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The Slip
For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Nathan Hill comes a haymaker of an American novel about a missing teenage boy, cases of fluid and mistaken identity, and the transformative power of boxing.
Austin, It’s the summer of 1998, and there’s a new face on the scene at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym. Sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein has never felt comfortable in his own skin, but under the tutelage of a swaggering, Haitian-born ex-fighter named David Dalice, he begins to come into his own. Even the boy’s slightly-stoned uncle, Bob Alexander, who is supposed to be watching him for the summer, notices the change. Nathaniel is happier, more confident—tanner, even. Then one night he vanishes, leaving little trace behind.
Across the city, Charles Rex, now going simply by “X,” has been undergoing a teenage transformation of his own, trolling the phone sex hotline that his mother works, seeking an outlet for everything that feels wrong about his body, looking for intimacy and acceptance in a culture that denies him both. As a surprising and unlikely romance blooms, X feels, for a moment, like he might have found the safety he’s been searching for. But it's never that simple.
More than a decade later, Nathaniel’s uncle Bob receives a shocking tip, propelling him to open his own investigation into his nephew’s disappearance. The resulting search involves gymgoers past and present, including a down-on-his-luck twin and his opportunistic brother; a rookie cop determined to prove herself; and Alexis Cepeda, a promising lightweight, who crossed the US-Mexico border when he was only fourteen, carrying with him a license bearing the wrong name and face.
Bobbing and weaving across the ever-shifting canvas of a changing country, The Slip is an audacious, daring look at sex and race in America that builds to an unforgettable collision in the center of the ring.
Austin, It’s the summer of 1998, and there’s a new face on the scene at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym. Sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein has never felt comfortable in his own skin, but under the tutelage of a swaggering, Haitian-born ex-fighter named David Dalice, he begins to come into his own. Even the boy’s slightly-stoned uncle, Bob Alexander, who is supposed to be watching him for the summer, notices the change. Nathaniel is happier, more confident—tanner, even. Then one night he vanishes, leaving little trace behind.
Across the city, Charles Rex, now going simply by “X,” has been undergoing a teenage transformation of his own, trolling the phone sex hotline that his mother works, seeking an outlet for everything that feels wrong about his body, looking for intimacy and acceptance in a culture that denies him both. As a surprising and unlikely romance blooms, X feels, for a moment, like he might have found the safety he’s been searching for. But it's never that simple.
More than a decade later, Nathaniel’s uncle Bob receives a shocking tip, propelling him to open his own investigation into his nephew’s disappearance. The resulting search involves gymgoers past and present, including a down-on-his-luck twin and his opportunistic brother; a rookie cop determined to prove herself; and Alexis Cepeda, a promising lightweight, who crossed the US-Mexico border when he was only fourteen, carrying with him a license bearing the wrong name and face.
Bobbing and weaving across the ever-shifting canvas of a changing country, The Slip is an audacious, daring look at sex and race in America that builds to an unforgettable collision in the center of the ring.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews
December 16, 2025
And in this corner, weighing in at 487 pages, fighting out of Austin, against books far above its weight class — a novel making a worldwide debut: “The Slip,” by Lucas Schaefer.
(Pause for wild cheering.)
Here’s a novel so pumped up and shredded it can’t possibly sit still on a shelf. Long before its official release on June 3, “The Slip” was already bouncing down the ramp with both fists punching the air. I spent most of the week not just reading this story but cheering it on in a state of unhinged excitement.
Although ostensibly centered on boxing, the ring isn’t the circumference of the plot. Indeed, so much is packed in that “The Slip” feels more like a three-ring circus than a 12-round match. If you like your fiction neat and ruminative, stay away from this sweaty, outrageous book.
At the starting bell, a brief newspaper clipping announces that Nathaniel Rothstein is still missing after 10 years.
Jump back to 1998: A troubled 16-year-old Jewish kid from a Boston suburb arrives in Austin to spend the summer with his Uncle Bob, a history professor at the University of Texas. Nathaniel had gotten into a brutal altercation at school, and his mom hopes a change of venue might be good for him. Uncle Bob thinks the boy — “a schlemiel of the first order” — needs structure and a place to blow off some steam. Fortunately, he knows a guy, David, one of his buddies from Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym, where everybody is....
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
(Pause for wild cheering.)
Here’s a novel so pumped up and shredded it can’t possibly sit still on a shelf. Long before its official release on June 3, “The Slip” was already bouncing down the ramp with both fists punching the air. I spent most of the week not just reading this story but cheering it on in a state of unhinged excitement.
Although ostensibly centered on boxing, the ring isn’t the circumference of the plot. Indeed, so much is packed in that “The Slip” feels more like a three-ring circus than a 12-round match. If you like your fiction neat and ruminative, stay away from this sweaty, outrageous book.
At the starting bell, a brief newspaper clipping announces that Nathaniel Rothstein is still missing after 10 years.
Jump back to 1998: A troubled 16-year-old Jewish kid from a Boston suburb arrives in Austin to spend the summer with his Uncle Bob, a history professor at the University of Texas. Nathaniel had gotten into a brutal altercation at school, and his mom hopes a change of venue might be good for him. Uncle Bob thinks the boy — “a schlemiel of the first order” — needs structure and a place to blow off some steam. Fortunately, he knows a guy, David, one of his buddies from Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym, where everybody is....
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
August 25, 2025
This book completely caught me off guard in so many ways and I loved every second of it. How is this a debut novel? Written with a pen much more mature than you would expect for a freshman release, you will never forget the characters in this novel for good reason.
What is sort of dressed up as a novel about boxing (even the front cover gives homage to this sport) is far more than you will ever imagine. We have a missing teen story that gets seemingly more wild as the onion is peeled and your eyes will sting along the journey, you have my promise. The ending was not something I saw coming from even a yard away and I am hooked on Lucas' writing, fan for life off this first spin.
I loved that he hit on poignant political issues without suffocating the reader. So many times there are books that hide big feelings deep within the page and can often sour the overall novel but this was a very tempered delivery that felt just right. Overall this novel hits on queerness in a special way and immigration in a manner that feels real for the moment. Lucas uses humor to add levity to difficult situations but you can sense his belief structure through the pages and I greatly appreciated his approach.
So what is so great about this novel? It's funny. It's different. In many ways this feels like a "first of" in the manner of our great modern day long winded familial-centric story tellers like Jonathan Franzen or crime centric authors like Jonathan Lethem with the quick wit of an author like Percival Everett. And it's story felt raw, relatable in many ways, whether from the eyes of an aging man desperate to find his lost nephew or the yearning disillusionment of a young queer man. I loved getting to know the sub characters who live within the retirement home and the mother of X who's story at first glance may feel meaningless but comes to light as the book concludes. There were so many rabbit holes he takes the reader on that could feel pointless but alas, were calculated with great concern and ultimately lead to a sprawling epic just under 500 pages long.
Well worth the journey and will be atop my end of year reads without a doubt. Read It!
What is sort of dressed up as a novel about boxing (even the front cover gives homage to this sport) is far more than you will ever imagine. We have a missing teen story that gets seemingly more wild as the onion is peeled and your eyes will sting along the journey, you have my promise. The ending was not something I saw coming from even a yard away and I am hooked on Lucas' writing, fan for life off this first spin.
I loved that he hit on poignant political issues without suffocating the reader. So many times there are books that hide big feelings deep within the page and can often sour the overall novel but this was a very tempered delivery that felt just right. Overall this novel hits on queerness in a special way and immigration in a manner that feels real for the moment. Lucas uses humor to add levity to difficult situations but you can sense his belief structure through the pages and I greatly appreciated his approach.
So what is so great about this novel? It's funny. It's different. In many ways this feels like a "first of" in the manner of our great modern day long winded familial-centric story tellers like Jonathan Franzen or crime centric authors like Jonathan Lethem with the quick wit of an author like Percival Everett. And it's story felt raw, relatable in many ways, whether from the eyes of an aging man desperate to find his lost nephew or the yearning disillusionment of a young queer man. I loved getting to know the sub characters who live within the retirement home and the mother of X who's story at first glance may feel meaningless but comes to light as the book concludes. There were so many rabbit holes he takes the reader on that could feel pointless but alas, were calculated with great concern and ultimately lead to a sprawling epic just under 500 pages long.
Well worth the journey and will be atop my end of year reads without a doubt. Read It!
July 23, 2025
The complaints about the death of the male novelist are much exaggerated, as here we have something that feels like it came out of the Male Novelist factory. Multiple perspectives, societal commentary, multiple timelines, prose designed to catch your attention, it's all, well, a bit much.
There were parts of this book I really enjoyed, and that always makes it hard. Those parts felt real and full in a way that so many others didn't. The closer it got to the end, the worse it got. When I realized where all this was going, what was actually going to be the story of what happened to Nathaniel, the more I realized I did not want to know because everything I was hearing was ridiculous.
I see what Schaefer is going for, the kind of coincidences that pile up in such a way as to feel like there is some kind of order in the universe. Not the first novel to do such a thing. But for that to work there has to be some magic, some kind of divine purpose to it all. And here it just felt like one unbelievable thing after another. I couldn't get swept along with it. And I was really bummed about it! Because I felt like Schaefer was throwing away all the things I enjoyed about the book and taking some other big, showy approach instead. The kind of big book that men are supposed to write. And yes, it is a book with several female perspectives (that are reasonably well done) and there's a lot of queerness and characters of different races and all of that works generally much better than most white male novelists could pull off. It just wasn't the book by Lucas Schaefer that I wanted to read. What I would have loved most is to spend the whole novel with Sasha, but Sasha is only allowed to be so important in this kind of story. Because, you know, Boxing.
I would actually be fine never reading another book like this again. I am not even sure why I picked up this one, I think I saw someone say it was good and I needed an audiobook. But I was so actively mad at it by the end that it was lucky I didn't have a hard copy to throw across the room.
There were parts of this book I really enjoyed, and that always makes it hard. Those parts felt real and full in a way that so many others didn't. The closer it got to the end, the worse it got. When I realized where all this was going, what was actually going to be the story of what happened to Nathaniel, the more I realized I did not want to know because everything I was hearing was ridiculous.
I see what Schaefer is going for, the kind of coincidences that pile up in such a way as to feel like there is some kind of order in the universe. Not the first novel to do such a thing. But for that to work there has to be some magic, some kind of divine purpose to it all. And here it just felt like one unbelievable thing after another. I couldn't get swept along with it. And I was really bummed about it! Because I felt like Schaefer was throwing away all the things I enjoyed about the book and taking some other big, showy approach instead. The kind of big book that men are supposed to write. And yes, it is a book with several female perspectives (that are reasonably well done) and there's a lot of queerness and characters of different races and all of that works generally much better than most white male novelists could pull off. It just wasn't the book by Lucas Schaefer that I wanted to read. What I would have loved most is to spend the whole novel with Sasha, but Sasha is only allowed to be so important in this kind of story. Because, you know, Boxing.
I would actually be fine never reading another book like this again. I am not even sure why I picked up this one, I think I saw someone say it was good and I needed an audiobook. But I was so actively mad at it by the end that it was lucky I didn't have a hard copy to throw across the room.
May 1, 2025
The Slip is Jonathan Franzen's "Crossroads" meets James McBride's "Deacon King Kong"—a literary, historical fiction with hints of mystery and humor. Lucas Schaefer has crafted a story unlike anything I’ve read in years.
Set in the summer of 1998 and the years that follow, the novel follows sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein, who finds confidence and happiness under the mentorship of ex-fighter David Dalice at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym in Austin, Texas, only to mysteriously vanish one night. Meanwhile, Charles Rex, known as "X," seeks acceptance through a phone sex hotline, experiencing a fleeting romance. Over a decade later, Nathaniel's uncle Bob Alexander, driven by a tip, launches an investigation into his nephew's disappearance, involving various gymgoers, a rookie cop, and Alexis Cepeda, a promising lightweight boxer who crossed the US-Mexico border with a false identity.
As someone who has taken up boxing in the last few months, I was immediately drawn to The Slip. Lucas Schaefer has clearly done his homework on the techniques and the community behind boxing, and I absolutely loved it.
More importantly, I was captivated by this world, the characters, and their rich backgrounds (hopes, dreams, desires). Spending time with these fully realized individuals was a delight. Even the minor, background players are full of life and endearing to follow, including Dr. Gloria Abruzzi, whose chapter perfectly exemplifies this novel’s balance between humor and heartbreak. Another near the end is a “what if” scenario that had me close to tears, hopeful it was real and not just theoretical.
What I loved about this book also contributed to my main issue, however. As the story progresses towards the conclusion, it feels like some sections overstay their welcome. I felt it the most in parts that reiterated details from a different perspective. Of course, in a story like this, different viewpoints help paint the full picture. But, it ultimately impacted my enjoyment, especially as I tried to figure out what happened to Nathaniel. Even when it felt like it was dragging on and more characters were added to the plot, it never felt like padding or filler.
The Slip is a near masterpiece—tender, joyful, and heartbreaking. It also comes at a time when stories about queer characters are much needed. Bravo, Lucas Schaefer. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
Set in the summer of 1998 and the years that follow, the novel follows sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein, who finds confidence and happiness under the mentorship of ex-fighter David Dalice at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym in Austin, Texas, only to mysteriously vanish one night. Meanwhile, Charles Rex, known as "X," seeks acceptance through a phone sex hotline, experiencing a fleeting romance. Over a decade later, Nathaniel's uncle Bob Alexander, driven by a tip, launches an investigation into his nephew's disappearance, involving various gymgoers, a rookie cop, and Alexis Cepeda, a promising lightweight boxer who crossed the US-Mexico border with a false identity.
As someone who has taken up boxing in the last few months, I was immediately drawn to The Slip. Lucas Schaefer has clearly done his homework on the techniques and the community behind boxing, and I absolutely loved it.
More importantly, I was captivated by this world, the characters, and their rich backgrounds (hopes, dreams, desires). Spending time with these fully realized individuals was a delight. Even the minor, background players are full of life and endearing to follow, including Dr. Gloria Abruzzi, whose chapter perfectly exemplifies this novel’s balance between humor and heartbreak. Another near the end is a “what if” scenario that had me close to tears, hopeful it was real and not just theoretical.
What I loved about this book also contributed to my main issue, however. As the story progresses towards the conclusion, it feels like some sections overstay their welcome. I felt it the most in parts that reiterated details from a different perspective. Of course, in a story like this, different viewpoints help paint the full picture. But, it ultimately impacted my enjoyment, especially as I tried to figure out what happened to Nathaniel. Even when it felt like it was dragging on and more characters were added to the plot, it never felt like padding or filler.
The Slip is a near masterpiece—tender, joyful, and heartbreaking. It also comes at a time when stories about queer characters are much needed. Bravo, Lucas Schaefer. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
November 18, 2025
Mind blown. I may write a more comprehensive review later but I wanted to capture my immediate breath held wonder. If you expect a lot of answers or a linear plot progression, move on. If you want a snapshot of America in the last 25 years, seen from a transforming and transformed Austin, and you want to get inside of people, all types of people, this is a more than worthy destination. I finished this about 2 hours ago as I was walking into The Met. I then spent 2 hours thinking about it while gazing on 19th and 20th century masterworks and listening to Frightened Rabbit and Broken Social Scene (I replayed Modern Leper 3 times) to see if my feelings about this would hold up to that onslaught of artistic genius. It did.
11/17/2025: A couple of people have asked me if I am ever going to properly review this book, which I read nearly two months ago. I originally thought I would leave it as is, but I have a fragile ego, border on possessing a verifiable praise kink, and if people indicate my thoughts on something might be worthwhile, I always respond eagerly, so here is a slightly more complete review --
The book snakes around the story of Nathaniel Rothstein, a shlub of a teen living with his single mother near Boston in the late 1990's. Nathaniel is doughy, undirected, confused, and largely without friends. His concerned mother sends him off ot Austin (before it was all tech bro'd up) to spend the summer with his Uncle Bob, a professor at UT. Said uncle pawns him off on his friend David, whom he met at a local boxing gym. (Many people know that my son has been a boxer since he was 14. He is now in his 20's and a filmmaker, but still boxes and trains professionals who want to hit things while staying in shape. He is also an MMA fighter and a Muy Thai fighter in training. The sweet science transformed him in entirely good ways in his teens, and I became sort of obsessed with boxing and boxers in that process.) David is a Haitian man who once posed as a Jamaican boxer, despite being neither Jamaican nor a fighter. He considers that period to have been the apogee of his life. David now has a position of some authority at an upscale assisted living facility where he is the big fish in a small pond, and has a stable if unexciting marriage. Thriving on the sense of power that comes from being looked at as an authority figure, David attempts to guide Nathaniel to reach the heights he himself reached as an ersatz Jamaican boxer. He also steers Nathaniel to strive for heights which he himself never reached as a sex god. He is happy to invent a graphic, rather gross sex god history and present for Nathaniel's benefit. Many things happen as a result, including Nathaniel's (strangely failed) attempt to connect to what he believes to be Eastern European phone sex operators, a sweet and unexpected if star-crossed actual connection, Nathaniel's disappearance, David's downfall, and much, much more. The action is surprising, always unexpected, never contrived. Every action and reaction seems painfully true. Schaefer brings a skilled hand to discussions of race, ethnicity. immigration, the pain and glory of performed maleness and femaleness, the limitations of defined gender expression, and the impacts of gentrification, and he does so without ever telling the reader what to think or feel. There are a couple of parts where I think Schaefer veers off in directions that don't advance the story and which muddle things. There is very little resolution to be had (not an issue for me, but I know many readers like things tied up in neat little bows.) This reader dealt with it just fine. I consider The Slip a little masterpiece. Though I think it suffers just a tiny bit in comparison, I would say that people who loved Franzen's Crossroads will want to read this. Though it was often funny, this book broke my delicate heart over and over. Don't worry, though, I loved the pain.
11/17/2025: A couple of people have asked me if I am ever going to properly review this book, which I read nearly two months ago. I originally thought I would leave it as is, but I have a fragile ego, border on possessing a verifiable praise kink, and if people indicate my thoughts on something might be worthwhile, I always respond eagerly, so here is a slightly more complete review --
The book snakes around the story of Nathaniel Rothstein, a shlub of a teen living with his single mother near Boston in the late 1990's. Nathaniel is doughy, undirected, confused, and largely without friends. His concerned mother sends him off ot Austin (before it was all tech bro'd up) to spend the summer with his Uncle Bob, a professor at UT. Said uncle pawns him off on his friend David, whom he met at a local boxing gym. (Many people know that my son has been a boxer since he was 14. He is now in his 20's and a filmmaker, but still boxes and trains professionals who want to hit things while staying in shape. He is also an MMA fighter and a Muy Thai fighter in training. The sweet science transformed him in entirely good ways in his teens, and I became sort of obsessed with boxing and boxers in that process.) David is a Haitian man who once posed as a Jamaican boxer, despite being neither Jamaican nor a fighter. He considers that period to have been the apogee of his life. David now has a position of some authority at an upscale assisted living facility where he is the big fish in a small pond, and has a stable if unexciting marriage. Thriving on the sense of power that comes from being looked at as an authority figure, David attempts to guide Nathaniel to reach the heights he himself reached as an ersatz Jamaican boxer. He also steers Nathaniel to strive for heights which he himself never reached as a sex god. He is happy to invent a graphic, rather gross sex god history and present for Nathaniel's benefit. Many things happen as a result, including Nathaniel's (strangely failed) attempt to connect to what he believes to be Eastern European phone sex operators, a sweet and unexpected if star-crossed actual connection, Nathaniel's disappearance, David's downfall, and much, much more. The action is surprising, always unexpected, never contrived. Every action and reaction seems painfully true. Schaefer brings a skilled hand to discussions of race, ethnicity. immigration, the pain and glory of performed maleness and femaleness, the limitations of defined gender expression, and the impacts of gentrification, and he does so without ever telling the reader what to think or feel. There are a couple of parts where I think Schaefer veers off in directions that don't advance the story and which muddle things. There is very little resolution to be had (not an issue for me, but I know many readers like things tied up in neat little bows.) This reader dealt with it just fine. I consider The Slip a little masterpiece. Though I think it suffers just a tiny bit in comparison, I would say that people who loved Franzen's Crossroads will want to read this. Though it was often funny, this book broke my delicate heart over and over. Don't worry, though, I loved the pain.
December 5, 2025
Однажды летом хороший мальчик Натаниэль Ротштейн едет в Остин, штат Техас, к дяде на каникулы. Хороший мальчик покрыт веснушками и прыщами, очень скромный, очень сутулый, очень бледный. Дядя Боб решает, что лучше места, чем любительский боксерский клуб, для такого мальчика не найти.
В любительском боксерском клубе Натаниэль встречает Дэвида, мужика из Гаити, который когда-то подавал надежды как спортсмен, а теперь подает памперсы и пледы пациентам дома престарелых. Дэвид веселый, энергичный и очень смелый, и каждый раз встречает Натаниэля рассказами о своих (абсолютно точно выдуманных) сексуальных похождениях, которые заставят читателя корчиться от ужаса.
Впрочем, не спешите тратить весь свой запас корчей и ужаса на Дэвида, ведь впереди еще рассказ о приключениях Натаниэля, и кстати, я уже говорила, что это история о таинственном исчезновении подростка в жаркую летнюю ночь?..
Дебютный роман Лукаса Шефера сравнивают с текстами Филипа Рота и Зэди Смит, а я бы предложила молодого Эдуарда Лимонова, «Мальчик глотает Вселенную» Трента Далтона, Who They Was Габриэля Краузе и, конечно, «Краткую историю семи убийств». Это грамотно выстроенный, отлично откалиброванный, по-хорошему оголтелый полифонический роман о людях и их мечтах, о дружбе и поддержке, о тревоге и осознанности, о том, что love always wins, даже если для этого в какой-то момент нужно будет кому-то хорошенько вмазать.
В любительском боксерском клубе Натаниэль встречает Дэвида, мужика из Гаити, который когда-то подавал надежды как спортсмен, а теперь подает памперсы и пледы пациентам дома престарелых. Дэвид веселый, энергичный и очень смелый, и каждый раз встречает Натаниэля рассказами о своих (абсолютно точно выдуманных) сексуальных похождениях, которые заставят читателя корчиться от ужаса.
Впрочем, не спешите тратить весь свой запас корчей и ужаса на Дэвида, ведь впереди еще рассказ о приключениях Натаниэля, и кстати, я уже говорила, что это история о таинственном исчезновении подростка в жаркую летнюю ночь?..
Дебютный роман Лукаса Шефера сравнивают с текстами Филипа Рота и Зэди Смит, а я бы предложила молодого Эдуарда Лимонова, «Мальчик глотает Вселенную» Трента Далтона, Who They Was Габриэля Краузе и, конечно, «Краткую историю семи убийств». Это грамотно выстроенный, отлично откалиброванный, по-хорошему оголтелый полифонический роман о людях и их мечтах, о дружбе и поддержке, о тревоге и осознанности, о том, что love always wins, даже если для этого в какой-то момент нужно будет кому-то хорошенько вмазать.
June 13, 2025
It’s been ten years since Nathaniel Rothstein went missing, in the summer of 1998. Nobody knows what happened to him…or do they?
The Slip is a propulsive character study, moving the narrative along through time spent with the people who may or may not be aware of the part that they played in Nathan’s disappearance. The mystery unravels a little more with every person we meet, though by the end I found myself unsure of if anyone was truly blameless.
It’s an ambitious novel—one which left me with a lot to think about!
The Slip is a propulsive character study, moving the narrative along through time spent with the people who may or may not be aware of the part that they played in Nathan’s disappearance. The mystery unravels a little more with every person we meet, though by the end I found myself unsure of if anyone was truly blameless.
It’s an ambitious novel—one which left me with a lot to think about!
September 20, 2025
that's 2 absolute, hands down 5⭐️ reads in a row...no pressure, whatever I finish next
December 4, 2025
I loved The Slip, an original story that simultaneously felt both nostalgic and relevant. It’s 1998 and Nathaniel Rothstein is sent to Austin, TX to spend the summer with his Uncle Bob and Aunt Marlene after getting in trouble at school in Boston. He joins Bob at his boxing gym, and volunteers at an assisted living facility, supervised by one of the other gym goers, David. The summer is transformative for Nathaniel, which doesn’t go unnoticed. Then, Nathaniel suddenly vanishes and Bob is left with unanswered questions and no closure.
The Slip is a coming of age story, with identity front and center. It also includes elements of friendship, romance, boxing, and family. It’s full of a sometimes seemingly random, cast of characters, most of whom are at least loosely tied to the boxing gym. It takes many, many tangents but rest assured, Lucas Schaefer knows what he’s doing. I’m impressed with his creativity. This book won’t be for everybody — Some of the storylines are unusual, some teetered on feeling unnecessary, but I was still deeply engaged, needing to know how this would all come together. I really liked it!
The Slip is a coming of age story, with identity front and center. It also includes elements of friendship, romance, boxing, and family. It’s full of a sometimes seemingly random, cast of characters, most of whom are at least loosely tied to the boxing gym. It takes many, many tangents but rest assured, Lucas Schaefer knows what he’s doing. I’m impressed with his creativity. This book won’t be for everybody — Some of the storylines are unusual, some teetered on feeling unnecessary, but I was still deeply engaged, needing to know how this would all come together. I really liked it!
November 9, 2025
The Slip
@lucaseschaefer
@simonbooks
“She could shoot him in the head if she had to. It was never the doing that paralyzed Miriam Lopez, only the forever in between.”
“The forever in between.” I’ve never been a cop or had to shoot anyone, good grief, don’t get me wrong. But I know what “the forever in between” means. That mundane life that happens day in and day out for all of us. The grind, the doldrums. Is that the thing we’re all reading to books to escape?
When you’re in need of escape, this is your book. Don’t come here for Sunday afternoon golf. You don’t go into a boxing match against anyone worthwhile without coming out a little beat up and sweaty. You also don’t write a great novel without working down bumpy winding roads and detours, backtracking when needed, adding layer after layer until the story comes around.
So many books don’t ever come around. They’re reluctant to make the coincidences they have to use MEAN something. Fiction is often just that to me—a twisting of real life with the absurd that both derealizes the situation AND provides enough pushback of the everyday entropy of existence to create a worthy dose of the truth—
FICTION.
That’s The Slip. It reminds me of a line from one of my favorite e e cummings poems:
“what if a much of a which of a wind
gives truth to the summer’s lie”
It’s a tornado ripping through the aforementioned mundanity, creating a story from thin air again and again, weaving and backtracking and stitching until: wham. A novel of the finest proportions.
It’s surprising, daring, brash, ambitious, risky, progressive without preachiness, and somehow, still, gentle and humble with how it throws its punches. It honors the dropouts and the dragged down, it allows for bullies and the bullied. It centers around a boxing ring: a community: a story: a place where it’s all out in the open.
Did I even mention how much damn fun I had? Easily slipped into my top ten of the year so far.
@lucaseschaefer
@simonbooks
“She could shoot him in the head if she had to. It was never the doing that paralyzed Miriam Lopez, only the forever in between.”
“The forever in between.” I’ve never been a cop or had to shoot anyone, good grief, don’t get me wrong. But I know what “the forever in between” means. That mundane life that happens day in and day out for all of us. The grind, the doldrums. Is that the thing we’re all reading to books to escape?
When you’re in need of escape, this is your book. Don’t come here for Sunday afternoon golf. You don’t go into a boxing match against anyone worthwhile without coming out a little beat up and sweaty. You also don’t write a great novel without working down bumpy winding roads and detours, backtracking when needed, adding layer after layer until the story comes around.
So many books don’t ever come around. They’re reluctant to make the coincidences they have to use MEAN something. Fiction is often just that to me—a twisting of real life with the absurd that both derealizes the situation AND provides enough pushback of the everyday entropy of existence to create a worthy dose of the truth—
FICTION.
That’s The Slip. It reminds me of a line from one of my favorite e e cummings poems:
“what if a much of a which of a wind
gives truth to the summer’s lie”
It’s a tornado ripping through the aforementioned mundanity, creating a story from thin air again and again, weaving and backtracking and stitching until: wham. A novel of the finest proportions.
It’s surprising, daring, brash, ambitious, risky, progressive without preachiness, and somehow, still, gentle and humble with how it throws its punches. It honors the dropouts and the dragged down, it allows for bullies and the bullied. It centers around a boxing ring: a community: a story: a place where it’s all out in the open.
Did I even mention how much damn fun I had? Easily slipped into my top ten of the year so far.
Read
May 17, 2025As Austin, Texas, steps into its place in the national zeitgeist, more and more contemporary writers have tried to capture its unique spirit, to varying degrees of success. So when a novel set in Austin with such an unusual plot and cast of characters starts to earn literary buzz months out from publication—and it also happens to be written by a Texas Ex—I’m going to take notice.
Lucas Schaefer’s debut novel, out June 3, centers on Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym, a meeting place for every facet of the city’s identity. Across the decades, gymgoers past and present (along with one missing person) tell an indelible story of race and sex in America.
Full review and Q&A forthcoming in the July|August issue of the Alcalde!
Lucas Schaefer’s debut novel, out June 3, centers on Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym, a meeting place for every facet of the city’s identity. Across the decades, gymgoers past and present (along with one missing person) tell an indelible story of race and sex in America.
Full review and Q&A forthcoming in the July|August issue of the Alcalde!
Read
June 7, 2025DNF @25% - not for me, yikes! I guess it's a matter of taste, but this type of jokey stand-up (dare I say juvenile?) prose just always feels so dated and annoying to me, if not outright offensive... and unfortunately I do think you can't neutralize sexism with a punchline, though this writer is trying his best. It may be that this becomes a wonderful novel at some point after the 25% mark, but I'm sorry to say I'm not sticking around long enough to find out.
thx anyway netgalley!
thx anyway netgalley!
December 4, 2025
3,5* “Ось вам сувора правда: час від часу виявляється, що синьоязикий сцинк, якого продають в зоомагазині екзотичних тварин, не що інше, як звичайна ящірка, яка силоміць висмоктала виноградний льодяник».
Це, звісно, далеко не Wellness (легенда, взірець і мастрід) і ніякий не Франзен (бо ті більш універсальні), а скоріш молодший брат Кріса Вітакера, в якого теж є функція розважити і здивувати читача будь-якою ціною, при цьому не забути актуальні (для Америки, звісно) питання.
Вам будуть затирати за ідентичність, расові питання, квір, підліткову сексуальність, іміграцію і депортацію, бокс, але надмірна занадтість усього бентежить і не дає просякнутися історією всерйоз. Втім, можна непогано провести час і насправді як для дебюта це зухвало.
Це, звісно, далеко не Wellness (легенда, взірець і мастрід) і ніякий не Франзен (бо ті більш універсальні), а скоріш молодший брат Кріса Вітакера, в якого теж є функція розважити і здивувати читача будь-якою ціною, при цьому не забути актуальні (для Америки, звісно) питання.
Вам будуть затирати за ідентичність, расові питання, квір, підліткову сексуальність, іміграцію і депортацію, бокс, але надмірна занадтість усього бентежить і не дає просякнутися історією всерйоз. Втім, можна непогано провести час і насправді як для дебюта це зухвало.
Read
September 7, 2025a few scattered thoughts here: novels do not need to be over four hundred pages to be worthy of reading. what ever happened to brevity? in this novel, so much of the momentum of the plot was bogged down by unnecessary background stories and shifting perspectives and movements in time. there was a concise novel to be told here and it wasn't. much of the language was repetitive that i found myself skimming whole pages. the discussions on race and policing felt dated but i guess it was set in the early 2010s. didn't care for this one at all.
June 17, 2025
Lucas Schaefer's debut novel, The Slip, arrives with the force of a perfectly timed left hook—unexpected, devastating, and impossible to forget. Set against the sweltering backdrop of Austin, Texas in 1998, this ambitious work weaves together multiple narratives of identity, transformation, and belonging in a way that feels both achingly familiar and startlingly fresh.
At its heart, The Slip is a boxing novel that uses the sport as both literal setting and metaphor for the bruising process of becoming oneself. Schaefer demonstrates remarkable skill in balancing multiple storylines across different time periods, creating a complex tapestry that examines how we construct and reconstruct our identities in a world that often refuses to see us as we truly are.
The Art of Character Construction
The novel's greatest strength lies in its nuanced character development, particularly in how Schaefer handles the delicate subject matter of racial and gender identity. Nathaniel Rothstein, the sixteen-year-old protagonist whose summer transformation sets the entire plot in motion, is rendered with startling authenticity. His journey from awkward, "doughy" teenager to someone more confident—and eventually someone else entirely—unfolds with careful psychological precision.
Schaefer's portrayal of Nathaniel's gradual physical transformation through tanning and his adoption of a different racial identity during phone sex calls could have easily veered into exploitative territory. Instead, the author treats this controversial premise with remarkable sensitivity, using it to explore broader themes about identity performance, self-discovery, and the arbitrary nature of racial categories in American society.
Charles Rex, going by "X," emerges as perhaps the most compelling character in the novel. Schaefer's depiction of X's gender dysphoria and sexual awakening in pre-internet 1998 Austin feels both historically accurate and deeply empathetic. The scenes where X performs as "Sasha Semyonova" on the phone sex line are written with such insight that they transcend mere plot device to become profound meditations on authenticity and self-actualization.
Masterful Structure and Narrative Technique
The Slip employs a complex temporal structure that jumps between 1998 and 2014, gradually revealing how past events continue to shape present realities. This narrative choice proves particularly effective as Schaefer slowly unveils the mystery of Nathaniel's disappearance while simultaneously exploring its long-term consequences on characters like Bob Alexander, David Dalice, and the boxing gym community.
The author's decision to use second-person narration in certain sections—particularly those set in the Haitian detention facility—adds an experimental edge that elevates the novel beyond conventional literary fiction. These passages create an immediacy and universality that suggests the experiences described could happen to anyone, anywhere.
Schaefer's prose style adapts fluidly to match the consciousness of different characters. When writing from Nathaniel's perspective, the language becomes more hesitant and introspective, while X's sections pulse with nervous energy and searching questions. David Dalice's chapters carry the weight of immigrant experience and working-class pragmatism.
Wrestling with Complex Themes
Identity and Performance
The novel's central preoccupation with identity performance resonates strongly in our current cultural moment. Schaefer examines how identity can be both fixed and fluid, exploring the ways characters slip between different versions of themselves. The boxing gym becomes a space where these transformations can occur—where David can be both mentor and manipulator, where Nathaniel can discover physical confidence, where X can find community.
Race and Privilege
The Slip tackles the thorny issue of racial identity with impressive nuance. Rather than simply condemning Nathaniel's appropriation of Blackness, Schaefer uses it to examine the arbitrary nature of racial categories while never losing sight of the real social and economic consequences of race in America. The novel's treatment of immigration through Alexis Cepeda's story and the Haitian detention facility scenes adds additional layers to this exploration.
Gender and Sexuality
X's storyline provides the novel's most emotionally resonant thread. Schaefer captures the confusion, fear, and occasional joy of discovering one's gender identity in an era when language and community for such experiences were scarce. The relationship between X and Jesse Filkins is particularly well-rendered, showing how desire and shame can intertwine in damaging ways.
Minor Shortcomings
While The Slip succeeds brilliantly in most areas, it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitions. Some of the secondary characters, particularly certain boxing gym regulars, feel underdeveloped compared to the rich psychological portraits of the main protagonists. The novel's complex timeline occasionally creates confusion, particularly in the middle sections where past and present events blur together.
Additionally, while Schaefer generally handles sensitive material with care, some readers may find certain scenes—particularly those involving Nathaniel's racial transformation—uncomfortable regardless of the author's clear intentions to critique rather than celebrate such behavior.
Final Verdict
The Slip announces Lucas Schaefer as a major new talent in American fiction. This is a novel that takes significant risks—in its subject matter, its structure, and its willingness to engage with controversial topics—and largely succeeds in ways that feel both artistically satisfying and socially relevant.
While the novel deals with heavy themes, Schaefer infuses the narrative with moments of genuine humor and tenderness. The relationships between characters feel authentic, even when they're built on deception or misunderstanding. Most importantly, the author never loses sight of the humanity in each character, even when depicting their worst impulses.
The Slip is the rare debut novel that feels both fully formed and promising of even greater things to come. It's a book that will likely generate significant discussion and debate—always the mark of important literature. Schaefer has created a work that honors the complexity of identity formation while telling a gripping story about community, belonging, and the prices we pay for transformation.
At its heart, The Slip is a boxing novel that uses the sport as both literal setting and metaphor for the bruising process of becoming oneself. Schaefer demonstrates remarkable skill in balancing multiple storylines across different time periods, creating a complex tapestry that examines how we construct and reconstruct our identities in a world that often refuses to see us as we truly are.
The Art of Character Construction
The novel's greatest strength lies in its nuanced character development, particularly in how Schaefer handles the delicate subject matter of racial and gender identity. Nathaniel Rothstein, the sixteen-year-old protagonist whose summer transformation sets the entire plot in motion, is rendered with startling authenticity. His journey from awkward, "doughy" teenager to someone more confident—and eventually someone else entirely—unfolds with careful psychological precision.
Schaefer's portrayal of Nathaniel's gradual physical transformation through tanning and his adoption of a different racial identity during phone sex calls could have easily veered into exploitative territory. Instead, the author treats this controversial premise with remarkable sensitivity, using it to explore broader themes about identity performance, self-discovery, and the arbitrary nature of racial categories in American society.
Charles Rex, going by "X," emerges as perhaps the most compelling character in the novel. Schaefer's depiction of X's gender dysphoria and sexual awakening in pre-internet 1998 Austin feels both historically accurate and deeply empathetic. The scenes where X performs as "Sasha Semyonova" on the phone sex line are written with such insight that they transcend mere plot device to become profound meditations on authenticity and self-actualization.
Masterful Structure and Narrative Technique
The Slip employs a complex temporal structure that jumps between 1998 and 2014, gradually revealing how past events continue to shape present realities. This narrative choice proves particularly effective as Schaefer slowly unveils the mystery of Nathaniel's disappearance while simultaneously exploring its long-term consequences on characters like Bob Alexander, David Dalice, and the boxing gym community.
The author's decision to use second-person narration in certain sections—particularly those set in the Haitian detention facility—adds an experimental edge that elevates the novel beyond conventional literary fiction. These passages create an immediacy and universality that suggests the experiences described could happen to anyone, anywhere.
Schaefer's prose style adapts fluidly to match the consciousness of different characters. When writing from Nathaniel's perspective, the language becomes more hesitant and introspective, while X's sections pulse with nervous energy and searching questions. David Dalice's chapters carry the weight of immigrant experience and working-class pragmatism.
Wrestling with Complex Themes
Identity and Performance
The novel's central preoccupation with identity performance resonates strongly in our current cultural moment. Schaefer examines how identity can be both fixed and fluid, exploring the ways characters slip between different versions of themselves. The boxing gym becomes a space where these transformations can occur—where David can be both mentor and manipulator, where Nathaniel can discover physical confidence, where X can find community.
Race and Privilege
The Slip tackles the thorny issue of racial identity with impressive nuance. Rather than simply condemning Nathaniel's appropriation of Blackness, Schaefer uses it to examine the arbitrary nature of racial categories while never losing sight of the real social and economic consequences of race in America. The novel's treatment of immigration through Alexis Cepeda's story and the Haitian detention facility scenes adds additional layers to this exploration.
Gender and Sexuality
X's storyline provides the novel's most emotionally resonant thread. Schaefer captures the confusion, fear, and occasional joy of discovering one's gender identity in an era when language and community for such experiences were scarce. The relationship between X and Jesse Filkins is particularly well-rendered, showing how desire and shame can intertwine in damaging ways.
Minor Shortcomings
While The Slip succeeds brilliantly in most areas, it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitions. Some of the secondary characters, particularly certain boxing gym regulars, feel underdeveloped compared to the rich psychological portraits of the main protagonists. The novel's complex timeline occasionally creates confusion, particularly in the middle sections where past and present events blur together.
Additionally, while Schaefer generally handles sensitive material with care, some readers may find certain scenes—particularly those involving Nathaniel's racial transformation—uncomfortable regardless of the author's clear intentions to critique rather than celebrate such behavior.
Final Verdict
The Slip announces Lucas Schaefer as a major new talent in American fiction. This is a novel that takes significant risks—in its subject matter, its structure, and its willingness to engage with controversial topics—and largely succeeds in ways that feel both artistically satisfying and socially relevant.
While the novel deals with heavy themes, Schaefer infuses the narrative with moments of genuine humor and tenderness. The relationships between characters feel authentic, even when they're built on deception or misunderstanding. Most importantly, the author never loses sight of the humanity in each character, even when depicting their worst impulses.
The Slip is the rare debut novel that feels both fully formed and promising of even greater things to come. It's a book that will likely generate significant discussion and debate—always the mark of important literature. Schaefer has created a work that honors the complexity of identity formation while telling a gripping story about community, belonging, and the prices we pay for transformation.
July 2, 2025
The story focuses on a group of people that all find themselves at Terry Tucker's Boxing Gym. Some are amateur boxers others are simply there to work out. Nathaniel Rothstein's uncle works out at the gym, so when Nathaniel comes to stay with him for the summer, Nathaniel finds his way to the gym. To be clear, it's not his uncle that gets him there, but rather David Dalice (who will figure largely into Nathaniel's life).
I went into this one without knowing anything other than it focused on boxing and it takes place in Austin. I think that's a good enough start.
This is an impressive debut novel. There are so many characters whose lives all come together in an intriguing way. I like the flow of the plot, but I did feel the syntax, at times, hurt my brain. There are many long and winding sentences that feel unnecessary. But, that didn't take away from my reading experience. Impressive.
I went into this one without knowing anything other than it focused on boxing and it takes place in Austin. I think that's a good enough start.
This is an impressive debut novel. There are so many characters whose lives all come together in an intriguing way. I like the flow of the plot, but I did feel the syntax, at times, hurt my brain. There are many long and winding sentences that feel unnecessary. But, that didn't take away from my reading experience. Impressive.
October 23, 2025
I spent over a month with this book, because it was that rare sort of reading experience that made me not want to say goodbye to these characters, this world. This is the sort of book I live for: a tome bursting with fully realized characters, plots on plots on plots, tangents on tangents, all written with a sure hand. This is a debut?!
How a novel about boxing could break my heart over and over again I do not know. How a novel about boxing could be my favorite book of 2025-?! Wonders never cease.
How a novel about boxing could break my heart over and over again I do not know. How a novel about boxing could be my favorite book of 2025-?! Wonders never cease.
August 2, 2025
I loved the Austin parts of this book; the author really nailed not just the locations but the sense of place. That alone bumped my rating up to two stars. Otherwise, The Slip just didn’t work for me. The plot was convoluted and full of ridiculous coincidences, the themes were heavy-handed, and the pacing was all over the place. I think the comps to Nathan Hill’s books are fitting, but Hill is so good at seamlessly connecting different aspects of the plot. In The Slip, I really felt the author pulling the strings. Also, a quick warning: I’m not usually prudish, but the sexual content in this book just grossed me out.
November 24, 2025
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.
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.
Read
June 19, 2025Really high hopes for this one given the reviews and it’s always fun to read a story based in a city you know well. Maybe I’m just not in the right mood, but I couldn’t tell what the book was trying to do or the story it was telling.
Maybe I’m also becoming a prude as I get older but there was a lot of bation to the master going on too early in the book imo.
DNF for now and will wait to see what others think.
Maybe I’m also becoming a prude as I get older but there was a lot of bation to the master going on too early in the book imo.
DNF for now and will wait to see what others think.
October 12, 2025
This book just won the 2025 Kirkus Prize for fiction and rightly so. A debut work, Schaefer packs so much character, plot and theme into this story which takes place in a small boxing gym in Texas. I am just too overwhelmed to even begin to describe the many elements in the author's maximalistic approach so just recommend that you read some of the excellent professional reviews and the interview with the author in the LA Times Review of books (all easily searchable). 5*
June 18, 2025
Nathaniel visits Uncle Bob in Austin in the summer before his senior year of high school. Under the tutelage of David, a man who is ethnically Haitian and was born in Haiti, Nathaniel learns to box. With his newfound freedom, he impersonates his mentor, pretending to be a 25-year-old Haitian man, and begins a relationship via phone calls with Sasha. In preparing to meet in person for the first time, the white teenager must somehow change the color of his skin several shades darker. On his way to Sasha’s house, Nathaniel gets caught in a tussle by mistake while carrying David’s expired passport. The misunderstanding should be resolved if the police attentively listen to Nathaniel: they would have realized they should not arrest the alleged chocolate-skinned man. Alas, Nathaniel disappears.
Schaefer bolsters this main plot with a host of supporting characters with developed personalities and problems. Considered absolutely, Schaefer thoughtfully constructs these ancillary storylines—I cared for Sasha; I rooted for Belinda. Nevertheless, the quality of overabundance in the cast dizzied me. Perhaps it was the setting (Austin and the boxing gym). This reminds me of some friends telling me they thought McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store felt busy because of all the characters to track. I didn’t think this about McBride’s novel, but I did in The Slip, and I make this comparison because I wonder if the setting (which interested me less in this novel) gives way to this feeling for me. I happily admit this hangup might be me, though I also suspect a story about a white man trying to pass as Black, written by someone who is not Black, leaves me with larger questions to sort.
Congrats to Schaefer for his debut.
Schaefer bolsters this main plot with a host of supporting characters with developed personalities and problems. Considered absolutely, Schaefer thoughtfully constructs these ancillary storylines—I cared for Sasha; I rooted for Belinda. Nevertheless, the quality of overabundance in the cast dizzied me. Perhaps it was the setting (Austin and the boxing gym). This reminds me of some friends telling me they thought McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store felt busy because of all the characters to track. I didn’t think this about McBride’s novel, but I did in The Slip, and I make this comparison because I wonder if the setting (which interested me less in this novel) gives way to this feeling for me. I happily admit this hangup might be me, though I also suspect a story about a white man trying to pass as Black, written by someone who is not Black, leaves me with larger questions to sort.
Congrats to Schaefer for his debut.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2025
WOW what a tale!! I think I read this in 36 hours? There hit a point where I physically could not put it down. The plot is wide but the characters are so detailed. I could see everything the author was stating. Kept me glued until the last words on the page… what a fantastic story. I have to shoutout Schaefers prose… much of the text felt like each word was hand selected. A true bibliophiles dream. A top favorite.
July 18, 2025
Ugh. I mean. I can see what is likable about the book. But for me — I didn’t enjoy the long drawn out character sketches of every minor character. I really wanted to get to the point. But when we finally do, I was also dissatisfied with that. 🤦♀️
November 30, 2025
Reading this book felt like a hike where you had to scramble from bolder to bolder to get up the hill and take in the view. As in, every time you got through one character’s story and thought you were getting closer to the plot (boy goes missing in Austin, Texas in 1998), you suddenly were thrust into a different story that seemed unrelated and had to climb through that one. Rinse and repeat.
Schaefer is lucky he’s a damn good writer or else I wouldn’t have stuck with this. But given how he writes, I was hooked. Annoyed at how hard he made me work to get answers? Yes. But undoubtedly hooked.
An impressive debut! Hats off to you, Mr. Schaefer.
Schaefer is lucky he’s a damn good writer or else I wouldn’t have stuck with this. But given how he writes, I was hooked. Annoyed at how hard he made me work to get answers? Yes. But undoubtedly hooked.
An impressive debut! Hats off to you, Mr. Schaefer.
Read
September 4, 2025never have i been so grateful that people do not expect me to summarize or pitch books to them because i have 0 idea where i'd start with this one. it is weird as hell (love how many recent reviews are like "dnf. too weird") and fairly long (~480 pages) with the plot not coming into focus until the ~150 page mark. strangely enough, the slip reminds me of one of my favorite books ever, foster dade explores the cosmos- both focus a lot on male adolescence (often in an, ahem, graphic manner), how we come of age, and use different perspectives to show what inherent biases lie in the community. i absolutely sped through some parts- the writing was funny and captured these clever insights about people that i adored. but other parts dragged- especially the beginning where the plot is quite weird and it's hard to know why everything is happening. i didn't *love* the ending and all the coincidences and i definitely think it focused too much on some characters (coincidence that they're all male and that i enjoyed the parts featuring women the most?) but i'm glad i read this! i am a woman in a male field (another reviewer said this came out of the 'male novelist factory' lmaoooo)
June 17, 2025
In its very best moments, The Slip resembles a mix of early Donna Tartt and Gillian Flynn. Immersive, claustrophobic in its microscopic examination of one small locality in Texas, a labyrinth that traps the reader; taking them further down into the mystery of a young teenager’s disappearance, and the wounds that are still felt by the community years later.
The novel’s one weakness is a strange dichotomy: There are chapters where the prose feels clinical and removed, reading like a dry newspaper-esque recount of events. This is juxtaposed against others where the world is much more vivid, compulsively readable, emotionally volatile and immediately available. One could peg this as intentional—but there aren’t specific narrative turns where this shift happens, so it might be a stretch to say so.
The pace is much more meditative than propulsive, but Lucas Schaefer performs an incredible threading of the needle—weaving in and out of multiple timelines with ease. This might aggravate some, but the slow burn does pay off. The last several paragraphs at the end are specifically moving.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the arc, allowing me a chance to preview this title before its release.)
The novel’s one weakness is a strange dichotomy: There are chapters where the prose feels clinical and removed, reading like a dry newspaper-esque recount of events. This is juxtaposed against others where the world is much more vivid, compulsively readable, emotionally volatile and immediately available. One could peg this as intentional—but there aren’t specific narrative turns where this shift happens, so it might be a stretch to say so.
The pace is much more meditative than propulsive, but Lucas Schaefer performs an incredible threading of the needle—weaving in and out of multiple timelines with ease. This might aggravate some, but the slow burn does pay off. The last several paragraphs at the end are specifically moving.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the arc, allowing me a chance to preview this title before its release.)
June 23, 2025
Well written with lots of food for thought (esp about the concept of whether the internal or external is a more ‘real’ version of self), but I think I enjoyed the version of the book I told people about more than I liked the version I read.
August 12, 2025
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 who we are and how we change. I'm eagerly waiting for the next novel by this author.
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 who we are and how we change. I'm eagerly waiting for the next novel by this author.
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