The slap occurs early in the book as a
parent deals out some instant punishment to a misbehaving child, but crucially
not his own. The incident brings a
barbecue for friends and family to a premature and fractious end. As the characters disperse we follow some of
their lives giving a selective perspective on modern Australian, or at least
Melbourne, life.
These lives, if representative, give an
unflattering picture of booze and drug fuelled infidelity, abuse and
selfishness. As the narrative moves from
one person to another the differences between what they think and what they
say, and what they know they should do and what they actually do, are laid
bare.
What will be the outcome of it all? Who, if
anyone will get their just desserts and who will get away with it all and
emerge unscathed?
The structure of the book is unusual and
interesting - offering sequential slices of the unfolding storylines from the
different protagonists. The narrative maintains interest but I found the
dialogue crude at times; both in relating the many sexual encounters and in
references to racial origins. This may of course be normal in the antipodes.
Indeed it is normality of it all that is
most unsettling. Is this tolerance or a less positive shoulder-shrugging
acceptance of imperfect behaviour – this is how real people live their lives so
just get over it and move on?
The exception to this tolerance is the slap
itself which reverberates through the book, destined to have a more serious
effect on relationships than all the other, more premeditated, misdemeanours.
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