Review: The Family Law by Benjamin Law

Many Australians will be familiar with The Family Law thanks to the recent SBS TV series. This is the book that inspired the series--a memoir of growing up on the Sunshine Coast as the middle of five children to parents who had emigrated to Australia from Hong Kong. Laced with a little crude humour, this one tells the story of the family's many ups and downs as they navigate their way through life.

This was an enjoyable light read that never takes itself too seriously. Anyone who is easily shocked or offended, or who thinks that people should conform to certain stereotypes, will probably be very upset by this book, in particular, Law's portrayal of his mother whose language is often blunt, though full of some very colourful descriptions of certain facts of life. For the rest of us, it makes for a bloody entertaining read. (At one point, Law describes how his mother decided that the C-word was the perfect word to use to describe anyone she does not like.) Although, quite honestly, the part I enjoyed most was Law's description of the sex education class he had at school--and how he unintentionally ruined the sex ed book his teacher had borrowed from the school library. (That would have been one traumatic trip back to the library.)

An entertaining read about growing up in Australia.

Recommended.

This book was read as part of the Aussie Author Challenge 2020


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