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Title: Cairo

Author: Chris Womersley

Narrator: Damien Warren-Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-03-14

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

At 18, Tom escapes ordinariness in small town Australia for Melbourne and a flat in a strange block named Cairo. There he meets the magnetic Max Cheever, and is drawn into his circle of bohemian artists and dreamers. But soon Tom is ensnared in a plot to steal a million dollar Picasso masterpiece, among undependable forgers and violent art dealers.

Critic Reviews:

"An inspiring read. Womersley's prose is clear, evocative and powerful; an utter joy'" (Irish Times)"Real brilliance ... This is a distinguished novel" (Independent)

Members Reviews:

Not for me

Bereft by the same author is one of my favorite books. I am always gifting it and recommending it. It is to the author's great credit that this book is totally different in style and subject matter. However while finding the subject matter interesting i really didn't enjoy it. Perhaps my student Melbourne of the 80s was so different and the main character was so unattractive to me, this colored my ability to sit back and enjoy the story. Set in Melbourne in the 80s this book writes about all the landmarks I know and a fascinating mystery of the time but ultimately just didn't engage me. Look forward to seeing what Mr Womersely will do next as he is on my must buy list despite this one not appealing to me and in this I acknowledge I am in a minority

A gratifying read

For those like myself who were young and (relatively) careless in inner-city Melbourne in the mid 1980s this book, an entertaining crime caper cum love story about the theft and (ostensible) return of Picasso's Weeping Woman from the National Gallery of Victoria in 1986, is a provocative and nostalgia-inducing time capsule. The central character, like this reviewer in student days, haunts poolrooms Johnny's Green Room and El Nido, cafés The Black Cat and Rhumbarella's, and bottle shop Chalky's in search of a late-night buzz. Highly recommended.

An innocent in the wilds of 80's Melbourne

Tom the narrator tells us of his move to Melbourne in the 1980's. Coming from the country ready to start university he is an innocent and soon falls off the straight and narrow, under the influence of his neighbours Max and Sally. Tom becomes involved in a heist to steal Piccaso's Weeping Woman and replace it with a forgery. The plot is engaging but I found Tom's lack of awareness of what was going on around him worked against the suspense, he trusts too much and fears to little for an intelligent teenager getting involved in a major crime.

I found it brilliant and enthralling

I was drawn in to the book immediately and related to the protagonista at once, also recognizing some of the eccentric people in the book also grabbed me. I found it brilliant and enthralling, and very well written

Fast moving story of inner-city life, love and betrayal

This is an evocative book that skilfully blends a story of a young man arriving in an exciting and exotic inner-city environment with an enjoyable tale of an art theft from a large public gallery. The twist at the end, while not surprising, effectively rounds off the "coming of age" aspect of the first part of the story. The writing is of high quality and the story moves along quickly. Highly recommended!