Longlisted : Booker 2010
Best Overall : Commonwealth Writers Prize 2009
Too raw, too harsh, too unrelentingly nasty
This book was a gift (thanks Lin) and enthusiastically endorsed by the critics ... so I had to finish it ... but What An Effort!!!
What totally unlikable characters!!! Brilliantly written ... unfortunately they are all too believable. My problem was that I just didn't want to spend any time with them!! Low-lives!!! Nasty dumb-fucks!!!! A strongly written narrative about life among the great unwashed yobbo new Australians ... for me, putting my own dirty washing on the line as per the book, this was a book for bringing out the inner racism in you.
Can't deny that it wasn't well written ... full credit to the author ... great use of point of view voice ... but the characters and narrative left me cold. Too raw.
I have seen it called a get-down-and-dirty version of Tom Perrott's "Little Children" ... a book that happens to be on my Favourites list ... for me that was a much preferable read!!!!!
Longlisted for 2010 Booker
First Tuesday Book Club
