Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Slap

On page 11 she gives Hector his shopping list: 25 gm green cardamon seeds, 4 eggplants....
On page 24 Hector sees, in his garden "..the late season eggplants, full and black, hanging precariously ..."
Just carelessness, I expect.
An engaging, irritating book.

'An anthropological insight into modern Australian life," said one commentator on the ABC's bookshow.
Which was an interesting comment in itself: she saw the fiction as fact.
The characters were not like anyone I've ever come across...but they were similar to the scandalous mores that the newspapers trumpet.
"None of the characters are particularly likeable, but they're mostly uncomfortably recognisable," writes Leigh Sales. To my mind that's because they are largely stereotypes.


Another commentator on the ABC said that it is a soap opera. I'm inclined to agree.

It's an engaging, easy read. But not something I would urge someone else to read.
Interesting to talk about, though. The issue - someone slapping a friend's child - of more interest than the book, unfortunately.

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1 comment:

Ann ODyne said...

This links to an amusing critique of that show. Your click-through will be rewarded with much chortling and agreeing.

http://thescrivenersfancy.com/scarcely-relevant/2010/05/26/child-abuse.aspx