This book is primarily set in Ireland and visits other countries before returning to Ireland. Basically it is about life as a gay man and the prejudices he faces comparing different attitudes and periods in history. This is a well written book which explores issues many people will not have experienced . It is done with a sense of realism, is hilarious and sad and it is very easy to get annoyed with the main character and then feel sorry for him.
I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. an enlightening read which makes you laugh and cry.

I really enjoyed this book. It is the life story of Cyril Avery, born in 1945, and growing up in Ireland. He knows from early on that he is a homosexual, which was still illegal in Ireland. The story follows him through his childhood with his unusual adoptive parents, a marriage, and escape to Amsterdam where he finds love at last. On to New York in the 80's and the AIDS epidemic, and finally back to Ireland where he eventually is reunited with his birth mother. This book is both funny and incredibly moving. I really recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

Forced to leave her hometown under a cloud of scandal, Catherine Goggin finds herself pregnant and alone in Dublin. She knows, at sixteen years old, she cannot give her child the start he deserves, and so she entrusts him to a nun to find him a better life.

Cyril Avery is continually reminded by his parents that he is not a real Avery. Adopted at birth he’s never felt he truly belongs in the family. He is looked after but never loved.

And so begins one man’s desperate journey to find his place in the world. A world in which he is not be accepted for who he is.

But, can Cyril find the courage to meet the world head on?

I loved this book and struggled with it in equal measures. My emotions for Cyril were so mixed, pity, loathing and love all fought each other, and I often found myself putting this book down for lengthy periods of time due to this.

Told in 7-year increments between the years of 1945 and 2015 this story covers the many obstacles and dangers growing up as a homosexual in Ireland. Deeply closeted for fear of his life and in love with his best friend, Cyril is forced to cruise public toilets and dingy parks for furtive rendezvous’ and endure traumatic gay bashing resulting in a string of bad decision. Cyril’s character becomes more affable as the story heads into the height of the AIDS epidemic, and I felt at this point my warmest towards him then I had throughout the whole saga. Boyne is careful not to come across as too angry or miserable and inserts, in an often-discordant manner, points of hilarity.

This was an epic story, hard-hitting with some very gritty underlying tones. Unfortunately, it lost a star with me as it felt longwinded and drawn out and at times I found myself skipping a little of the unnecessary waffle.

This is a book that will stay with you long after reading. From it's heart-breaking opening scene through tragedy, confusion, love, loss and hope to final resolution, this is a novel to savour. It tells of the life of Cyril Avery, adopted as a baby in Ireland in the 1940s and who slowly realises that he is not like other boys. As the decades roll, and Cyril's chaotic, confused early life brings consequences, we see him slowly reach maturity but not without much heartache and suffering. Cyril is witty and self-effacing but he faces terrible prejudice as a homosexual, physical attack, sees a lover killed and the bleak devastation of Aids, and is forced to experience an underworld of vice simply because of what he is. I loved this book, laughed out loud at times, cried at least once, but was very glad I took the journey through the decades and continents with Cyril.

At 16 Catherine Goggin is thrown out of her village in Western Ireland because she is pregnant and unmarried. Giving up her baby for adoption she starts work in the Dail tearoom but is haunted by the events of that time. Her son is adopted by a banker and his novelist wife and named Cyril. From an early age he realises that he is attracted to other men/boys but in staunchly Catholic and conservative Ireland homosexuality is against the law. Throughout his life Cyril makes a series of decisions which have repercussions until towards the end this life he finds peace and also the family he really craves.

This book is a joy from start to finish. It flips between comedy and pathos yet retains a depth of passion below the surface which means that it is hard to categorise. Whilst easy to read and laugh out loud funny at times it also has a strong set of statements to make about repression, homosexuality, AIDs and family. Politically savvy yet wildly entertaining, this is a novelist at the height of his powers and driven by a need to tell a story.

I loved this book. I loved everything about the story. I laughed and I cried and ignored everything going on around me until I had it finished. I think that John Boyle has perfectly captured Ireland through the years. He has written brilliantly about the way people would have felt and the views of the Catholic Church. He has described everything so well. I could visualise myself in Dublin which is a city I know well and also in Amsterdam and New York, both of which I have visited. I really liked that Cyril and his mother had known each other without realising who the other was. I will definitely be recommending this book and reading it again as well.

The first few chapter of this book just totally captivate you. You can’t help by fall in love with Catherine Goggins and the situation you finds herself in. Her story of her early days in Dublin were well written and kept you hooked. Unfortunately I just did not take to Cyril’s character so I found the next part of the book dragged on as I had no sympathy for him and found the book very disturbing in parts and I class myself as open minded. However once Cyril had been brave enough to start his new life I was addicted and could not put the book down. I found myself warming to Cyril and the story of his love and loss very heart warming. Excellent book and well worth a read.

4.5*rounded up. I subtracted half a star because I had to suspend disbelief with all the coincidences that take place in the novel. No way would they be possible in real life.

Yes, yes, yes. I finally found a novel that everybody raves about that I also loved. The Heart’s Invisible Furies made me feel everything, I laughed, I was sad, I was hopeful and then disappointed, I was enraged by the people’s mentalities and I even wanted to punch a couple of the characters in the face, even the main character (and hug him afterwards).

The novel begins in post WW2 Ireland, a country of sexual suppression ruled by the mighty Catholic Church. A 16 years young girl is thrown out of the church and her rural family home because she dared to become pregnant. Alone, she buys a ticket to Dublin to find her luck and give birth. The novel is the story of the child’s life. We meet him when he is 8 years old and living with his adopted family who remind him with every occasion that he isn’t really one of them. We will stay with him while he discovers his sexuality, falls in love for the first time, struggles to find a place in the unforgiving Dublin and so on. We will follow him from Dublin to Amsterdam, with a short stop in the Aids infested New York and back to Ireland. Such a fascinating trip in a wonderful company.

I cannot decide if the book is more of a comic novel or a tragedy. It really has everything. I was laughing one page only to be almost in tears or swearing between my teeth the next. One of the main characters is Ireland and its stupid, stupid Catholic prejudices and hypocrisy. The way faith managed to destroy so many lives by not accepting any deviation from “normality” made me incredibly angry. Apparently, you could even get away with murder if you killed your gay son as it was understandable to be upset by such dishonor. I am happy that Ireland changed so much over the years and it is now an example of tolerance in Europe.

The main character is likable, but it is not perfect which is another aspect that I appreciated. He made some stupid mistakes and he did not realize the impact his actions had for other people and he did not gave the impression he cared enough. I also thought the other characters were well portrayed, interesting, although some of the traits were exaggerated for dramatic/comic purposes.
My only complaint, as I wrote above, is that some of the plot is unbelievable. There are some coincidental meetings between characters when I had to scream No way, in my mind. I understand that it made things more interesting but it moved the story more towards the fantasy realm.

As you can see, I loved this novel and it seems the year started very well. I hope it will continue in the same manner.

Funny and sad, Irish history and love. not my normal reading material, but a lovely read that left me laughing and crying.

I loved this book it is a great read.

I couldn't decide between giving this novel four stars or five. It's so much better than many other novels to which I've given four stars, and therefore needs to be marked apart from those which aren't as excellent. It deserved more than four stars.

'The Heart's Invisible Furies' is a sweeping epic life story of Cyril Avery, an Irish boy born to an unmarried mother in the 1940s and given up for adoption. His story drives a channel through landmark events of the 20th century, both worldwide and Ireland focused, covering Irish attitudes to illegitimate children, women, gay people and AIDS, but it also deconstructs those issues, critiques them and shows how attitudes developed as the 20th century progressed and the 21st began. It's a fantastic insight into the changing attitudes of the last 70 years, both in Ireland and further afield, while always focusing on the story at the forefront of everything.

Cyril is a flawed character who makes a lot of mistakes. He's selfish and he's often wrong, yet he's also amusing and good at heart; many of the 'wrong' things that he does are born of circumstance or his mental state in that moment, and his actions and decisions always understandable. He's a complex and well-written character and I thoroughly commend Boyne for his writing of this character.

The picaresque style of the novel is charming, and is reminiscent of novels such as William Boyd's 'Any Human Heart' (which I loved) and John Irving's 'The World According to Garp' (which I didn't love). In fact, I would go as far as to say that Boyne's novel was probably directly influenced by these novels, as their similarities are so great.

Yet it's not a perfect novel. I felt there were too many coincidences: Cyril bumps into the people he knows in multiple countries, and it often seemed a bit of a stretch, a bit too coincidental, and too often. The final scene is a good way to tie everything together, but seemed to detach from the realist style of the rest of the book.

It took me a while to get into the book, but around 25% into the story, I realised I didn't want to put it down. I loved the characters and I was invested in the story, but not only that, Boyne has created such a concrete and well-wrought world that I felt like it was real. Even the house he describes on Dartmouth Square, I feel like I could draw it myself and map out whose room is whose depending on the time period because the writing is so clear and strong.

A hugely impressive work, and although not perfect, it's deserving of 5 stars out of 5, a lot of recognition, and everyone should be talking about this book in 2018. It deserves a lot.

Wow!!!! What a fantastic read, loved Cyril's story from beginning to end, a great read, the different subjects brought up throughout the book were handled with care and written well, you laughed with him and cried with him, I think Cyril will stay with me for quite a while, a definite 5 star read for me

I was sent a copy of The Heart’s Invisible furies by John Boyne to read and review by NetGalley.
I really loved this book! It was beautifully written, had great characters and a real sense of place. Set primarily in Dublin the novel explores Ireland’s doctrine regarding women, homosexuality and the slow changes that emerged over the years, along with the world’s attitude and ignorance regarding the Aids crisis of the 1980s. The story centres around Cyril Avery; from his birth out of wedlock to his final years decades later, a life lived in both tragedy and joy, fear and danger. With the background of a country divided and led by the Church John Boyne has managed to create an entertaining novel and engrossing story with an easily accessible history lesson – a book well worth reading.

I really struggled with this. The basis of a good story is all there, set up and ready to go, but 200 pages in it didn't feel like the book had really got going yet. The setting is vivid and very well-depicted - I had clear images of 1940s Ireland - and the characters all make sense, but I didn't feel any particular driving force through the book and gave up around a third of the way through. And seriously, I know this is about teenage boys, but how much sex does one book need ?! Did not finish.- found it boring.

Absolutely fabulous book, a fascinating story enveloping 70 years of Irish history, in the story of Cyril Avery from his birth in 1945. Poignant, very funny, tragic and inspiring, I felt as if I was with him on his incredible journey through 7 decades. Being from an Irish family, I found myself reading the book in an Irish accent and that definitely increased the involvement, especially the comedic element. I didnt want it to end.

Catherine Goggin is called to the front of the (Roman Catholic) church in Goleen and the priest, James Monroe, takes pleasure in telling the congregation that she is with child and therefore not fit to put a foot in the church. He literally throws her out of the church and to add to her shame, she is shunned by her parents and as a result, armed with a tiny suitcase, makes her way to Dublin, where she shares a flat with Seán MacIntyre (a young man she met on the bus) and Jack Smoot. She doesn’t realise until the day that Seán’s father arrives and beats his son to death and almost kills Jack, that they were a couple – having never been aware of homosexuality before. The shock of this horrific rage brings on the baby, a boy, who is taken away almost immediately by a hunchback Redemptorist nun and is adopted by Charles and Maude Avery. They register him as Cyril Avery.

Cyril’s place in the home of Maude, a prolific writer, and Charles, known for withholding his taxes, (he is convicted several times for these transgressions) is certainly different from most children’s home life. He is all but ignored by both of his adopted parents and told at a very early age that he is adopted and never refers to them as either his mother or father, only ever as his adopted mother and father.

The book follows Cyril’s life from his unconventional birth, boarding school years, friendships, infatuations, sordid sex life as a homosexual in Dublin, and after a very traumatic incident; fleeing Ireland for Holland where he meets someone who he finally finds love with, Bastiaan. It is thanks to Bastiaan that Cyril finally feels safe and truly loved and their lives are complete when they adopt Ignac.

Bastiaan’s work as a specialist doctor in sexually transmitted diseases takes them to New York where the AIDS epidemic is at its most rampant. Bastiaan is killed in a brutal attack which leaves Cyril devastated and it’s not just this tragedy but also Ignac’s desire to study art and literature at the University of Dublin that leads Cyril to move back to Ireland.

This book has certainly opened my eyes to the harsh realities that homosexuals faced before governments around the world changed their laws. Cyril’s early life takes place in Ireland where the laws were particularly harsh and where the (Roman Catholic) church – or, more truthfully, their clergy ruled the government and imposed their versions of their beliefs.

John Boyne has created a masterpiece through these pages as we follow Cyril’s life. There were times when I wept and others when I laughed with delight at Cyril’s eccentricities. Thanks to this novel, we are able to share his loves, tragedies, the fulfilment of a steady and loving relationship. Being a father. Living through the terrible years when AIDS was at its peak and finally being in Ireland on the day that the government legitimised homosexuality.

This is truly one of the perfect books I’ve ever read and the ending is one of the most special ever written. I wish I could encourage those with homophobic ideas to read this, because it will help them understand what being “different” means and hopefully, by reading the book, they will understand that regardless of how humans are created, there are differences and these differences have to be respected and accepted regardless of the bigoted ideas we perceive thanks to our religious DNA.

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened this book: an exploration of what it means to be an orphan, perhaps? What it was like growing up in Ireland in the fifties? An exploration of masculinity?
John Boyne serves up all that and more to create a book that’s by turns gripping, heart wrenching and ultimately uplifting, all tied together by a complex and multi-layered hero, Cyril. And I really enjoyed it!
The story starts off as a kind of multi-generational epic, centred on Cyril’s experiences as a young gay man growing up in deeply conservative Ireland. We meet Cyril’s mother, find out the backstory behind his birth, and then we meet Cyril, growing up in the Avery’s household as somebody who is nevertheless repeatedly told that he is ‘not a real Avery’. The whole story is about Cyril’s journey to find out who is, and accept himself, all whilst growing up in a society that sees homosexuality as a sin. The results, as you might expect, are heart breaking.
Boyne has created a rare hero in Cyril. The book is told from his point of view and told in an almost confessional tone of voice, so that from the very first moment we feel like companions on his journey: people who have been taken into his confidence and whom he is telling his story to. We’re with him for every step of his journey, from his repeated chance meetings with his mother, to the disastrous life choices he makes, and his flight from Ireland, to Amsterdam, to New York and back again.
He’s not perfect, but that’s part of his charm: it feels like we’re reading about a real life- one not necessarily with a happy ending- which makes it all the more gripping. Cyril, and the people that he meets along the way- from Alice, to Julian, his childhood friend- come across as real, rounded people, and the result is a kind of fly-on-the-wall fascinating read.
The political backdrop of the story is equally compelling. I’ve not really read too many books on Ireland, so being plunged into the vividly-drawn life of a young Irish boy growing up in Dublin was fascinating, from Ireland’s strong Catholic faith, and how destructive it can be, to life in the Dail Eirean (or Parliament) and the tax scandals of the 50s. Boyne makes Cyril a part of all of it- even the harrowing HIV/AIDs pandemic of the 80s. As an exploration of what it means to be Irish, it’s pretty riveting, but Boyne also shines the spotlight on what it means to be gay, too, and his sensitive handling of the subject not only makes for a layered, fascinating book but one that can be both joyful and heart wrenchingly sad.
The end result is excellent. Boyne has a knack for creating finely drawn, loveable characters, and his love for Ireland fairly sings from the page: whichever way you read it, this is a stunning, ambitious novel

What a fascinating book. I found it written in a way that tugged at my heart strings but it was also amusing. I so very much wanted the main character to find happiness. So I kept reading. It was like a film running in my head. The subject was not an easy one to read about and made worse by the public opinion of the time. Well done John Boyne!

Loved it. Beautifully written and engrossing. The two are not always compatible in my experience, so a treat when it happens. Full review to folllow on good reads.

I cannot praise this book enough.. Boyne captures Ireland of the 20th Century with frightening accuracy. His descriptions of the characters are so vivid and exact that I felt I knew them ... or someone very like them. His journey as a gay man in Ireland and then Amsterdam, eventually to America and surprisingly back to Ireland is full of the complications one would expect. I enjoyed the quirkiness of many of the characters, including his adoptive parents who were a drama all on their own. I loved the humour, the empathy, the stories, the social commentary. I could go on, but I would just urge everyone to read it!