The Other Hand

Cleave follows his story to a powerful and emotive end. If The Other Hand flirts with melodrama, that is a fault Cleave shares with Dickens and for the same reason. He means it. - Sydney Morning Herald

A considered manifesto on the enormous international problem of asylum-seeking. The act on which the title, and the moral architecture of the novel, turns is described in the same page-turning way. - The Weekend Australian

'Although humour is an important ingredient in this novel, it's a book with a lot of heart and insight, and despite an unlikely ending, it is profound and provocative and beautifully written.' - Sunday Telegraph

'Besides sharp, witty dialogue, an emotionally charged plot and the vivid characters' ethical struggles, The Other Hand delivers a timely challenge to reinvigorate our notions of civilised decency Shocking, exciting and deeply affecting. - The Canberra Times

Cleave achieves an incredibly deft balance between the serious and amusing, with a masterful ability to flit lightly between humour and deep trauma and sadness while making it seem like the most natural transition in the world. - Sunday Mail

Cleave is a stunning writer, one who doesn't shy from difficult issues, but dresses his approach to them with wit, warmth and compassion, meaning The Other Hand is a serious novel all the better for being seriously funny.' - Weekend Goldcoast Bulletin

Chris Cleave can afford to talk up to his readers not down, because he respects their intellect. - Weekend Australian, author interview

Cleave is a genuine optimist, he believes in the goodness of humanity and that's what makes this a truly pleasurable book to read. - The Courier Mail