Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Title: The Heart's Invisible Furies
Author: John Boyne
Genre: Historical Fiction / LGBTQ Fiction
Author Info: He / Him
Setting: Dublin, Ireland / NYC, NY / Amsterdam, Netherlands
Month Read: May 2021
Book Type: E-Book
Publication: 2017
Pages: 582
TRIGGER WARNING-
Sexual Themes / Murder / Abuse / Animal Abuse
"She shrugged. "Well, if you're certain.' She said. "I'd go myself only I don't actually want to."
No Spoiler Summary:
The Heart's Invisible Furies is the tale of Cyril Avery, an orphaned boy who is adopted and raised in 1940's Ireland. The book spans decades, and is a coming-of-age tale, and also one where Cyril learns he's gay in a time (and place) where it is, frankly, dangerous to do so.
Cyril spends his childhood absolutely enamored with his best friend, Julian, while also growing up in a home where love is in short supply. We watch Cyril grow up, realizing what his normal is, and also trying to live up to society's expectations of a man. An emotional read, you see the ups and downs of a life lived that isn't authentic, and watch Cyril make many mistakes, but also find much happiness.
Review:
I'm not quite sure how to explain this book other than telling you that I've never laughed at a book this sad in my entire life. An emotional rollercoaster from the first page to the very last, The Heart's Invisible Furies is a wild ride of elation, disappointment, love, neglect, abuse, and contendedness.
John Boyne is truly a writer like no other, who finds ways to make you laugh during the AIDS crisis, or at a boy being neglected by his adoptive family. I asked myself if I would be going to hell often as I read (and laughed) at passages from this book- and highlighted some real winners for quotes. (For example, a favorite: "I would have climbed over the dead bodies of my closest friends to get to him myself.")
I LOVED this book. I wish I could read it again for the first time- and I've never sent so many snippets to friends while reading- to the point they were like "WHAT EVEN IS THIS BOOK!?"
I'm so grateful for an E-book deal and the Book of the Month Facebook group for talking about this so frequently I had to see what it was about for myself. I highly, highly recommend giving this a read and I almost think this should be a 5 star rating and I'm not quite sure why I can't bring myself to do it.
Recommendation:
LGBTQ Reads:
*The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
*The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Fun Historical Fiction:
*The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
*Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
"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."
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