4.5 stars
I literally binged this 500-pager in a day - i was HOOKED. Not everything works perfectly here (we get different long sections from different narrators and of course a few are more captivating than others) but i couldn’t put it down until i figured out where this bonkers story was ending up. Schaefer takes the story to completely wackadoodle and implausible places (this won’t work for everyone) but i loved these characters and being immersed in this world. I don’t wanna give anything away about the story itself because it’s better to just buckle in for the ride.

This was an engaging and well-written book that kept my interest throughout. The author delivered strong ideas and storytelling, with memorable moments that made it stand out. While there were a few areas that could have been expanded or polished further, overall it was an enjoyable and worthwhile read. I would recommend it to others looking for a thoughtful and rewarding experience.

This wasn't very interesting book. A lot of different things were going on as I read it somehow everything was connected.. Every chapter had a different part of the story. Start it in a boxing gym r We're different fighters with train. Nathan came to stay with his uncle In austin texas. There's so many different things In this book how people You're different people and you will never think.. Eighties , and it worked its way into two thousands. It was like a love story and a mystery because of Nathan's disappearance. The uncle had his own story.Why his netflix worked. As the book moved into the future you went into the C o p Who started to investigate disappearance. She started to date a boxer Who had nathan's license. And I came into the country As a illegal immigrant. If someone twisting turns Great book

The Slip is a bold, fast-paced debut that blends mystery, boxing, and social commentary into a vivid portrait of 1998 Austin. Its lively characters, sharp dialogue, and emotional depth make it a gripping read that’s both chaotic and unforgettable.

This book got a lot of hype and I believe, that Schaefer is definitely an author to watch out for. The book tries to cover a lot of ground, not all of it successfully. The readers will either love this book or hate it, hard to find a middle ground, I, for one, am looking forward to the see what the author conjures up next.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital ARC copy of this book.

A beautiful story about transformation.

Following the lives of those connected, directly or otherwise, to Terry Tucker's boxing gym - and of a 16-year-old boy who, after discovering a passion for boxing, goes missing without a trace - we watch as this large cast of characters and the city of Austin itself transform and change over time while the gym stays constant.

I think this was an incredibly well-crafted novel. Despite the large cast, the narrative was still easy to follow, with each perspective adding depth and humanity. The pacing was great, I was a little put off by the length and was expecting an overwritten novel, but the pages flew by and it didn't drag. Schaefer's use of characters to explore the central themes of race, sex, and identity was done so well, not heavy-handed but effective nonetheless. Characters were complex and wholly believable.

The Slip is both intimate and expansive, grounded in the small moments of everyday life while on a wider scope exploring of who we are and how we change. I'm eagerly waiting for the next novel by this author.

I am not the reader for this book unfortunately. I couldn’t Connect with any of the characters and felt lack of desire to know what happened to them.

I was so excited to read this one even especially after seeing all the hype it was receiving and the comps to Nathaniel hill and the nix. However, something about it felt disjointed to me and didn’t fully click for me at all times. The themes around race and identity were intriguing and a different take on them through the narrative. I loved the boxing gym setting and it felt very authentic and I wish we could have stayed there more. The different narratives weren’t all connecting for me though and I was more invested in the Bob/nathan story than in the “X” storyline. I think maybe if there was more editing this could have been more cohesive and could have hit the way I was expecting it to. Still a ton of potential here and the parts that excelled for me really excelled! I would still read any follow ups by this author and would recommend this one now that I know exactly what to expect! A more 3.5 than a 3 star read.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me, it had some standout elements—most notably the vivid and authentic descriptions of the boxing gym, which brought real energy to the narrative. Centered around the mystery of a missing teenage boy, the story explores themes of identity, confusion, and transformation through the lens of the boxing world. Though the plot occasionally felt meandering and could have benefited from a bit more polish, readers drawn to gritty, character-driven stories may still find it a worthwhile read.

Despite the strong premise and critical buzz, this one lost me about halfway through. The boxing gym setting feels authentic, and the initial setup around Nathaniel's disappearance creates genuine intrigue. But the sprawling narrative structure—jumping between multiple timelines and characters—never coalesces into something compelling enough to sustain 400+ pages.
The themes around identity, masculinity, and transformation are clearly important to the author, but the execution feels heavy-handed. Characters exist more as representatives of various social issues than as fully realized people. X's storyline, while sensitively handled, reads more like sociology than lived experience.
The prose alternates between vivid boxing scenes (genuinely well-done) and overwrought passages about "the ever-shifting canvas of a changing country" that feel forced. The Franzen comparison makes sense structurally, but lacks his ability to make sprawling social commentary feel personal and urgent.
Perhaps more patient readers will find rewards in the interconnected storylines, but I kept waiting for the book to justify its ambitious scope. Sometimes debuts try to tackle too much at once. The individual elements show promise, but the whole never quite comes together.

This is an INCREDIBLE book. I haven’t read anything I loved this much since The Goldfinch.
I highly recommend dropping what you’re doing and read this now.

"Like everything in boxing, this simplicity was an illusion. The slip was a full-body movement. 'When you slip, you should feel a twist ..."
And what a bold twist Lucas Schaefer deftly pulls off in his debut novel. Set in Austin, TX, in a gritty boxing gym, the novel's unifying theme is transformation, while the vehicle that delivers so many of the wondrous characters to that state is boxing. But I don't think you have to love or even know much about boxing to fall for this book, in which there are wild coincidences, rude jokes, a jumble of time frames, a gaggle of compelling personalities in varying states of flux, a mixture of third-, first-, and even second-person narrations, and sly commentary on race in America. All tossed in raunch dressing. It worked, and I loved it. 

[Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and share my opinion of this book.]

The perfect vacation novel - long enough to sink into, clever enough to dip in and out without losing track of the story. A wry commentary on race and relationships.

I loved this book. It’s not what I expected a book set around the characters at a boxing gym to be. It’s different, fresh and infused with a gentle humour. The writing is so good and the characters so fleshed out, flaws and all, that it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. Definitely punching above its weight!

So, the plot centres around the disappearance of a troubled teenage boy, Nathaniel. He was sent by his parents in Boston to spend the summer with his uncle Bob, a history professor in Austin, Texas. Bob finds him a job at a local retirement home where he is taken under the wing of David, a charismatic man who likes to talk to the boy about his (mythical) sexual prowess. Bob is also a member of a group, of mostly middle aged people, who work out at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym in the mornings. One day he takes Nathaniel along with him where he develops an interest in boxing. When Nathaniel disappears, Bob has no idea of what he has been up to and there is no trace of him.

The book tackles some big issues, that of growing up queer, yearning for love as well as the divide that still exists between races and the way they are treated by society and the topical issue of illegal immigration. For all that, it’s not a heavy book as topics are woven into the story and lightened with wit and humour. The book is quite long, but totally engaging as there are some wonderful supporting characters and some marvellous and imaginative side stories that all add up to an immersive experience.

# The Slip by Lucas Schaefer - 3.5/5 Stars

**Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.**

Lucas Schaefer's debut novel *The Slip* is undeniably ambitious—a sprawling, 500-page exploration of identity, transformation, and belonging set against the backdrop of 1998 Austin, Texas. While I can appreciate the scope and craft that went into this literary undertaking, it ultimately didn't quite land for me in the way I'd hoped.

The story centers around the disappearance of sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein, but quickly expands into a multi-perspective narrative that captures a diverse cast of characters navigating their own versions of reinvention. From boxing gym regulars playing out alternate versions of themselves to a rookie cop growing into her role, Schaefer creates a vivid portrait of a community where everyone seems to be slipping between different identities.

There's no denying Schaefer's talent as a writer. His prose is energetic and detailed, bringing Austin to life with authentic texture. The book tackles weighty themes with both humor and depth, and when it works, it really works. The exploration of how we become who we are—or who we pretend to be—is genuinely compelling, and there are moments of real insight scattered throughout.

However, the book's considerable length and shifting perspectives sometimes work against it. The narrative can feel unwieldy, with plot threads that occasionally blur together in ways that left me questioning whether I'd missed something important. While some readers will appreciate the circuitous journey and intricate layering, I found myself wishing for a tighter focus that might have made the experience more cohesive.

*The Slip* reads very much like a debut—you can feel the author's desire to pack everything into this first outing, which gives it both its ambitious scope and its occasionally bloated feel. For readers who enjoy immersive, multi-perspective storytelling and don't mind committing to a substantial page count, this book offers plenty to dig into. It just didn't quite mesh with me as a reader, though I can recognize the craft and ambition behind it.

It is what it is—a bold debut that swings for the fences, even if it doesn't always connect.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Trigger warning - not for the faint of heart regarding sexually graphic content. However, every word of this novel is chosen with intent and purpose, and it all just...works. it is like when you hear a concert without a single wrong note.

This book is a transformative experience of the pain of difference, the road to self-acceptance and growth told with humor and depth.

I loved this book, the world might just become a more tolerant place if was required reading for everyone.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ebook. In Austin, in 1998, Nathaniel Rothstein has been exiled to his uncle’s, after assaulting a classmate back in Massachusetts. He spends his time at a local gym slowly learning to box and falling in love with a Russian woman from a phone sex hotline. From this simple story come dozens of characters that show the various hidden spaces of this time and place over almost five hundred pages. A fascinating dive into a community of diverse races and economic realities.

*The Slip* is a sprawling, ambitious novel that immerses readers in the vibrant world of 1998 Austin, Texas, through the eyes of a diverse cast of characters all connected by the mysterious disappearance of sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein. The story weaves together multiple perspectives—from troubled teens reinventing themselves to an uncle desperate for answers and a rookie cop entangled in the case—creating a rich tapestry of voices and experiences.

The book is notably long, and at times, its sheer length and shifting perspectives can make the narrative feel unwieldy. There were moments when I wondered if I had missed a section or opened the wrong book by mistake, as the plot threads and timelines occasionally blur together. Despite this, the novel’s vivid sense of place and its exploration of themes like identity, belonging, and transformation keep it compelling.

Schaefer’s writing is energetic and often witty, with a keen eye for detail that brings Austin and its inhabitants to life. While the pacing can be uneven and the large cast of characters may challenge some readers, those who enjoy immersive, multi-perspective storytelling will find much to appreciate here.

I’ve been following @lucaseschaefer for awhile now, because he’s funny and smart and he has the most adorable family (shoutout to his stage mom @greg_from_a_leg for sharing him with us). I’ve been so excited to read his novel after seeing such incredible reviews and so much love for Lucas and his work. It was worth it!!

This book was an awesome ride. I had so much fun following this story. I finished it today and that ENDING! So good. I loved all of the perspectives but X’s story really stuck in my heart.

Lucas does an excellent job with social commentary here on everything from race, immigration, sexual identity, coming of age, and more. It’s a book that truly takes you on a journey and there’s one section that *really* got to me (I’ll message Lucas later because no spoilers!). Definitely pick this one up and I fully recommend the audio. Truly fantastic

When I was offered an ARC of The Slip, I hesitated before accepting it. The reviews foretold a slow burn of a story, convoluted and meandering, but they were largely effusive and convinced this would be a blockbuster devout. So I started The Slip with that in mind, including determination to make it to the second half, where some reviewers said the book picked up momentum. Well? Yes, that’s true. And yes, it’s true that it’s a slow and convoluted read. Sadly, as much as I wanted The Slip to work for me, it didn’t.

1998. Nathaniel Rothstein is having a confusing teenaged summer. Nathaniel is a Jew from the northeast, chubby, socially awkward. He’s living with his aunt and uncle and working at a nursing home. There, Nathaniel meets David Dalice. Quickly, Nathaniel realizes David is who he wants to be. Over the course of the summer, Nathaniel recreates himself more and more in David’s image—which is weird because David is a middle age, Haitian black man, boxer and pretty far off from suburban Jew.

The Slip tells the story of what feels like a million people that are in some way connected to Nathaniel and David. It’s a bit of a mystery, because Nathaniel is missing. And while I really wanted to know what happened to Nathaniel, I could have done without most of the rest. The range of characters is wide and diverse (a queer teenager who is maybe trans, a middle aged mother who operates a phone sex line for extra cash, an outcast female cop, an undocumented young boxer… the list goes on). Some of the characters are easier to connect with than others, but it all felt so slow to me.

For some readers, I’m sure this will be received as the book of the year so many have raved about. For me, it fell flat and painful, despite a true eagerness to feel otherwise.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite quote:
“In only eleven weeks, Miriam had learned that her city contained a limitless supply of limited people, enough undesirables loitering on the margins that were they to choose a single spot to congregate, they could form a city of their own.“