The Slow Natives
The Slow Natives by Thea Astley, published by Penguin in 1990, is a contemporary work of literature that explores the complexities of family dynamics. This 210-page novel chronicles the unraveling of the Leverson family, focusing on music teacher Bernard, his wife Iris, and their rebellious teenage son Keith. Set against a backdrop of middle age and adolescence, the narrative delves into themes of discontent, infidelity, and the struggle for connection amidst tragedy.
Readers will find a rich portrayal of human relationships as the Leversons navigate their individual challenges and confront their shared struggles. The story captures the tension between boredom and desire, as well as the reluctant love that binds them together. Astley’s keen wit and sense of irony illuminate the characters’ foibles, inviting reflection on the nature of family and the impact of life’s trials. This edition presents an insightful examination of contemporary life through the lens of a family’s journey toward understanding and reconciliation.
Official synopsis Publisher
The winner of Australia’s prize for lifetime achievement in literature chronicles one family’s unraveling and their tentative rapprochement forged through tragedy. “Sheer pleasure,” is how Newsday described Thea Astley’s most recent book, Vanishing Points. Now, with The Slow Natives, Astley’s wit, sense of irony, and ability to delineate human foibles link her to such great observers of the human comedy as Graham Greene and Iris Murdoch. The Slow Natives takes place on that familiar battleground where middle age and adolescence confront each other, in a climate of hostile bewilderment, contempt, and reluctant love. At its center are music teacher Bernard Leverson, bored with his job and his marriage; his wife, Iris, who is engaged listlessly in an affair; and their rebellious teenage son, Keith. Their path leads inevitably to tragedy, but also presses the Leversons toward a reappreciation of their lives and one another. Here is a novel that confirms Thea Astley as one of the best writers of our time.
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