I had hoped a book as popular as this was popular because it was good - I was wrong.
This novel places its merits on its characters, not on its writing or even its ability to tell a great story. I found none of its characters interesting or worthy to read about. Manolis was perhaps the only character I began to warm to, but as soon as I did, like every other character, a sordid, sexual deviancy was thrown in.
And then there was the character of Richie, who was not only boring, but whose chapter in the book could have easily been thrown out and it wouldn't have mattered.

Two thirds of the book is made up of drugs (I'm sorry but not every person of every age and every demographic takes drugs), sex and the description of male anatomy, the whole 'slap' incident was nothing more than a weak excuse to write chapters from every, boring character's view. I kept putting it down, and was unable to engrossed by it, and in all honesty, its vulgarity, lack of substance, and skill did not speak of 'braveness' nor 'brutal honesty' but rather of something completely common and uninspiring.

A plucked sentence: This finally, was love. This was its shape and essence, once the lust and ecstasy and danger and adventure had gone. Love, at its core, was negotiation, the surrender of two individuals to the messy, banal, domestic realities of sharing a life together. Page 406. ( )

This is the first time I’ve ever not finished a book, and I’ve read some utter rubbish. But I was so bored and all the characters were tedious yet also boring. ( )

Nice characters, I felt like the author had a good insight into what motivates each character and the ultimate resolution was satisfying as well.

Not the 'must read' that people might tell you but very satisfying and outside my usual genre of sci-fi fantasy. ( )

This is a disgusting and strange book about disgusting and strange people doing horrible things, including arguably sexually abusing a four-year-old as a vengeful act against their spouse because the spouse is still breastfeeding the four-year-old for no stated reason, leading me to think it's a sexual thing. Disgusting. The part about the slap and its consequences take up less than ten percent of the book. The other ninety percent is dedicated to gratuitous sex scenes as eveerrryyonnne cheats on one another at least once, sexual abuse of minors and everyone THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING, and NOTHING HAPPENS IN THIS. Apparently there's a Netflix whole series about this book over multiple episodes. Corporations really will make shows out of everything. I want the brain cells I wasted on this book back. ( )

A choice for my then book club.

I don't know how to rate this book or whether to recommend it to others.

It is extremely readable, in the sense that once you commence, it runs away with a life of its own and its constant change of narrator drives the narrative forward. which is just as well, given its 570 or so pages, and for some readers, the (seemingly) irredeemable morals of some (most) of the people who populate this novel.

Many are extremely self-centered, to the extent that if that has adverse impacts for others, including close family and friends, so be it. Personally, I don't accept that as a valid description of the the current Australian diaspora, nor that of the time this was written (copyright 2008), but I don't pretend to speak for the whole of Australia.

I was expecting something different with the book. I did not read the book when it was first published, but do remember the advertising of the TV adaption, which made a lot of 'whose side are you on' - that in the context of the titular 'slap' itself.

The slap was a father, at a family /wider friends BBQ, slapping a young boy - 5 years or thereabouts (not his own) who was perceived as threatening his own child, rather than taking other action or requesting the assistance of the boy's own parents to intervene, notwithstanding they were present and close by.

Many present quickly took sides, and the disagreement ended in court proceedings, never a place to be if seeking to settle personal (rather than purely legal) issues.

And whilst a lot of the book continued with the immediate fallout of 'the slap', it really used that as a starting point to consider the interactions between all and sundry on all matters (well beyond those immediately centered on 'the slap'. And the book never really resolved 'the slap'. Notwithstanding there was a legal outcome, such is usually not a resolution on any other ground.

Perhaps the TV adaption took the book a little away from where the original focus of the book was aimed or perhaps I was simply distracted.

The interpersonal interactions (particularly the hypocrisy and self centered (particularly as to the sex) attitudes of many of the characters also left me somewhat cold.

So as i say, I don't know how to rate or recommend this much discussed and at times highly commended novel of recent Australia.

Perhaps you need to read it for yourself and decide.

Big Ship

25 April 2022