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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Not gonna lie, I found this slow going for the first 100 pages or so. I sort of gave up a couple times. But then I kept going and it got quite interesting, and then beautiful and intriguing. I loved all the Aussie references; it’s so fun recognising places and things. My fave was the kilometrico pen, made me chuckle. A solid 4 stars, really enjoyed it once I got in the groove.
Let's start with the basics - this book was set in my home city. I live north of Brisbane, in and around quite a few of the places mentioned in this book. The book revolves heavily around Darra, which is on the other side of the city (and not actually very close to me at all), but ends up a lot closer to home, in and around Bracken Ridge, Brighton and Redcliffe. I have family and friends living in some of these places, so it was a bit exciting to see these names as words in a book. My mind immediately transported me back to these areas in 1985, and I felt like I was right there beside Eli as he made his way over the old Hornibrook Bridge at Brighton.
This story follows the life of Eli and his older brother, August, as they muddle their way through their very complicated, and at times, downright shitty family life. What really stands out, however, is the bond and friendship between these two brothers, even when they are fighting like cat and dog and throwing each other across rooms. I mean, we have all been there with our own siblings, so we can relate, right? I really resonated with August as the older sibling, and his inexplicable urge to protect Eli from things. I have 7 younger siblings, and while I will admit they can drive me completely bonkers at times, I would protect them without a question. This is August's character throughout the book. Eli is the typical, hot-headed younger brother who feels the need to try and fix everything, and ends up getting himself into more trouble than he should.
I really enjoyed how the author, Trent Dalton, kept the title of the book intertwined in the story. Throughout the book, the chapter titles were simple, three worded headings that perfectly encapsulated the chapter you are about to read. The very first chapter is titled "Boy Writes Words", and once you read the chapter, you understand completely what those three little words are wrapping up so neat and tidily in it's little pink and black bow.
It's hard to write a review without giving too much away. This book was easy to read - maybe because I'm Australian, and understand the way the characters are talking, and the references they are making; or maybe it's because Dalton has actually done a really good job in writing the story in such a way that you can follow it, but without making you feel like an idiot reading it. You can't help but fall in love with some of the characters, and they will have you laughing, crying, and slapping your forehead in frustration.
This was a 5-star read for me, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun contemporary, it ticks all the boxes - humour, plot twists, drug dealers, complicated family drama.
This story follows the life of Eli and his older brother, August, as they muddle their way through their very complicated, and at times, downright shitty family life. What really stands out, however, is the bond and friendship between these two brothers, even when they are fighting like cat and dog and throwing each other across rooms. I mean, we have all been there with our own siblings, so we can relate, right? I really resonated with August as the older sibling, and his inexplicable urge to protect Eli from things. I have 7 younger siblings, and while I will admit they can drive me completely bonkers at times, I would protect them without a question. This is August's character throughout the book. Eli is the typical, hot-headed younger brother who feels the need to try and fix everything, and ends up getting himself into more trouble than he should.
I really enjoyed how the author, Trent Dalton, kept the title of the book intertwined in the story. Throughout the book, the chapter titles were simple, three worded headings that perfectly encapsulated the chapter you are about to read. The very first chapter is titled "Boy Writes Words", and once you read the chapter, you understand completely what those three little words are wrapping up so neat and tidily in it's little pink and black bow.
It's hard to write a review without giving too much away. This book was easy to read - maybe because I'm Australian, and understand the way the characters are talking, and the references they are making; or maybe it's because Dalton has actually done a really good job in writing the story in such a way that you can follow it, but without making you feel like an idiot reading it. You can't help but fall in love with some of the characters, and they will have you laughing, crying, and slapping your forehead in frustration.
This was a 5-star read for me, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun contemporary, it ticks all the boxes - humour, plot twists, drug dealers, complicated family drama.
The ability to write a story so beautifully Australian in a universal way that can capture the imagination of international readers... so rare and so incredibly special!
Eli Bell’s coming of age narrative, his brother August and his words written in the air with the tips of his fingers, continue to resonate with me! I already know this is a book I will want to reread.
Go into this book with a mind open for what Trent Dalton will take you through - prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions as you become intrinsically invested in Eli Bell’s narrative. Then stop and pause, taking stock of the idea that this story is grounded in the author’s own childhood experiences!
I also highly recommend the audiobook if you’re not familiar with the Aussie accent, the version I read via @Libro.fm had a wonderful narrator who brought this story to life quite literally! Thanks also to @harperbooks for an ARC to review, and genuinely for bringing this story to North American readers!
Eli Bell’s coming of age narrative, his brother August and his words written in the air with the tips of his fingers, continue to resonate with me! I already know this is a book I will want to reread.
Go into this book with a mind open for what Trent Dalton will take you through - prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions as you become intrinsically invested in Eli Bell’s narrative. Then stop and pause, taking stock of the idea that this story is grounded in the author’s own childhood experiences!
I also highly recommend the audiobook if you’re not familiar with the Aussie accent, the version I read via @Libro.fm had a wonderful narrator who brought this story to life quite literally! Thanks also to @harperbooks for an ARC to review, and genuinely for bringing this story to North American readers!
“I’m a good man,’ Slim says. ‘But I’m a bad man too. And that’s like all men, kid. We all got a bit o’ good and a bit o’ bad in us. The tricky part is learnin’ how to be good all the time and bad none of the time. Some of us get that right. Most of us don’t.”
This is an incredible debut novel, I can't stop thinking about it. Dalton has a beautiful way of writing it's such a joy to read. This book is tragic and joyful and very Australian. The blend of Dalton's childhood in this novel makes it feel so authentic and raw.
This is an incredible debut novel, I can't stop thinking about it. Dalton has a beautiful way of writing it's such a joy to read. This book is tragic and joyful and very Australian. The blend of Dalton's childhood in this novel makes it feel so authentic and raw.
This book was such a struggle to get through and as it started to become interesting the story ended
This book is fantastic! Beautiful story, exciting, magical all at once.
Taip daugumos išgirta knyga... deja, aš prie jų prisidėti negaliu.
I was prepared to not like this book, because I've disliked almost every "great Australian novel" I've ever read, but Dalton's novel was different. It still wasn't my perfect cup of tea, with a storyline that sidelined all its women, and various confusing bits or bits that were actively unpleasant to read, so I've only given it 4 stars, but there are three main reasons this book is worth reading:
1. Somehow it is more relatable and uniquely Australian, more so than any other book I have read. It's set in Brisbane in the 80s, and there are things the characters do at school, or refer to around the city, which are uniquely things that only Brisbanites or Queenslanders generally would know. And somehow, Dalton manages to make it all sound exciting, and make it part of the story, especially with the characters' youth.
2. Dalton has a wonderful writing style, which draws on some Aussie-isms but mostly is just very consistent. Dalton's voice seems weird at first in the head of a 12 year old boy, but as the character ages it all starts to gel very nicely. His detailed but fast writing style is differnet to anything I've read - and it's simultaneously thematic and important to the main character.
3. The plotline and the characters are very well done (except for the female characters, as noted above). It deals with a realistic drug scene (I know, I work in a similar area), deals with themes of family, love, hope and how to get past a life of crime, and it manages to balance some "weird" magical realism with what would otherwise be harsh reality.
It's like an Australian Neil Gaiman novel, whose story is uniquely told and comes together effectively. In the final part of the book, I just couldn't stop reading. In some ways, it was like watching a train crash, but in other ways it was like watching a flower bloom. I had complicated feelings about this book, but I think it was for the best that I did. I'm glad I read Boy Swallows Universe.
1. Somehow it is more relatable and uniquely Australian, more so than any other book I have read. It's set in Brisbane in the 80s, and there are things the characters do at school, or refer to around the city, which are uniquely things that only Brisbanites or Queenslanders generally would know. And somehow, Dalton manages to make it all sound exciting, and make it part of the story, especially with the characters' youth.
2. Dalton has a wonderful writing style, which draws on some Aussie-isms but mostly is just very consistent. Dalton's voice seems weird at first in the head of a 12 year old boy, but as the character ages it all starts to gel very nicely. His detailed but fast writing style is differnet to anything I've read - and it's simultaneously thematic and important to the main character.
3. The plotline and the characters are very well done (except for the female characters, as noted above). It deals with a realistic drug scene (I know, I work in a similar area), deals with themes of family, love, hope and how to get past a life of crime, and it manages to balance some "weird" magical realism with what would otherwise be harsh reality.
It's like an Australian Neil Gaiman novel, whose story is uniquely told and comes together effectively. In the final part of the book, I just couldn't stop reading. In some ways, it was like watching a train crash, but in other ways it was like watching a flower bloom. I had complicated feelings about this book, but I think it was for the best that I did. I'm glad I read Boy Swallows Universe.
emotional
tense
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