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emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Police brutality, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The best book I have ever read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy
The first section was fine; very one-dimensional characters, excessively witty dialogue, but... fine.
In the second section we have, on the same page, a 7 yr old flirting with an adult and incredibly poorly written sentences like "she blew a cloud of white smoke as if she was ready to announce the next pope" -- total tonal whiplash! I am also increasingly annoyed at the main character. Why is this child a genius?! No, his parents emotionally neglecting him is no reason for him to be the smartest, most reasonable 7 year old in existence.
Anyway I then looked the author up and am not confident in his ability to handle a story categorized as lgbtqia+.
In the second section we have, on the same page, a 7 yr old flirting with an adult and incredibly poorly written sentences like "she blew a cloud of white smoke as if she was ready to announce the next pope" -- total tonal whiplash! I am also increasingly annoyed at the main character. Why is this child a genius?! No, his parents emotionally neglecting him is no reason for him to be the smartest, most reasonable 7 year old in existence.
Anyway I then looked the author up and am not confident in his ability to handle a story categorized as lgbtqia+.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the most brilliant books I have read in a long time. My all-time favorite books have found a new companion. I firmly believe that in the future, this will become a beloved classic. I have no doubt of that. It is a masterpiece.
Masterfully written, the author created a character so lovely and realistic, with both flaws and endearing qualities that any regular human embodies, that I could not help but care about this person. I wanted to go on his life journey with him, because I cared about what happened to him. The only regret I have about this book is that I didn't read it sooner. This book will be proudly displayed on my bookshelf and loved for years to come.
Masterfully written, the author created a character so lovely and realistic, with both flaws and endearing qualities that any regular human embodies, that I could not help but care about this person. I wanted to go on his life journey with him, because I cared about what happened to him. The only regret I have about this book is that I didn't read it sooner. This book will be proudly displayed on my bookshelf and loved for years to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Hate crime, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rollicking story spanning the entire life of Cyril, a gay man growing up in 20th century Ireland. An entertaining narrative with plenty of momentum, and also plenty of foreshadowing and implausible coincidences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Hate crime, Terminal illness, Kidnapping
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Every time I read one of John Boyne's books I love his writing even more. This is absolutely no exception; it is a masterpiece and possibly my favourite of his so far. Cyril Avery will stay with me for a long time.
What I so love about Boyne's books is that they can be completely devastating, but they are so human. His protagonists' flaws are so often centre stage and Cyril is no exception. But it is because he makes mistakes that I fell so in love with him.
Another element in Boyne's writing that can't be underestimated is how utterly hilarious it can be. He can portray a desperately sad situation and still evoke a laugh. Right from the beginning Cyril's adoptive parents repeatedly insist that he's "not a real Avery", ensuring that throughout his entire life he absentmindedly adds the prefix "adoptive" every time anyone mentions his mother or father. It becomes such a delightful running joke that you overlook the inherent cruelty behind such an attitude. Also look out for when Cyril makes the decision to declare all his secret feelings in the confessional as a teenager, or when he meets a nervous young woman while visiting someone in prison.
This is a sweeping, epic story that tracks Cyril's life from his birth in 1945 right up to 2015. We revisit him every seven years and build a picture of how his life, and society around him (particularly in Ireland), is changing. There are some astonishing coincidences in the people he meets along the way (I loved all the chance encounters with Catherine Goggin), but I didn't care how likely that would be in real life when it served the narrative so beautifully.
What I so love about Boyne's books is that they can be completely devastating, but they are so human. His protagonists' flaws are so often centre stage and Cyril is no exception. But it is because he makes mistakes that I fell so in love with him.
Another element in Boyne's writing that can't be underestimated is how utterly hilarious it can be. He can portray a desperately sad situation and still evoke a laugh. Right from the beginning Cyril's adoptive parents repeatedly insist that he's "not a real Avery", ensuring that throughout his entire life he absentmindedly adds the prefix "adoptive" every time anyone mentions his mother or father. It becomes such a delightful running joke that you overlook the inherent cruelty behind such an attitude. Also look out for when Cyril makes the decision to declare all his secret feelings in the confessional as a teenager, or when he meets a nervous young woman while visiting someone in prison.
This is a sweeping, epic story that tracks Cyril's life from his birth in 1945 right up to 2015. We revisit him every seven years and build a picture of how his life, and society around him (particularly in Ireland), is changing. There are some astonishing coincidences in the people he meets along the way (I loved all the chance encounters with Catherine Goggin), but I didn't care how likely that would be in real life when it served the narrative so beautifully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reread thought: I decided to pick up some rereads of books I loved and this was one of the first ones I picked. This time, I did it over audiobook and it did take me over a few months, though there was a break in the middle. What I really enjoyed the second time around was new pieces I picked up and appreciated more. Maybe because I am older, maybe because I was more present. This book definitely wasn't a happy read, and it was packed with so many things, but it was still wonderful. I enjoyed the story, the characters and felt myself really able to be there with the characters. while my original review had some negatives, and I have read other books by Boyne since then, this one really does deserve all the stars. Read it!
Original review: My first novel by John Boyne and definitely won't be my last. The synopsis on the cover intrigued me, but I have to say, it definitely did not tell the whole story, so be prepared for that. This novel was packed full, with never a dull moment. The writing and story line were both wonderful. I wanted to keep reading which is often hard for me with such a big book, but this kept me going. I felt engaged with the characters and although the story was heart breaking, it was heart warming at the same time. I felt the chapter/sections closes and subsequent jumps in time a little difficult to follow, but some of what was missed was brought up in the next section as to what happened in the time jump. The ending is what lost me. I felt it wasn't wrapped up as well as it could have been for such a profound book and there was a little bit of ghost stuff in the ending that didn't work for me. It would have fully been deserving of five stars if not for that. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially those who enjoy learning something they might not have otherwise known, for this, homosexuality in the mid 1900s in Ireland and how it was viewed.
Original review: My first novel by John Boyne and definitely won't be my last. The synopsis on the cover intrigued me, but I have to say, it definitely did not tell the whole story, so be prepared for that. This novel was packed full, with never a dull moment. The writing and story line were both wonderful. I wanted to keep reading which is often hard for me with such a big book, but this kept me going. I felt engaged with the characters and although the story was heart breaking, it was heart warming at the same time. I felt the chapter/sections closes and subsequent jumps in time a little difficult to follow, but some of what was missed was brought up in the next section as to what happened in the time jump. The ending is what lost me. I felt it wasn't wrapped up as well as it could have been for such a profound book and there was a little bit of ghost stuff in the ending that didn't work for me. It would have fully been deserving of five stars if not for that. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially those who enjoy learning something they might not have otherwise known, for this, homosexuality in the mid 1900s in Ireland and how it was viewed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Stalking, Outing