in terms of the characters in the story.

Margery Fisher, "'February Dragon'," in her Growing Point...