You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by teacupsandfirereads
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
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
5.0
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