Another great night out with the girls at bookclub.
This months book was The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. We picked this book because it had won the Commonwealth Writers Prize and ABIA book of the year.It is about the outcome after an adult slaps a nearly four year old at a BBQ.
So we thought we were on a winner right?….wrong. Our collected out come…crude! No one liked it, and quite a few never finished it. We couldn’t believe it won all these awards when we thought it was over the top in foul language, sex, drugs etc (We did wonder that maybe we were all a bit sheltered)
But still it should come with a warning, don’t let your kids read it. I don’t see why a book needs to be so vulgar but maybe thats what the writer wanted, and maybe the world is like that in some places but out here, beyond the black stump, it isn’t and we do try to protect our family from such things. (I like my blasé life in my little bubble LOL)
Anyway it caused a lot of discussion (usually it’s a quick talk on a book and then catching up with each other). I love going to bookclub, we have a great group, although a few were missing last night and sometimes it’s the only time we have to catch up.
If anyone is thinking about joining one, you should, they are great, even if you’re not much of a reader. It’s made me read books I never would have picked up and you find some surprises.
I must admit that it kept me turning pages – I wanted, needed, to know what happened. I couldn’t stand the swearing, drug use and so forth, but Fee, I think you have hit the nail on the head when you said that perhaps we are sheltered. I think we are, in the country. we can still go to country fairs, let our kids run wild and have another parent find us, if our child is upset – there is no way tha twould happen in ‘The Slap’s’ community. Country/city – think the gap just got wider. I will add that I think that The Slap was an amazing read – I can’t think of any other author that can write from other peoples point of view, the way that Christos Tsiolkas can. He is one amazing author!
You are right Fleur. He was great in the sense he could get into each characters mind, be it a male adult or teenage girl/boy and it was well written, we just were all so shocked. I think it makes you love country life just that much more. (Well me anyway) It was one of those books that caused plenty of discussion. x
Hi Fiona, I”ll have to track this one down to check it out! I’m reading The True Story of Butterfish by Nick Earls at the moment and loving it! He writes about Brisbane and since I grew up there it’s always a trip back in time when I read his work. Sounds like The Slap generated plenty of debate so maybe that’s what Christos set out to achieve.