Content levels
Trigger warnings
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
"In Australian slang, an illywhacker is a country fair con man, an unprincipled seller of fake diamonds and dubious tonics. And Herbert Badgery, the 139-year-old narrator of Peter Carey's uproarious novel, may be the king of them all. Vagabond and charlatan, aviator and car salesman, seducer and patriarch, Badgery is a walking embodiment of the Australian national character - especially of its proclivity for tall stories and barefaced lies.". "As Carey follows this charming scoundrel across a continent and a century, he creates a crazy quilt of outlandish encounters, with characters that include a genteel dowager who fends off madness with an electric belt and a ravishing young girl with a dangerous fondness for rooftop trysts. Boldly inventive, irresistibly odd, Illywhacker is further proof that Peter Carey is one of the most enchanting writers at work in any hemisphere."--BOOK JACKET.
Illywhacker: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This literary novel features an unreliable narrator who is a con man and seducer, with adult themes including sexual encounters, deception, and morally questionable behavior throughout. The narrative voice is humorous but deals with mature subject matter.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, moderate sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include deception and manipulation.
Who'll love this
Adult readers who enjoy clever, morally complex narrators and sprawling historical fiction will appreciate this quirky Australian epic.