"The Slip -set in Austin, Texas between 1998 and 2014-is part boxing novel, part mystery, part exploration of the vagaries of identity. It centers around the disappearance of teenager Nathaniel Rothstein, and features rich subplots, compelling side characters, and five twists that will catch you off guard for each one you guess. It wraps up at 484 pages. Should this sound daunting, rest assured Schaefer's audacious, often laugh-out-loud funny prose is a swift and gentle guide."
"Schaefer doesn't shy away from boxing's cruelty-a chapter is called "Tomato Can," named for hopelessly and often dangerously overmatched opponents used to juice up a hot prospect's record who are "called such because dropped ones leak red,"-or its absurdity. In one scene, a sham of a professional bout in Africa is literally washed into the sea by surging tides. A fighter named Carlos Ortega floats away on the ring without a care, shadowboxing into the storm."
The Slip spans 1998 to 2014 in Austin, Texas and follows the disappearance of teenager Nathaniel Rothstein. The narrative blends boxing drama, mystery, and identity exploration while sustaining rich subplots and compelling side characters. Boxing appears brutal and absurd, illustrated by a chapter titled "Tomato Can" and a washed-out bout where a fighter, Carlos Ortega, drifts from the ring. Characters pursue self-invention through boxing, cross-dressing, phone-sex masquerades, and a misguided instance of blackface. The prose balances audacity and humor, delivering five surprising twists across 484 pages and offering camaraderie centered at Terry Tucker's Boxing Gym.
Read at Defector
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]