Christos Tsiolkas’ novel The Slap, written in 2008 has been named in Sydney Morning Herald’s list of the 25 best Australian novels in the last 25 years.

“It’s a masterful examination of family, suburbia and cultural identity, and well deserves its status as one of Australia’s best-loved books,” the editor said, highlighting that the book has had a significant impact on Australian readers.

The Slap is written in a unique narration style, expressing the storyline from the perspective of eight people attending a suburban barbeque in which a man slaps a child that is not his own.

The cover of the novel. Photo: Supplied

That slap and its consequences takes the group on a journey of re-evaluating their own families and the ways of social conduct and how said ways interact with their expectations and desires.

Tsiolkas’ novel offers a deep contemplation on love, marriage, parenting and children through the lens of family relationships.

The slap won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize in 2009 and was adapted into two miniseries – one in Australia starring Alex Dimitriades and another in the United States starring Uma Thurman and Zachary Quinto.