The Bogan Book Club (John Larkin, Larrikin)

When James Larwood is released from prison, his career is in tatters and his marriage is broken. His brother, Larry, throws him a lifeline in the form of a cleaning job at his Western Sydney factory to help him get back on his feet. Although a convicted felon, James sees himself as superior to his workplace colleagues, whom he regards as bogans. The plot takes a turn when James is invited to start a book club for his workmates, leading to conversations about subjects including domestic violence and same-sex relationships, as well as revelations about James’s past crime. Author John Larkin (The Shadow Girl, How to Avoid Being Eaten By Sharks…and other advice) has created characters that verge on caricature, such as Wilma, the ‘dozy muppet’ with a multi-coloured mullet, and James, a stereotypical middle-aged cyclist clad in lycra. Larkin employs comedy and a raft of colourful slang to bring his ‘westie’ factory story to life. While his use of idiom may occasionally feel forced, he succeeds in making serious subjects accessible to a broader audience. The fast-paced narrative sometimes sacrifices deeper character development, and some of the situations feel unrealistic, such as the improbable romantic relationship between the highly educated Rachel and the working-class Kath. Despite this, The Bogan Book Club is a light-hearted read with plenty of humour and action to entertain. It should appeal to fans of Shane Maloney’s Murray Whelan series.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Katy Briggs is a marketer with a degree in English and history. She is an avid reader across myriad genres. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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