Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Original publication date
2017
Publication
Hogarth (2017), Edition: 1st Edition, 592 pages
Description
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.… (more)
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2019)
Lambda Literary Award (Finalist — 2018)
Publishing Triangle Awards (Finalist — Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ Fiction — 2018)
Irish Book Award (Nominee — Novel — 2017)
Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction (Longlist — Fiction — 2018)
Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award (Winner — 2018)
ALA Over the Rainbow Book List (Selection — Literary and General Interest — 2019)
Original language
English
Language
ISBN
1524760781 / 9781524760786
Similar in this library
Media reviews
The Heart’s Invisible Furies, Boyne’s tiende roman voor volwassenen, vertelt ook een verhaal dat nooit gebeurd zou kunnen zijn, daarvoor hangt het te veel van toevalligheden aan elkaar. Toch blijf je bereid je ongeloof op te schorten, omdat je wilt weten hoe het verder gaat. Hoe de hoofdpersoon
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zich nu weer gaat redden uit de moeilijke situatie waarin hij, meestal door zijn eigen domme gedrag of dat van iemand anders, is terechtgekomen. En of hij zijn echte moeder ooit gaat vinden.
Dat Boyne de puzzelstukjes veel te mooi in elkaar laat vallen, vergeef je hem. Hij trakteert ons op zoveel spannende scènes, op grappige dialogen met mooie Iers-Engelse uitdrukkingen erin, en zelfs op ontroering. Bovendien is The Heart’s Invisible Furies, net als The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, duidelijk een bedacht verhaal, bedoeld om de wel waargebeurde geschiedenis te illustreren. Dat is Boyne dit keer heel goed gelukt. Show Less
John Boyne delivers an epic full of verve, humour and heart...This blending of fact and fiction recalls William Boyd’s masterly Any Human Heart, which was such a convincing fictionalised biography that it came with its own set of footnotes....At every stage, Boyne seems to be saying that the
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individual is more powerful than the institutional. And at its core, The Heart’s Invisible Furies aspires to be not just the tale of Cyril Avery, a man buffeted by coincidence and circumstance, but the story of Ireland itself. Show Less
The Heart’s Invisible Furies” is a big, sweeping novel, the epic story of one man’s life. It takes on social issues and pivotal moments in Irish history as it follows the life of one Cyril Avery, a Pip-like orphan raised by indifferent adoptive parents and forced to make his own way in a very
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difficult world.
Cyril, who narrates the book, is wry, observant and funny, and it is his voice that gets us through what are sometimes horrific events. ...Despite these missteps, the book never really flags, and Cyril’s intelligent, witty voice takes us all the way through to the end of his life. “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” is a brilliant, moving history of an Irishman, and of modern Ireland itself. Show Less
Catherine’s journey to Dublin is the beginning of a picaresque, lolloping odyssey for the individual characters and for the nation that confines them. ...Boyne’s sombre 2014 novel A History of Loneliness anatomised such corruption and abuse, and he returns to track these seismic changes in
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Irish society with a broader, bawdier and more comedic sweep of narrative in The Heart’s Invisible Furies....The book blazes with anger as it commemorates lives wrecked by social contempt and self‑loathing....The narrative energy flags somewhat as Cyril’s story approaches the present day. Boyne’s fictional portrait of postwar Ireland and its people is nightmarish but utterly compelling Show Less
The book deals with some serious subject matter – gay-bashing, political corruption, AIDS – as well as the brutal sadness of being an other in a society that does not tolerate or even acknowledge others. But too often, Boyne goes for laughs to the detriment of the narrative. Some of the
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passages – the dialogue in particular – are indeed funny, but by sacrificing authenticity for a cheap laugh, he does a disservice to his story...My other beef with this book, which I tried so desperately to like, is the virtual disappearance of Kitty. While she does pop up at points in the book, it is never as a fully realized character....The novel's most successful moments come when Boyne scraps the comedy shtick and paints a more realistic picture of tender connections and difficult circumstances. This could have been a smart, raging satire of Ireland, as that tremendous opening sentence promised Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member EBT1002
Here I am swearing that I'm going to get more stingy with my stars in the future but when I stay up past my bedtime several evenings in a row because I want to read "just one more chapter," and weep my way through the last page of the novel, that is a five-star read. If I'm honest, I questioned the
Cyril is adopted as an infant after his 16-year-old mother is disgraced and exiled from a small Irish village. It's 1945 and Catherine finds her way to Dublin where she encounters Sean and Jack, two young men who befriend her and see her through her pregnancy. Cyril is taken in by a businessman and his wife, a chilly-hearted writer who revels in her own obscurity. At age 7, Cyril meets the charismatic and confident Julian for the first time; the boys' lives will be woven together over the years despite their radical differences. Told in seven-year increments, this is a story of love and pride and loyalty and shame and redemption. An unflinching indictment of the hypocritical bigotry and cruelty of Irish society and the Irish Catholic church, the novel is also a compassionate exploration of the complex and often hidden reasons for that bigotry and cruelty. The story made me chuckle out loud, gasp at moments of profound insight, and cry in the end for the characters' griefs, failures of courage, and joys. Bravo.
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author just shy of the halfway point: "how is this going to be interesting for another 300 pages?" Well, this novel was a wonderful ride and the second half was damn near perfect. I loved the characters, the story, even the implausible coincidences sprinkled throughout Cyril's story. Cyril is adopted as an infant after his 16-year-old mother is disgraced and exiled from a small Irish village. It's 1945 and Catherine finds her way to Dublin where she encounters Sean and Jack, two young men who befriend her and see her through her pregnancy. Cyril is taken in by a businessman and his wife, a chilly-hearted writer who revels in her own obscurity. At age 7, Cyril meets the charismatic and confident Julian for the first time; the boys' lives will be woven together over the years despite their radical differences. Told in seven-year increments, this is a story of love and pride and loyalty and shame and redemption. An unflinching indictment of the hypocritical bigotry and cruelty of Irish society and the Irish Catholic church, the novel is also a compassionate exploration of the complex and often hidden reasons for that bigotry and cruelty. The story made me chuckle out loud, gasp at moments of profound insight, and cry in the end for the characters' griefs, failures of courage, and joys. Bravo.
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LibraryThing member presto
Cyril Avery is a victim of circumstances and his own inclinations,having the misfortune to be born to an unwed sixteen year old mother in an intolerant, unforgiving priest ruled Ireland of 1945. Given up for adoption and raised by remote, unconventional parents, he lacked little other than love and
Cyril has no delusions about himself, and is honest about his failings and shortcomings, perhaps depicting himself as worse than he really is as we infer from the way others interact with him. That he discovers his birth mother we know from the opening pages, how and when we have to wait to discover, in the meantime we can enjoy following Cyril through his eventful life, the high points and the tragedies. Despite its apparent length the story moves quickly. This is partly due to the seven year jumps in his account (yet it is in no way disjointed), but primarily down to the quality of the writing. It is often very humorous, they are laugh out loud moments as well as much subtle humour, some of the dialogues are a delight. But there are also deeply moving passages that will bring you close to tears.
To say I enjoyed this novel is an understatement, It must rank high among the very best I have read, I unreservedly loved it. Thank you John Boyne.
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lived his early years infatuated with the similarly aged, handsome and charismatic Julian, his best friend, the sort that would come out smelling of roses even after falling in a heap of cow dung. Forced by the attitudes of the time to deny or hide his true inclinations Cyril gets himself into a number of awkward, even dangerous situations. And so we follow Cyril as he relates his exploit in stages of seven years from his birth up to 2015.Cyril has no delusions about himself, and is honest about his failings and shortcomings, perhaps depicting himself as worse than he really is as we infer from the way others interact with him. That he discovers his birth mother we know from the opening pages, how and when we have to wait to discover, in the meantime we can enjoy following Cyril through his eventful life, the high points and the tragedies. Despite its apparent length the story moves quickly. This is partly due to the seven year jumps in his account (yet it is in no way disjointed), but primarily down to the quality of the writing. It is often very humorous, they are laugh out loud moments as well as much subtle humour, some of the dialogues are a delight. But there are also deeply moving passages that will bring you close to tears.
To say I enjoyed this novel is an understatement, It must rank high among the very best I have read, I unreservedly loved it. Thank you John Boyne.
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LibraryThing member Allison_Krajewski
“Why do they hate us so much anyway?” I asked after a lengthy pause. “If they’re not queer themselves, then what does it matter to them if someone else is?”
“I remember a friend of mine once telling me that we hate what we fear in ourselves,” she said with a shrug. “Perhaps that has
Wow, this book. What an unassuming cover for such an ambitious, powerhouse of a book, blending themes of feminism, homosexuality, religious bigotry and “morality,” patriotism, and redemption. It’s a sweeping saga in the vein of Colleen McCullough’s 1977 classic The Thorn Birds, and even more recently reminiscent of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko (review here).
The Heart's Invisible Furies tells the story of Cyril Avery, born in Ireland in 1945 to a teenage girl out of wedlock and raised by a couple who kept insisting he was not a “real” Avery, seeing as he was adopted. Never feeling like he truly belonged anywhere, Cyril struggled for his entire life to be happy, especially as having to come to terms with being a homosexual man in a highly conservative and religious Ireland, where the very nature of homosexuality was reviled and even illegal.
My heart broke for Cyril constantly. Not only could he not express who he truly was, but he had no role model to look up to that could guide him on his journey of self-discovery. He was alone, and because of that, he made mistakes. A lot of mistakes. But that didn’t make him any less sympathetic of a character. He tried his best to stay true to himself, even if he hurt people along the way. He made mistakes, but he eventually learned from them and grew into a better person as a result.
I thought it interesting that the author chose to separate the narrative in seven-year chunks. On one hand, it sometimes felt slightly disjointed because, as a reader, I was so immersed in the story of Cyril as a fourteen-year-old boy that it was a little disconcerting to turn the page and he was twenty-one years old, and so on. However, it also provided a means for the reader to step back for a moment and process all that happened, even to grieve, especially when a section ended with an emotional kick in the gut. We see the characters move on, so we must move on as well.
This book was also filled with coincidences that, though they weren’t immediately believable – like the fact that Cyril and his mother kept innocuously meeting at the fringes of their lives – also didn’t particularly stick out. Were some of the chance meetings and events that occurred highly unlikely? Yes, of course, but these things can happen in real life, albeit rarely. And maybe it was because the themes of this book were so heavy that it distracted the reader from these seemingly unlikely coincidences that at the same time felt completely natural. Honestly, if that’s the worst thing about this book, then I’m not complaining.
Well, that, and the author’s utter disregard for the Oxford comma. But I digress.
The Heart's Invisible Furies was a beautiful story by John Boyne. Sad, yes: it was utterly heartbreaking. But it was also hilarious and filled with a sense of hope for a better world.
"But the way my mother told it, he wasn’t necessarily the villain of the piece. Maybe there were no villains in my mother’s story at all. Just men and women, trying to do their best by each other. And failing."
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
“I remember a friend of mine once telling me that we hate what we fear in ourselves,” she said with a shrug. “Perhaps that has
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something to do with it.”Wow, this book. What an unassuming cover for such an ambitious, powerhouse of a book, blending themes of feminism, homosexuality, religious bigotry and “morality,” patriotism, and redemption. It’s a sweeping saga in the vein of Colleen McCullough’s 1977 classic The Thorn Birds, and even more recently reminiscent of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko (review here).
The Heart's Invisible Furies tells the story of Cyril Avery, born in Ireland in 1945 to a teenage girl out of wedlock and raised by a couple who kept insisting he was not a “real” Avery, seeing as he was adopted. Never feeling like he truly belonged anywhere, Cyril struggled for his entire life to be happy, especially as having to come to terms with being a homosexual man in a highly conservative and religious Ireland, where the very nature of homosexuality was reviled and even illegal.
My heart broke for Cyril constantly. Not only could he not express who he truly was, but he had no role model to look up to that could guide him on his journey of self-discovery. He was alone, and because of that, he made mistakes. A lot of mistakes. But that didn’t make him any less sympathetic of a character. He tried his best to stay true to himself, even if he hurt people along the way. He made mistakes, but he eventually learned from them and grew into a better person as a result.
I thought it interesting that the author chose to separate the narrative in seven-year chunks. On one hand, it sometimes felt slightly disjointed because, as a reader, I was so immersed in the story of Cyril as a fourteen-year-old boy that it was a little disconcerting to turn the page and he was twenty-one years old, and so on. However, it also provided a means for the reader to step back for a moment and process all that happened, even to grieve, especially when a section ended with an emotional kick in the gut. We see the characters move on, so we must move on as well.
This book was also filled with coincidences that, though they weren’t immediately believable – like the fact that Cyril and his mother kept innocuously meeting at the fringes of their lives – also didn’t particularly stick out. Were some of the chance meetings and events that occurred highly unlikely? Yes, of course, but these things can happen in real life, albeit rarely. And maybe it was because the themes of this book were so heavy that it distracted the reader from these seemingly unlikely coincidences that at the same time felt completely natural. Honestly, if that’s the worst thing about this book, then I’m not complaining.
Well, that, and the author’s utter disregard for the Oxford comma. But I digress.
The Heart's Invisible Furies was a beautiful story by John Boyne. Sad, yes: it was utterly heartbreaking. But it was also hilarious and filled with a sense of hope for a better world.
"But the way my mother told it, he wasn’t necessarily the villain of the piece. Maybe there were no villains in my mother’s story at all. Just men and women, trying to do their best by each other. And failing."
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member pdebolt
John Boyne's books are a gift to everyone who values excellent literary fiction. Particularly noteworthy is his very compelling A History of Loneliness. Each of his novels is different in plot and character development, but they are all beautifully written. This one is dedicated to John Irving, a
The Heart's Invisible Furies is narrated by Cyril Avery from in utero and then throughout his eventful life. Born to an unwed adolescent in Dublin in 1945, he is adopted by an eccentric, wealthy couple. As an only child, his family life is dysfunctional in the extreme with constant reminders by his adoptive parents that he is not their birth child. Living in homophobic Ireland during a time when cruel epithets and possible incarceration were the fate of gay people, Cyril is lonely and challenged to present a fraudulent façade. His best friend, Julian, since childhood is the singular object of his desire, although Julian is doggedly heterosexual. Unfortunately, Julian's sister is caught in Cyril's web of deceit with unforeseen results.
The book, divided in seven-year increments from 1945 to 2015, provides an unflinching look at the traumatic events of that time frame as Cyril travels from Ireland to Amsterdam to America and then back to Ireland for unexpected reunions. This is an epic saga of a man determined to find peace in a place where he belongs.
Thank you to LibraryThing and Doubleday for providing me with an ARC of this excellent book.
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tribute to another gifted author whose Owen Meany character lives forever in the hearts of his readers.The Heart's Invisible Furies is narrated by Cyril Avery from in utero and then throughout his eventful life. Born to an unwed adolescent in Dublin in 1945, he is adopted by an eccentric, wealthy couple. As an only child, his family life is dysfunctional in the extreme with constant reminders by his adoptive parents that he is not their birth child. Living in homophobic Ireland during a time when cruel epithets and possible incarceration were the fate of gay people, Cyril is lonely and challenged to present a fraudulent façade. His best friend, Julian, since childhood is the singular object of his desire, although Julian is doggedly heterosexual. Unfortunately, Julian's sister is caught in Cyril's web of deceit with unforeseen results.
The book, divided in seven-year increments from 1945 to 2015, provides an unflinching look at the traumatic events of that time frame as Cyril travels from Ireland to Amsterdam to America and then back to Ireland for unexpected reunions. This is an epic saga of a man determined to find peace in a place where he belongs.
Thank you to LibraryThing and Doubleday for providing me with an ARC of this excellent book.
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LibraryThing member Oregonreader
I loved this book. This is the second of his I've read, the other being the Absolutist, and while both share many of the same themes, this book is a broader, more sweeping story that carried me into another world and life.
It begins in rural Ireland in 1945 with Cyril Avery's teenage mother being
Boyne is an amazing author and his books are a real treasure. I look forward to reading more and recommend him to all readers of literary fiction.
It begins in rural Ireland in 1945 with Cyril Avery's teenage mother being
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humiliated and thrown out of town by her parish priest. She moves to Dublin and gives him up for adoption. His story is told in seven year increments and we watch him grow from a lonely 7 year old to a young man dealing with his homosexuality. He goes to a priest for confession and help and is told "There are no homosexuals in Ireland" and it is against the law there. Much of the story is very gritty and dark but Boyne also writes with humor as he describes Avery's struggle with his desires and fear of disclosure. This basic dishonesty colors every relationship. His characters are all unique and really come to life. This adds to the depth and complexity of the story. There are many unbelievable coincidences but they serve the story well.Boyne is an amazing author and his books are a real treasure. I look forward to reading more and recommend him to all readers of literary fiction.
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LibraryThing member strangel00p
A delicious read covering almost the entire life of a gay man growing up in less-than-accepting Ireland. Although the novel covers most of his life, it's really a Bildungsroman. The book nicely combines heart, soul, plot, humor, tragedy, romanticism, intellect and an ending that while sweet, isn't
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treacly. Even at its hefty size, it doesn't feel long. Show Less
LibraryThing member lauralkeet
Cyril Avery was born in Dublin in 1945, to a young unwed mother whose family kicked her out when they learned of her pregnancy. Cyril was adopted by Charles and Maude Avery, an eccentric couple caught up in their own lives more than their son’s. In his teenage years, Cyril realized his feelings
The Heart’s Invisible Furies follows Cyril’s lifelong quest for acceptance and love, with the evolution of LGBTQ rights always in the background. The major sections of the narrative take place at 7-year intervals, with each “fast-forward” quickly resolving open issues and setting up the next phase of Cyril’s life. John Boyne skillfully manages these jumps without sacrificing character development. And while the novel deals with serious themes and is often quite poignant, the storytelling is filled with irony and humor. It’s an unusual approach, but one that is largely effective.
I admit it took a while for me to become fully immersed in Cyril’s story. His childhood character didn’t ring true -- he was perhaps too precocious -- and his early sexual exploits, while essential to his character development, felt a bit repetitive. But when Cyril reached his late twenties I found him more relatable, and a significant plot development sent his life in an entirely new direction. I loved the way his story carried on from that point, and Boyne’s ending is absolutely perfect.
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for his best friend Julian were something more than platonic, but it took many years to accept his sexuality and risk the consequences of coming out to others, especially at a time when homosexuality was against the law. The Heart’s Invisible Furies follows Cyril’s lifelong quest for acceptance and love, with the evolution of LGBTQ rights always in the background. The major sections of the narrative take place at 7-year intervals, with each “fast-forward” quickly resolving open issues and setting up the next phase of Cyril’s life. John Boyne skillfully manages these jumps without sacrificing character development. And while the novel deals with serious themes and is often quite poignant, the storytelling is filled with irony and humor. It’s an unusual approach, but one that is largely effective.
I admit it took a while for me to become fully immersed in Cyril’s story. His childhood character didn’t ring true -- he was perhaps too precocious -- and his early sexual exploits, while essential to his character development, felt a bit repetitive. But when Cyril reached his late twenties I found him more relatable, and a significant plot development sent his life in an entirely new direction. I loved the way his story carried on from that point, and Boyne’s ending is absolutely perfect.
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LibraryThing member abycats
I simply could not finish this book. Every time there was an opportunity for a genuine human interaction, the author used what I think of as the British style of producing something bizarre and/or grim instead. By 30% thru the book, the only person I’d cared about — Catherine Goggin — had
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turned into an inert, albeit pleasant cipher who was no longer relevant to the plot. I’ll concede this is well written. I’ve decided it’s simply not worth my time. Perhaps I’ll return some day. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kristelh
The Heart's Invisible Furies is my July F2F book read. This was a very well written book; a story of one man's life from birth to months before his death but also the story of a country, and the story of social change. I liked this book for its bittersweet joy and wonderful humor. A story of life.
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I've read at least 6 books this year that cover the history of gay culture and this is by far the best in the bunch and very interesting how this was also a story of Ireland. Great writing!. Show Less
LibraryThing member VioletBramble
Cyril Avery narrates the story of his life from the day his unmarried and pregnant 16 year old Irish mother is exiled from her church, family, and town to the day he's preparing to die as an elderly man. Cyril spends the early part of his life dealing with his unusual adoptive parents and hiding
This book will make you feel sad, angry and happy - sometimes all at once. Recommended.
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his homosexuality. He spends the middle part of his life dealing with the repercussions his lies have had on his most important relationships to date. Facing up to his lies and his hurtful actions allows Cyril to finally become part of a real, and very unusual, family. The story is set in Dublin, Amsterdam, and New York City. Topics covered include the role of the Catholic Church in Irish life, homosexuality, sex trafficking, the AIDS crisis, violence against homosexuals, Irish literature, adoption, and murder. This book will make you feel sad, angry and happy - sometimes all at once. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member runner56
My first and only previous encounter with John Boyne was the excellent young adult story "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas". So when the opportunity arose and I was gifted early review status on "The Heart's Invisible Furies" I was happy to accept, read and review....and I am so glad I did!.
This is a
Adoptive wealthy parents Charles and Maud guide the young Cyril in his early infant years. A childhood friend Julian Woodbead allows Cyril to discover and question his own sexuality. This soon leads to a realization that will form part of his decision making throughout his life. From Dublin to the waterways of Amsterdam, the streets of New York and finally returning to Dublin we travel with Cyril experiencing the good times the bad, the sad, the funny and the indifferent. Boyne explores successfully and with great humour and gusto attitudes of bigotry and tolerance against the background of a god fearing catholic population, an aids frightened society, and a world in panic immediately following the events of 9/11. At times you will want to laugh out loud or perhaps shed a tear.
I can honestly say that I have rarely been so moved by a story, the eloquent use of language, and the unveiling and interpretation of the issues raised and debated. Let's enjoy a few moments of the John Boyne magic...... "Cork City itself, a place she had never visited but that her father had always said was filled with gamblers, Protestants and drunkards"........"one man had been accused of exposing himself on the Milltown Road but the charges had been dismissed as the girl had been a Protestant"........"It was 1959, after all. I knew almost nothing of homosexuality, except for the fact that to act on such urges was a criminal act in Ireland that could result in a jail sentence, unless of course you were a priest, in which case it was a perk of the job.".........."Christ alive, said the sergeant, shaking his head in disbelief. I never heard of such a thing. What type of a woman would do something like that?.......The very best type , said Charles."
This book to me celebrates the sheer joy of the printed word. Life, love and loss it is all here in a 600 page extraordinary extravaganza! If you love to read and you love books then "The Heart's Invisible Furies" is sheer magic...so buy, cherish and appreciate as you are unlikely to read anything better this year, or possibly any year. A great big thanks to the good people at netgalley for this early opportunity to read and review this masterpiece in return for an honest review and that is what I have written.
This is a
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work of great literary intent with bawdy undertones, an easy assimilated tale about the life of Cyril Avery, born out of wedlock and immediately given up for adoption. The story spans a period from the mid 1940's and moves at a ferocious pace up until the present and relayed to the reader in bite size 7 year chunks. Even though the novel stretches to some 600 pages once Boyne grabs your attention from the opening paragraph his colourful and descriptive prose holds you in awe until the final and very fitting conclusion.Adoptive wealthy parents Charles and Maud guide the young Cyril in his early infant years. A childhood friend Julian Woodbead allows Cyril to discover and question his own sexuality. This soon leads to a realization that will form part of his decision making throughout his life. From Dublin to the waterways of Amsterdam, the streets of New York and finally returning to Dublin we travel with Cyril experiencing the good times the bad, the sad, the funny and the indifferent. Boyne explores successfully and with great humour and gusto attitudes of bigotry and tolerance against the background of a god fearing catholic population, an aids frightened society, and a world in panic immediately following the events of 9/11. At times you will want to laugh out loud or perhaps shed a tear.
I can honestly say that I have rarely been so moved by a story, the eloquent use of language, and the unveiling and interpretation of the issues raised and debated. Let's enjoy a few moments of the John Boyne magic...... "Cork City itself, a place she had never visited but that her father had always said was filled with gamblers, Protestants and drunkards"........"one man had been accused of exposing himself on the Milltown Road but the charges had been dismissed as the girl had been a Protestant"........"It was 1959, after all. I knew almost nothing of homosexuality, except for the fact that to act on such urges was a criminal act in Ireland that could result in a jail sentence, unless of course you were a priest, in which case it was a perk of the job.".........."Christ alive, said the sergeant, shaking his head in disbelief. I never heard of such a thing. What type of a woman would do something like that?.......The very best type , said Charles."
This book to me celebrates the sheer joy of the printed word. Life, love and loss it is all here in a 600 page extraordinary extravaganza! If you love to read and you love books then "The Heart's Invisible Furies" is sheer magic...so buy, cherish and appreciate as you are unlikely to read anything better this year, or possibly any year. A great big thanks to the good people at netgalley for this early opportunity to read and review this masterpiece in return for an honest review and that is what I have written.
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LibraryThing member Cariola
This is the autobiography of a fictional character, Cyril Avery. Born out of wedlock in 1945 to an Irish teenager who was drummed out of the parish by her priest, Cyril is adopted by an upper class couple who constantly remind him that he is not "a real Avery." But this is not the only thing that
I almost gave up on this novel about halfway through, when it seemed to lose all its humor and became a gay coming of age story, but I stuck with it. Boyne is attempting something rather epic here, letting one man's story stand in for the history of homosexuality over the last five decades and in several locations. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. He also strives to bring the characters full circle: unknowingly, Cyril keeps running across his birth mother, and the figure of Julian, his first crush, makes several reappearances. An interesting effort, if not always successful.
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sets him apart from the other boys: he realizes at an early ago that he is homosexual and obsessed with Julian, the son of his father's barrister. Cyril's story becomes the struggle of so many young men forced to closet their sexual identity in the 1960s, ''70s, and '80s. When he leaves repressive Ireland for Amsterdam, he finds true love for the first time--but, alas, when the AIDS epidemic hits, renewed bigotry against gays disrupts his life yet again. His story manages to end end on a higher but rather contrived note with the acceptance of newly-found family.I almost gave up on this novel about halfway through, when it seemed to lose all its humor and became a gay coming of age story, but I stuck with it. Boyne is attempting something rather epic here, letting one man's story stand in for the history of homosexuality over the last five decades and in several locations. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. He also strives to bring the characters full circle: unknowingly, Cyril keeps running across his birth mother, and the figure of Julian, his first crush, makes several reappearances. An interesting effort, if not always successful.
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LibraryThing member Doondeck
Don't be deterred by the focus on gay romance and the difficulties faced by gays in Ireland. This is a heartwarming story spanning generations . The author very cleverly intertwines a number of plot twists and keeps reintroducing them. I really enjoyed this book.
LibraryThing member nicx27
I'm a huge fan of John Boyne's writing. Although probably best known for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, he's also written Crippen, This House is Haunted, A History of Loneliness and many more. What links his books is the sheer quality of the writing, what sets them apart is they are all so
I understand that Boyne has avoided writing about his native Ireland in the past but he did venture there in A History of Loneliness, his last novel. However, in The Heart's Invisible Furies he places Ireland at the very heart of the story and doesn't hold back. At the end there is a note which finishes with a comment that this is considered to be his most ambitious work to date and I would most definitely agree with that.
The book tells the story of Cyril Avery (not a real Avery, as his adoptive parents keep reminding him) almost from conception to the age of 70. Cyril is a bit hapless and seems to lurch from one disaster to another but there is also a real sense of sadness for the reader. Cyril is homosexual in a country that can barely imagine such a thing, let alone tolerate it. He struggles to deal with his feelings and longs to be free of his shackles. The influence of the Catholic Church is in no doubt here throughout this book.
There is some truly fantastic writing. I laughed out loud many times and I have to quote a couple of extracts because it's just inspired writing.
"....and as he turned his head away he noticed me sitting outside and offered an apologetic wave, four of his fingers dancing despondently in the air like an imprisoned pianist forced to play one of Chopin's more depressing sonatas from memory."
" 'Can I help you?' asked Maude, turning to her with all the warmth of Lizzie Borden dropping in to say goodnight to her parents."
Cyril is a great protagonist. Sometimes I just wanted to shake my head at him, other times I was rooting for him. But I liked him immensely. He's a good guy, mostly a victim of his circumstances.
As the story commenced and I had almost 600 pages of reading ahead of me I did briefly wonder if this would be the one book by John Boyne that wouldn't quite hit the spot for me but after a slightly slow start I was absolutely engrossed.
The Heart's Invisible Furies is one epic tale of a life with many ups and downs. There are some amazing coincidences in the story but instead of making me think it was a bit unrealistic, I actually loved how it all came together. Boyne is unflinching in his searing depiction of his country and its people. The book covers many important events such as 9/11 and the referendum in 2015 to legalise gay marriage. It's Cyril's memoir, his life. I absolutely adored it. There are some authors who can do no wrong for me and Boyne is one of them.
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different. He's such a versatile writer.I understand that Boyne has avoided writing about his native Ireland in the past but he did venture there in A History of Loneliness, his last novel. However, in The Heart's Invisible Furies he places Ireland at the very heart of the story and doesn't hold back. At the end there is a note which finishes with a comment that this is considered to be his most ambitious work to date and I would most definitely agree with that.
The book tells the story of Cyril Avery (not a real Avery, as his adoptive parents keep reminding him) almost from conception to the age of 70. Cyril is a bit hapless and seems to lurch from one disaster to another but there is also a real sense of sadness for the reader. Cyril is homosexual in a country that can barely imagine such a thing, let alone tolerate it. He struggles to deal with his feelings and longs to be free of his shackles. The influence of the Catholic Church is in no doubt here throughout this book.
There is some truly fantastic writing. I laughed out loud many times and I have to quote a couple of extracts because it's just inspired writing.
"....and as he turned his head away he noticed me sitting outside and offered an apologetic wave, four of his fingers dancing despondently in the air like an imprisoned pianist forced to play one of Chopin's more depressing sonatas from memory."
" 'Can I help you?' asked Maude, turning to her with all the warmth of Lizzie Borden dropping in to say goodnight to her parents."
Cyril is a great protagonist. Sometimes I just wanted to shake my head at him, other times I was rooting for him. But I liked him immensely. He's a good guy, mostly a victim of his circumstances.
As the story commenced and I had almost 600 pages of reading ahead of me I did briefly wonder if this would be the one book by John Boyne that wouldn't quite hit the spot for me but after a slightly slow start I was absolutely engrossed.
The Heart's Invisible Furies is one epic tale of a life with many ups and downs. There are some amazing coincidences in the story but instead of making me think it was a bit unrealistic, I actually loved how it all came together. Boyne is unflinching in his searing depiction of his country and its people. The book covers many important events such as 9/11 and the referendum in 2015 to legalise gay marriage. It's Cyril's memoir, his life. I absolutely adored it. There are some authors who can do no wrong for me and Boyne is one of them.
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LibraryThing member homeschoolmimzi
(I received an Early Reviewers copy of this book through Librarything. This book is due to be published in August 2017)
I am a sucker for novels set in Ireland. They bring me back to my childhood in some ways, having grown up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood. Years ago I was drawn to read books by
Cyril was born to an unwed young mother, Catherine Goggin, who was only 16 years old at the time. When her parents and parish priest discover her state of pregnancy, they "make an example" out of Catherine, throwing her out of the church and town in utter disgrace. Catherine quickly hops on a bus out of town to fend for herself. Eventually, Catherine gives Cyril up for adoption. Cyril was placed in a home with distant, eccentric parents who always reminded Cyril that he wasn't a 'real Avery'. And so Cyril grows up in this environment, with distance, coldness, in Ireland, all while realizing he has same sex attraction.
The subsequent struggles Cyril experiences, the traumas and rejections, are beautifully depicted, though they are very painful, graphic and disturbing to read. Despite this, I enjoyed the book very much and think it would be even better with some more editing. A few mistakes I noticed: One of the characters claims to have met Brian Jones in the early 70's, yet Brian Jones died in 1969 I believe. Another error was evident when Boyne describes a hospital patient, a woman, who had hemophilia since birth. Hemophilia, as far as I've known, affects males and not females. Generally, females are carriers and not sufferers of this disease. It would have made more sense to make the hemophiliac patient a male.
Another editorial bit of advice I have is to rewrite the ending and/or omit the epilogue. The character of Mrs. Goggin (Catherine) seems to be uneven and a bit inconsistent in the end. Some of the conversations involving Catherine at the end of the book struck me as unbelievable and should be changed.
If those changes are to be made, I've give this 5 stars. The Heart's Invisible Furies is an excellent title for this book. I'm now wanting to check out more of Boyne's books! Excellent read!
I am a sucker for novels set in Ireland. They bring me back to my childhood in some ways, having grown up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood. Years ago I was drawn to read books by
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Maeve Binchy, and then somehow got away from fiction for awhile. This book was a nice step back into that world, though the story was troublesome and quite graphic in many parts. Boyne is a masterful story teller. He begins the novel with the disturbing circumstances surrounding the main character-Cyril Avery-'s birth, and then sets up the remainder of the events in seven year intervals. This was, I thought, a creative way to recount the story of Cyril's life.Cyril was born to an unwed young mother, Catherine Goggin, who was only 16 years old at the time. When her parents and parish priest discover her state of pregnancy, they "make an example" out of Catherine, throwing her out of the church and town in utter disgrace. Catherine quickly hops on a bus out of town to fend for herself. Eventually, Catherine gives Cyril up for adoption. Cyril was placed in a home with distant, eccentric parents who always reminded Cyril that he wasn't a 'real Avery'. And so Cyril grows up in this environment, with distance, coldness, in Ireland, all while realizing he has same sex attraction.
The subsequent struggles Cyril experiences, the traumas and rejections, are beautifully depicted, though they are very painful, graphic and disturbing to read. Despite this, I enjoyed the book very much and think it would be even better with some more editing. A few mistakes I noticed: One of the characters claims to have met Brian Jones in the early 70's, yet Brian Jones died in 1969 I believe. Another error was evident when Boyne describes a hospital patient, a woman, who had hemophilia since birth. Hemophilia, as far as I've known, affects males and not females. Generally, females are carriers and not sufferers of this disease. It would have made more sense to make the hemophiliac patient a male.
Another editorial bit of advice I have is to rewrite the ending and/or omit the epilogue. The character of Mrs. Goggin (Catherine) seems to be uneven and a bit inconsistent in the end. Some of the conversations involving Catherine at the end of the book struck me as unbelievable and should be changed.
If those changes are to be made, I've give this 5 stars. The Heart's Invisible Furies is an excellent title for this book. I'm now wanting to check out more of Boyne's books! Excellent read!
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LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
I started this book and put it down because I found the beginning quite disturbing, although I liked the writing style (which is one reason the violence took me by surprise, since the tone is not darkly serious). I found that I had to go back to it, however, and I did, over and over, until I'd read
The author deals with some harsh realities in a chronological way, which was interesting. The novel starts in 1945 and carries forward to 2015. The Catholic church in Ireland is one of the realities addressed, especially the oppressive hold they held over so many people, both socially and politically. Closely related to this is the reality of being gay in various time periods within Ireland and in other countries, especially the Netherlands and America. Through the life of Cyril Avery, the reader learns much about the oppression as a child, an adolescent, and as an adult. We also get a glimpse of how the church affected many areas of life for most people, like the inability to divorce until recently and the social pressures to conform.
I learned some historical things that I did not know about Ireland that sent me to the internet for more details and to see pictures, like the Nelson Pillar. I also got a small glimpse into a lifestyle that is not familiar to me and what a struggle it can be, both in the past and present. I did enjoy reading about Cyril, whom I came to love as the book progressed. There were several improbable coincidences in the plot that left me shaking my head, however. One thing that I found particularly disturbing was the portrayal of many of the gay characters as promiscuous to the point that they were out at all times looking for sex. While I am not familiar with this lifestyle, I would imagine that gay people are no more likely to seek out strangers and prostitutes for sex than the heterosexual population. I did find it interesting that the day I finished the novel, I saw an article on the BBC app that Leo Varadkar is set to become Ireland's first openly gay prime minister. Things have definitely changed in Irish society in a relatively short time frame.
**I was given a free copy of the novel through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.**
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the book more quickly than I expected.The author deals with some harsh realities in a chronological way, which was interesting. The novel starts in 1945 and carries forward to 2015. The Catholic church in Ireland is one of the realities addressed, especially the oppressive hold they held over so many people, both socially and politically. Closely related to this is the reality of being gay in various time periods within Ireland and in other countries, especially the Netherlands and America. Through the life of Cyril Avery, the reader learns much about the oppression as a child, an adolescent, and as an adult. We also get a glimpse of how the church affected many areas of life for most people, like the inability to divorce until recently and the social pressures to conform.
I learned some historical things that I did not know about Ireland that sent me to the internet for more details and to see pictures, like the Nelson Pillar. I also got a small glimpse into a lifestyle that is not familiar to me and what a struggle it can be, both in the past and present. I did enjoy reading about Cyril, whom I came to love as the book progressed. There were several improbable coincidences in the plot that left me shaking my head, however. One thing that I found particularly disturbing was the portrayal of many of the gay characters as promiscuous to the point that they were out at all times looking for sex. While I am not familiar with this lifestyle, I would imagine that gay people are no more likely to seek out strangers and prostitutes for sex than the heterosexual population. I did find it interesting that the day I finished the novel, I saw an article on the BBC app that Leo Varadkar is set to become Ireland's first openly gay prime minister. Things have definitely changed in Irish society in a relatively short time frame.
**I was given a free copy of the novel through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.**
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LibraryThing member techeditor
Although I haven’t read John Boyne’s other books so can’t speak for them, his THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES is truly a winner, some will even call it wonderful. Coming from me, this is a compliment you can believe.
This book is partly a coming-of-age novel. If this type bores you, as it does
I’m not sure if Boyne exaggerates when he describes Ireland in the 20th century or of Catholic priests there. The book begins in the 1940s when a 16-year-old Catherine is denounced by a Catholic priest in front of her church’s congregation, including her family. She is thrown out of her small village, and Catherine travels, penniless and pregnant, to Dublin.
So begins the life of Cyril, Catherine’s son. We meet him when he is 7 years old and follow his life in seven-year increments thereafter.
Throughout THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES, Boyne seems to exaggerate. All Catholic priests in Ireland are cruel, Cyril’s adoptive parents are ultra-distant and insist he realizes that distance, his father and his father’s lawyer invite a jury for dinner, etc. But Boyne’s greatest seeming exaggeration in this book is 20th-century Ireland’s treatment of homosexuality. I say “seeming” because he probably doesn’t exaggerate there.
So it turns out that this book is about growing up through adulthood as a homosexual male in 20th- and 21st-century Ireland. Again, this subject may bore you, as it usually does me. It may even put you off. But in this case it won’t do either.
Boyne is such a skillful writer, he won me over, even with put-offish subjects. THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES is the best kind of long book: when I got to the end, I didn’t want it to end. Now I want to read his other books.
I won an ARC of THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES through librarything.com.
This book is partly a coming-of-age novel. If this type bores you, as it does
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me, you’re in for a surprise. Boyne’s dialog (and THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES is packed with it) is so enjoyable, so clever, I promise, you won’t be bored.I’m not sure if Boyne exaggerates when he describes Ireland in the 20th century or of Catholic priests there. The book begins in the 1940s when a 16-year-old Catherine is denounced by a Catholic priest in front of her church’s congregation, including her family. She is thrown out of her small village, and Catherine travels, penniless and pregnant, to Dublin.
So begins the life of Cyril, Catherine’s son. We meet him when he is 7 years old and follow his life in seven-year increments thereafter.
Throughout THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES, Boyne seems to exaggerate. All Catholic priests in Ireland are cruel, Cyril’s adoptive parents are ultra-distant and insist he realizes that distance, his father and his father’s lawyer invite a jury for dinner, etc. But Boyne’s greatest seeming exaggeration in this book is 20th-century Ireland’s treatment of homosexuality. I say “seeming” because he probably doesn’t exaggerate there.
So it turns out that this book is about growing up through adulthood as a homosexual male in 20th- and 21st-century Ireland. Again, this subject may bore you, as it usually does me. It may even put you off. But in this case it won’t do either.
Boyne is such a skillful writer, he won me over, even with put-offish subjects. THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES is the best kind of long book: when I got to the end, I didn’t want it to end. Now I want to read his other books.
I won an ARC of THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES through librarything.com.
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LibraryThing member ORTeacher
The Heart's Invisible Furies is the first John Boyne novel I have read. I was immediately impressed with quality of writing, the pages practically flew by I was so engrossed - especially at the beginning. I found much to laugh at with Cyril's unorthodox early childhood and quirky parents.
The novel
While I didn't always like Cyril - especially on his wedding day - I could feel empathy for him and hoped he would make it through his travails.
In spite of the disturbing passages, I always recognized how well the story was being told. Would recommend to most readers with some reservations. It wasn't quite the coming of age story that I had anticipated.
The novel
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takes a turn in later years though as Cyril struggles with realizing he is a gay man in a Catholic Society. There are several distressing scenes which were probably quite real in 50's and 60's Ireland. Yet Boyne manages to frequently inject humor to relieve some of the dark situations.While I didn't always like Cyril - especially on his wedding day - I could feel empathy for him and hoped he would make it through his travails.
In spite of the disturbing passages, I always recognized how well the story was being told. Would recommend to most readers with some reservations. It wasn't quite the coming of age story that I had anticipated.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
In 1945 in a small Irish village, Catherine Goggins, sixteen years old and pregnant, is first shamed in church by the local priest and then thrown out. The priest himself, it will be discovered has fathered two illegitimate children.
Forced to leave for her ‘sin’, Catherine heads to Dublin where
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by author John Boyne is a beautifully written, sometimes poignant even sad, frequently humorous, occasionally violent and often angry tale about growing up gay in Ireland before the Marriage Equality referendum in 2015. It is written in intervals of seven years and recounts both big and small events in the country, the world, and his life – a murder, a bombing, his marriage to Julian’s sister, the rise of Aids, 9/11. Sometimes these events have great impact and sometimes they are just background for what is happening in his life but he never loses track of their importance and the influence they have in moving Ireland from a Theocracy or on his own attempts to accept being gay in a society that, for most of his life, has condemned it as a sin. This is a fascinating story full of interesting and often quirky characters, coincidences that would do Dickens proud, a black comedy that kept me reading long into the night.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to tread this book in exchange for an honest review
Forced to leave for her ‘sin’, Catherine heads to Dublin where
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she is taken in by a gay couple. Eventually, they too are ‘punished’ for their ‘sin’. Catherine goes into labour during this violence and gives birth to a son, Cyril. He is adopted by a couple who never cease reminding him that he is not really one of them. As a result, Cyril is a shy lonely boy who even at seven realizes that there is something different about him. But then, he meets another boy, Julian, witty and handsome, and Cyril is charmed and infatuated. He is one of two passionate relationships Cyril will have as he recounts the story of his life and how it is affected by the often violent upheavals and changing mores in Ireland and the world from his birth into the 21st c.The Heart’s Invisible Furies by author John Boyne is a beautifully written, sometimes poignant even sad, frequently humorous, occasionally violent and often angry tale about growing up gay in Ireland before the Marriage Equality referendum in 2015. It is written in intervals of seven years and recounts both big and small events in the country, the world, and his life – a murder, a bombing, his marriage to Julian’s sister, the rise of Aids, 9/11. Sometimes these events have great impact and sometimes they are just background for what is happening in his life but he never loses track of their importance and the influence they have in moving Ireland from a Theocracy or on his own attempts to accept being gay in a society that, for most of his life, has condemned it as a sin. This is a fascinating story full of interesting and often quirky characters, coincidences that would do Dickens proud, a black comedy that kept me reading long into the night.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to tread this book in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member msf59
“It was a difficult time to be Irish, a difficult time to be twenty-one years of age and a difficult time to be a man who was attracted to other men. To be all three simultaneously required a level of subterfuge and guile that felt contrary to my nature.”
The opening of this epic Irish novel,
The narrative then switches to her son, Cyril Avery, who is immediately adopted, after his birth. This is his story and we revisit him, every seven years. He spends the rest of his life, struggling with his homosexuality, his love and hate relationship with his homeland and a yearning to find a true “home” and his long lost mother.
Yes, there is pain and anguish in this novel and tears will be shed, but there is also plenty of humor sprinkled throughout and I found myself laughing out loud several times. Boyne is a terrific storyteller and he has created a cast of memorable characters, which I think Dickens would have been proud of.
This was my introduction to this author's work and it was a perfect place to start.
The opening of this epic Irish novel,
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begins in a church, with a pregnant sixteen year old girl, being viciously castigated, from the pulpit, by a hellish priest. She is verbally and physically cast out of the village for being an unwed “whore”. How Catherin Goggin flees to Dublin and somehow survives, against all odds is a marvel to read. The narrative then switches to her son, Cyril Avery, who is immediately adopted, after his birth. This is his story and we revisit him, every seven years. He spends the rest of his life, struggling with his homosexuality, his love and hate relationship with his homeland and a yearning to find a true “home” and his long lost mother.
Yes, there is pain and anguish in this novel and tears will be shed, but there is also plenty of humor sprinkled throughout and I found myself laughing out loud several times. Boyne is a terrific storyteller and he has created a cast of memorable characters, which I think Dickens would have been proud of.
This was my introduction to this author's work and it was a perfect place to start.
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LibraryThing member cindysprocket
One of the best books that I have read in a long time. As so many reviewers before me that have also loved this 5 Star book. Just have to agree with them. Why repeat ?
LibraryThing member Beamis12
When I first started reading this I had no idea of how much I would end up loving this book. Felt that way for the first 100 pages or so, not that I wasn't liking it but the beginning sometimes seemed a by muddled, couldn't figure out where it was going. It starts in the forties, in an Ireland
I fell in love with the child produced, Cyril and we will follow his life over the course of seventy years, each segment continuing after the passing seven years. When he is seven something happens that changes and affect his life for many, many years. For many years he also struggles with his homosexuality, and that of course is the main theme of this story. We travel from Ireland, to Denmark where the laws and attitudes were markedly different, to New York during the terrible and horrific Aids crisis. A tragedy will unfold there, once again changing the course of his life,and eventually we end up full circle back in Ireland but an Ireland much changed.
This book is brimming with life in all its messy permutations. Sadness and joy, sorrow and pain, friendship and love and eventually peace and forgiveness. This is a big sprawl of a novel, a huge undertaking but we meet many along the way, all adding additional insight into the story. Life's coincidences also abound and some of the happenings are surprising. This book got into my heart and under my skin. The dialogue is outstanding, often humorous, seemingly like a comedy of errors and my favorite part of this book. Not sure yet if this will be my favorite book of the year but it is definitely my favorite of the month.
ARC from publisher.
Publishes August 22nd from Hogarth
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where Catholic priests held way too much power over the lives of their parishioners. A young woman, barely sixteen and pregnant is literally drummed out of the church, after refusing to name the father of her baby, and told to leave the village and never return. I fell in love with the child produced, Cyril and we will follow his life over the course of seventy years, each segment continuing after the passing seven years. When he is seven something happens that changes and affect his life for many, many years. For many years he also struggles with his homosexuality, and that of course is the main theme of this story. We travel from Ireland, to Denmark where the laws and attitudes were markedly different, to New York during the terrible and horrific Aids crisis. A tragedy will unfold there, once again changing the course of his life,and eventually we end up full circle back in Ireland but an Ireland much changed.
This book is brimming with life in all its messy permutations. Sadness and joy, sorrow and pain, friendship and love and eventually peace and forgiveness. This is a big sprawl of a novel, a huge undertaking but we meet many along the way, all adding additional insight into the story. Life's coincidences also abound and some of the happenings are surprising. This book got into my heart and under my skin. The dialogue is outstanding, often humorous, seemingly like a comedy of errors and my favorite part of this book. Not sure yet if this will be my favorite book of the year but it is definitely my favorite of the month.
ARC from publisher.
Publishes August 22nd from Hogarth
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LibraryThing member tloeffler
The Heart's Invisible Furies is the life of Irishman Cyril Avery, from his mother's adventures after being literally kicked out of church for being pregnant and unmarried, up to his 70th year. The story includes his odd adoptive family, his friendships, his gay adventures, coincidental encounters
I thought that the first half tended to drag a little bit, but the second half was compelling and it was hard to put down. John Boyne is one of my favorite authors, and although I didn't find this to be his best work, it was definitely not disappointing.
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with his mother (which finally culminates in their meeting as mother & son) and with important people in his life and her life. I thought that the first half tended to drag a little bit, but the second half was compelling and it was hard to put down. John Boyne is one of my favorite authors, and although I didn't find this to be his best work, it was definitely not disappointing.
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LibraryThing member Mary6508
I loved, loved, loved this book! I requested it as a LT Early Reviewer selection and am so happy that I read it.
It starts out as a story told by a young man of his mother, a very young Irish woman who Is thrown out of her house and church for being pregnant and therefore must leave her town. As the
This book is written with so much candid dark humor that one begins to wonder why there is so much this young man doesn't know about himself. But we are presented with the everyday prejudices present in Irish society in the middle of the 20th century and we begin to understand. His life story, aside from his sexuality, helps us to understand who and why he is the way he is.
I highly recommend this book to anyone.
It starts out as a story told by a young man of his mother, a very young Irish woman who Is thrown out of her house and church for being pregnant and therefore must leave her town. As the
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tale goes on, we discover that the story is actually about himself and his struggles with homosexuality.This book is written with so much candid dark humor that one begins to wonder why there is so much this young man doesn't know about himself. But we are presented with the everyday prejudices present in Irish society in the middle of the 20th century and we begin to understand. His life story, aside from his sexuality, helps us to understand who and why he is the way he is.
I highly recommend this book to anyone.
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LibraryThing member strandbooks
I didn't plan to finish this huge book in a weekend but it was impossible to put down. It follows the main character Cyril from his birth in very conservative catholic Ireland in 1945 through 2015.
I'll warn that there's a lot of sex in this book so it may not be for everyone. I think this is why
For me it is more of a Charles Dickens and Wally Lamb book. Dickens because there are some totally over-the-top characters that are so great. They reminded me of a miss havisham or Fagin. Plus, despite moving all over the globe these 12 characters seem to run into each other over and over again...the kind of coincidences you see in dickens novels. I then say Wally Lamb because of the pace and saga-feel. Also, whenever I felt like nothing worse could happen to Cyril...turn the page and bam, it got worse! Sure to earn an Oprah book club sticker!
I'll warn that there's a lot of sex in this book so it may not be for everyone. I think this is why
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everyone is saying it's similar to John Irving novels (I can't stand Irving)For me it is more of a Charles Dickens and Wally Lamb book. Dickens because there are some totally over-the-top characters that are so great. They reminded me of a miss havisham or Fagin. Plus, despite moving all over the globe these 12 characters seem to run into each other over and over again...the kind of coincidences you see in dickens novels. I then say Wally Lamb because of the pace and saga-feel. Also, whenever I felt like nothing worse could happen to Cyril...turn the page and bam, it got worse! Sure to earn an Oprah book club sticker!
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