John Boyne
2018-03-06
Named Book of the Month Club's Book of the Year, 2017
Selected one of New York Times Readers’ Favorite Books of 2017
Winner of the 2018 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, a sweeping, heartfelt saga about the course of one man's life, beginning and ending in post-war Ireland
Cyril Avery is not a real Avery -- or at least, that's what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn't a real Avery, then who is he?
Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from - and over his many years, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.
In this, Boyne's most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit.
John Boyne's epic tale of love, identity, and the passage of time across decades is a refreshing deviation from my usual reads. The character development and the shifting societal landscape provide a rich, immersive experience that's both engaging and enlightening. It's a poignant reminder of the complexities of human emotions and relationships, offering a different yet equally impactful perspective that complements my diverse interests. Rated a solid 4 for its breadth and emotional resonance.
Diving into John Boyne's The Heart's Invisible Furies was like a mesmerising rollercoaster ride through mid-20th century Ireland and beyond. Boyne's exploration of love, identity, and societal expectations is nothing short of poetic. The narrative is a tapestry of historical and personal evolution, wrapped in an aura of melancholic beauty that feels both universal and intensely personal. It's a narrative that challenges and expands on the themes of love and acceptance, offering a fresh perspective that's both poignant and enlightening.
