Book Review of "The Heart's Invisible Furies" by John Boyne

 

"The Heart's Invisible Furies" by John Boyne follows a gay Irish man named Cyril through his entire life. And I can not think of an adjective that even touches on what this book accomplishes. Keep reading for more of my thoughts on this unforgettable novel!

 

 

The Heart's Invisible Furies

by John Boyne

 

goodreads // amazon // library

 

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. ( from amazon.com)

 

Book Review and Discussion of
"The Heart's Invisible Furies" by John Boyne

 

 

"The Heart's Invisible Furies" tackled so many difficult ideas and moments in history with so much grace and so much humanity. And I felt so many emotions while reading, I laughed out loud a handful of times and almost cried quite a few times, as well. "The Heart's Invisible Furies" is a chunk of a book, and usually novels this long are kind of a begrudging thing for me, and by the end of the reading experience I just resent the book for being so long! That was not the case at all with "The Heart's Invisible Furies" - I am so glad it was 500 pages, and I would have gleefully read 500 more because I never wanted the book to end or to say goodbye to the characters. I have a new favorite author, and this book definitely lives up to the hype.

 

Have you read "The Heart's Invisible Furies"? Let me know what you thought of it down below or tell me your favorite book that tackles a difficult topic!