The Slap

By Donal Kingston 04 Feb 2013 1

This is one of the few books that I didn't finish reading. Very over hyped & totally over rated. Don't waste your time with it & avoid.

By Shaun Flynn 13 Jan 2012 3

I found it difficult to follow as there were lots and lots of characters, many with similar (unusual) names.

The first half of the book is actually about the slap and the aftermath. I'm not really sure why the second half of the book exists, and the ending was a big anti-climax.

Although there were some good bits, I wouldn't recommend it.

By Ellen Segger 29 Sep 2011 4

Loved it! So realistic with regards to the characters and the reaction to everyday events. The author manages to accurately capture the current Australian oversensitive reaction to a slap and the legal implications, and all this from the vantage point of so many different characters - likeable or not. If it were a true story, you could not help but feel very anxious about poor little Hugo's future worldview shaped by his confused mother.

By Mark Johnson 18 Aug 2011 5

Christos Tsialkos has written a book in which each character is delineated and fleshed out brilliantly. He enables (or even forces) you to see the situation from eight separate points of view. Just when you've decided who you agree with and who you disagree with, he makes you see from a different perspective. That he is able to convincingly see "inside the heads" of eight diverse characters is a major achievement. His portrayal of contemporary urban Australia is rich and complex and he makes the reader examine their own reactions and prejudices. I I found this book compelling and superbly realised.

By stylist.045 12 Jul 2011 4

Hooked very early on, required concentration as there were so many charachters. Most enjoyable despite the abrubt and loose ending ?
Maybe there will be more SLAPS