Up the Creek Book Club
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© 2000 Kathy Craig |
The Slap
by Christos Tsiolkas
January 2011
Synopsis
"The sensational international bestseller by Australia's 'preeminent contemporary novelist' (The Age), in his United States debut."
"Winner of the 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Christos Tsiolkas's The Slap is a riveting page-turner and a powerful, haunting rumination on contemporary middle-class family life. When a man slaps a child who is not his own at a neighborhood barbecue, the act triggers a series of repercussions in the lives of the people who witness the event-causing them to reassess their values, expectations, and desires. For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Tom Perrotta, this is a compelling account of modern society and the way we live today." (Publisher)
Reviews
- "A group of family and friends gather for a backyard barbecue in suburban Melbourne, and the adults are all drinking a bit too much. The children are squabbling over computer games when a four-year-old with a temper tantrum brings on a disciplinary slap from an equally short-fused adult. The repercussions of this incident set off an ever-widening tsunami as the boys' parents threaten a lawsuit and their once tight-knit group lines up on one side or the other. Through the stories of eight of the partygoers, it becomes increasingly clear that everybody lies. These family-loving, house-proud, mostly successful Greek Australians could be kissing cousins of the American Sopranos. This essentially amoral crew own backstories rife with affairs, business misdeeds, and racial slurs. Verdict: This 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize winner will appeal to those who prefer their novels complex and multilayered. While there is not a lot to admire about most of the players in this exceptionally well-written story, their intertwined lives and slowly revealed connections make for a singular reading experience."(Library Journal)
Book Club Rating and Comments
If you or your book club has read this book and would like to share your comments, please email us at upthecreekbc@yahoo.com.
Other Books by Christos Tsiolkas
- The Devil's Playground