Tipping is a well-suited and well-timed book for everyone. It subtly deals with the issues of today and leaves room for an open discussion towards the realities of life and the essential change that is the need of an hour.
An Instagram scandal involving objectionable photos of teenage girls breaks into an elite Grammar school, causing an outrage in the bayside suburb and changing the lives of the families involved. The event leads to parent Liv embarking on a campaign to change the outlook of the school authorities after Jai, one of her fourteen-year-old twins, is involved in the same sexting scandal. Liv is a worrisome mother of three, juggles between multitasking motherhood and her professional obligations. Liv’s husband Duncan lives in complete denial of his wife’s overloading problems.
Shocked by her son’s unperturbed attitude despite being an active part of the wrongful act, Liv realises things need to change. Donning the captain hat, she’s determined to hold her son’s conservative school for what she considers to be their misogynistic practices. She comes up with a nine-page list of everything she does to keep the family afloat and divides it amongst everyone in the family. However, the scandal and its after-effects continue to trouble them. While Liv is busy putting her best foot forward to change the system, the fellow student involved in the scandal and the parents jump in her support, making some notable changes. Duncan, too, realises the shortcomings of his office culture that neglects the essential work-life balance. What looks hard at first gradually begins to shift in the right direction.
Tipping is about family and its overwhelming responsibilities, community and gender inequality, but is ultimately a reminder to not lose yourself, pull up your socks when the need arises and bring about a shift. Our hectic lives make it impossible to look over all the aspects around us, and sometimes that could lead us to several damaging points if we don’t take charge of it timely. Anna has given those enormities of life- a very authentic and modern approach. Her characters are realistic and relatable. She has done an exceptional job with her funny and thought-provoking fiction. The beauty of this excellent book is that it will crack you up at first and make you ponder at second.
Tipping is Anna George’s third novel. She has previously published two thrillers, and this has been a refreshing change for the author herself, who wishes to immerse herself in the light, playful tone of writing for some time before kicking out for her next action.
(Thank you, Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.)
To read our interview with author Anna George, click here.
Title: Tipping
Author: Anna George
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Pages: 416
MRP: 32.99$