One of our Books of the Year 2014.
After the huge success of his novel The Slap it is often difficult for an author to follow with another as good. Tsiolkas has succeeded in doing just that. Set in Australia and Scotland, the novel explores the problems that arise when an impressionable, working class teenager, Danny, wins a swimming scholarship to a prestigious private school and then doesn’t live up to his expectations. The way the author sets out the chapters in different contexts and times, sometimes using Danny (later Dan) as narrator, is admirable as he tries to make sense of his behaviour and manage his anger. It is a very fine work indeed. Highly recommended.
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for Barracuda a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - ''I was gripped by this novel, moved to tears by the end and haunted by the story of Danny Kelly who dared to dream.' Francesca Ashurst.
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| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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Daniel Kelly, a talented young swimmer, has one chance to escape his working-class upbringing.
His astonishing ability in the pool should drive him to fame and fortune, as well as his revenge on the rich boys at the private school to which he has won a sports scholarship. But when he melts down at his first big international championship and comes only fifth, he begins to destroy everything he has fought for and turn on everyone around him. Barracuda is a powerful and moving novel of sport and violence, class and education, dreams and disillusionment; it is the story of a young man who eventually comes to realise that it is in family and friendship that his strongest identity lies.
Barracuda features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Books of the Month, Books with reviews by our Reader Review Panel, Family Drama, eBooks of the Month, Book Club Recommendations, General Fiction, Fiction, Recommendations
Barracuda is available in Ebook, Paperback
Barracuda was written by Christos Tsiolkas and published by Corvus an imprint of Atlantic Books
Barracuda has 514 pages
£9.89
