This was such an interesting concept. The same character jumps through time. His name changes, but his story is consistent.

I’ll be honest there were a few times that I felt confused about the plot. It took some time for me to truly appreciate the story for what it was.

3.5/5

Oh dear, part of me wants to rate this higher because of my respect for this author and his work, but I have to be honest and give it the rating I feel it deserves.
I commend him for the idea of taking one character (never named), and following a linear plot line in sequential time periods and in fifty different countries. It's a unique idea and very intriguing, but my problem was with the writing. At times it seemed very amateurish and lazy. Other than the unique concept I didn't ever feel like I got the point, the big picture.
The current day chapter at the end was what really lowered the rating for me. Since I've lived through the election of "he who can not be named", the clumsy writing really stood out.
I'd give it a miss...wish I had.

A hard story to stick to. The premise of time travel or not ,characters intersecting over time. People come and go with little emotion to spare. The audience may find hope for humanity in these words but I could not detect a sense of place and therefore was often left adrift.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies written by the incredible author, John Boyne, was number one on my Best Books of 2017, making me an instant fan (my review). As soon as I heard Boyne had a new book coming out this year, my NetGalley request went in. I wanted to read A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom the minute I was approved, but forced myself to wait. So, was the wait worth it? Well, yes and no.

A Traveler tells the story of one man’s life through the lives of many men. It begins in the year A.D. 1 with a newborn boy in Palestine, and moves through the more than 2000 years in jumps of 30 to 50 years. The location changes with each new iteration, which moves his story forward in small ways. Throughout, the basics of this man’s life stay the same: he’s artistic, he has an older brother who vanished, a cousin betrays him, and he outlives three wives. The brother’s name always begins with a J, his cousins with an H, etc. This daring creativity in storytelling made Boyne’s latest book a unique and powerfully written history lesson.

I found myself constantly fascinated with where his story would go to next, but at the same time, with the many swift jumps, I was never able to feel attached to the story’s narrator. For me, the story lacked heart and heart is often so very big in Boyne’s writing. I missed it terribly. The book’s last chapter and its epilogue also threw me. I wish they’d both been different. Still, I’m glad I stuck with A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom for Boyne’s uniquely told tale, but I fear it will be a book that many will give up on.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Hogarth (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom is an epic work of historical fiction that spans over two thousand years of time and visits countries all over the world. Each chapter is about ten pages long, and we are guided through both time and space by our unnamed narrator as he tells us his story. Our narrator is a creative, sensitive boy who grows up with a harsh and sometimes violent father who is constantly disappointed in him for not being more “masculine,” instead choosing more creative pursuits like drawing, making clothing, or crafting sculptures. While he is an excellent craftsman as an adult (in a series of different professions which change from chapter to chapter), he is a flawed person with blood on his hands, consumed by a quest for vengeance in the latter half of the novel. Here’s where it gets confusing: This novel plays out over 2,000+ years of time, in 50 different countries. In every ten-page chapter, the narrator and his family (father M, mother F, brother J, sister A, and cousin H, among others) stay the same generally in personality, but their names and professions change along with the setting and time period. The book begins in Palestine in A.D. 1 with the narrator’s father slaughtering dozens of baby boys who might be Jesus Christ, and ends in the United States of America in 2016 on the eve of the presidential election.

I’ll admit, this book took me about 100 pages to really get into. Having each chapter essentially start over except for the overarching “through lines” was hard to get used to. I have a rule where I try my absolute best to make it to 50 percent before deciding I’m not going to finish a book, and I’m glad I powered through because once I got the hang of the format, I was sucked in. This is certainly one of the more ambitious and creative books I’ve ever read. In terms of style, I’d say Boyne pulls it off (it would take an excellent writer to make this format work, and Boyne certainly is one). Where I’m unsure if this book succeeds, though, is in its overall mission. What was Boyne trying to say with this book? I’m not sure if I like the answer.

I’m dissatisfied with this novel, and disappointed in what I think it’s meant to stand for. It suffers from such a simplistic view of history and the problems of representation. Boyne is making a lot of assumptions about how certain things are viewed across different cultures and time periods that may or may not be true. All in all, I did give this novel a 6/10 because I think Boyne is a strong and ambitious writer. I did enjoy reading this book, and found myself deeply engrossed in many parts of it.

Every book he writes is better than the previous. This was a magical story that was so well researched and written. Just beautiful. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

I enjoyed Boyne's two most recent adult novels, so I was looking forward to A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom - it sounded ambitious with its massive scope and I was here for it. Unfortunately, it was an experimental type of storytelling that didn't jibe with my sensibilities.
Our unnamed narrator and his basic family unit move through history, making a clear theme of universality in human experience - each chapter is a totally different year and place (and realistically different people, but it's the same family unit) and there are a number of historic events that the readers attention can be drawn to to research further.
The forward motion of the family's story is so slow that the story is more gimmick than plot, in my opinion. It is an interesting writing experiment, but not one I enjoyed my time reading.

Thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an arc for review.

A Divisive Read

“One day, you will live among the stars.”

A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom is about the history and destruction of civilization.

Spanning over 2000 years, a nameless narrator shares their personal history, and the world’s history, in varying times and countries. While time passes and locations change, the narrator’s story continues without much change until the very end. From the beginning in Palestine, A.D. 1 to the epilogue in A.D. 2080, the narrator’s long, drawn-out history culminates at the end of the world.

The narrator, an artisan, deals with love, loss, and the treachery of man. Themes focus on birth, death, rebirth, the cycle of life, social constructs, and the creation and destruction of civilization.

This book is quite divisive, and it was divisive to read. I am torn over my feelings. I love Boyne’s writing and style but I struggled to connect with the rhythm of the narrative. I wasn’t completely drawn in until about the 50% mark, but it took some determination, at times, to continue reading.

Once I was in full thrall, I thought I had a good idea of where this was headed, but I was beyond wrong.

The narrative is formulaic--while every chapter takes place in a different time and location, the same cast of characters appear. The culture of the country and time period is sometimes woven in, but the narrator really could have been in any place and time and the story would be the same. At times I wanted more, and other times I wanted less!

The final chapters felt rushed and a little messy. Boyne’s history is anachronistic and was sometimes frustrating and confusing to read. Other times, it was pure genius.

Then there is the ending which changed my entire thoughts on this book. To say I was taken aback is an understatement. I was baffled, but at the same time laughing hysterically. I realized I had been hoodwinked, as what I thought I was reading I was not. I got Boyne’s message loud and clear. Hopefully, 2021 will bring some much-needed change!

“It was over. The end of civilization as we knew it.”

I received an ARC of this book from Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

As a massive John Boyne fan, I was delighted to receive a copy of this book from NetGalley. The premise of this book is so unique, and well executed for the most part. The narrator of the book hops from country to country and year to year, making his way through kingdoms and villages, different races and communities. This in itself took a bit of getting used to but was really fascinating as an idea. The same characters appear alongside the narrator, and the storyline remains almost the same, staying consistent through the changes.

The descriptions of cultures and places was so interesting, and I imagine it took so much research. I did feel that it would have been more interesting to me to stick with fewer time hops and stay in one time period/place for a longer time. I have to say that the ending of the book felt off to me as well, the final few chapters had a very different tone to most of the others.

Overall a really exciting and interesting concept.

I did not finish this one. Read 108 pps, (about 25%) and just could not get into it, which came as a shock, as I looooooved the author’s prior two novels. Not every book works for every reader and this one just did not click with me. That said, the structure of advancing the story through slightly altered characters in different cultures over millennia is surprising and very creative. I would prefer not to post a star rating because of the DNF, but that is not ok with NG, thus the three stars. Take it with a shaker of salt.

This is absolutely a brilliant book. I can see why so many readers love his writing.
That said-- it feels like a book I need to read with an actual physical copy in my hand. For now, I've hit pause on my e-ARC and requested a physical copy from the library.

So far, I've loved...
-the way the story develops a plot line across different times and places and yet it's the same story, same people, just with different names and locations and years
-the writing itself!

I look forward to finishing the rest of this book with a good old paper copy in my hands.

3.5 stars rounded up

This epic tale begins with a family in Palestine in A.D. 1, the characters shift through two thousand years to the present and beyond, each chapter a different place and time.

I found the overall concept fascinating, that ultimately human nature throughout time is universal, that religion, geological factors and culture may change but we are all cut from the same mold, that we’re all driven by loyalty, love, lust, revenge. I loved being transported to a different time and place, although I felt each change to be abrupt as I wasn’t able to get invested in the current surroundings before they changed again. Overall, I enjoyed it; I love Boyne’s writing and the effortless humor that he sneaks into the narrative.

Thank you Hogarth, Random House and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy

John Boyne is such an amazing and creative writer. This novel is so different and unique and I loved the majority of it.

The novel follows one storyline that goes through many generations and countries. The novel shows the universal nature of life and tragedy. There are strong themes of adventure, creativity, family, revenge, etc.

This story ends in 2016 America with the presidential election. If I read it again I’ll probably stop with the chapter before because it hit too close to home, haha.

A truly unusual book that begs for continuous reading. Allowing too much time to pass between chapters will dilute the experience of expanding awareness and character development. Much like those mosaics made up of numerous much smaller pictures, a portrait emerges of a whole bigger than its parts that attests to the talent of the ever inventive John Boyle.

It was difficult to contain my excitement about a new John Boyne book; he has been a auto-buy author for me for awhile now. I have a lot of thoughts…First, I applaud Boyne’s boldness, his ambition, his creativity. He has created a unique story of a nameless man, who lives his live one time-chunk at a time, each in a different spot. He begins in Palestine, Year 1 AD, and each short chapter, his live continues in a different country, decades ahead in time.The main character is always artistic, his father always wants a warrior, some killing is always deemed necessary etc. Each static character has a role to play in the march through time. Thematically, we see how human emotions are universal as love and revenge drive the main character. However, for me, it just did not work. Each time I felt invested in a story line, it changed. My love for Boyne rests in his ability to deeply draw a dynamic character, to show how life changes them, both good and bad, to see how other people shape them. In Traveler, the characters felt flat to me, never changing, never growing, allowing circumstances to eternally dictate the same actions and reactions. I had hope for the ending, but the chapter on 2016 turned into a wild farce of Trumpeteers, which just seemed so off the rest of the book’s previous serious writing style. Perhaps it is my belief in the human ability to change and grow? Perhaps it is my hope that in another life, another universe, I make better choices? Perhaps my expectations were too high? Regardless, I am sure others will enjoy this creative novel, but it was not for me.

While the names, places, and dates may change, the story remains. An audacious format for a novel and some pleasant humor (before the hammer) at the end. While I enjoyed the way the story flowed through the ages, I did not find the overall plot terribly intriguing.

With A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom, be prepared to be taken on a trip through time and place. With each chapter, we are introduced to a reincarnated version of the same man, watching his life progress a little more each time. It shows us the continuity of life, in small ways like certain images to the larger similarities of life events. Alternating between the positives and negatives, the winners and losers, we see both sides of each equation. “I have traveled further than you know, as have you, my son. My journeys might be at an end now, but so many lie in wait for you. Do your memories never surprise you? Do you not dream of the past and the future and recognize both with equal clarity?”
It’s interesting how this soul becomes fully fleshed as the book progresses and I came to feel like I knew him. His talents might change from life to life, but his artistic soul remains the same.
As the book goes on, I found myself having to resort to googling many of the names, to get the backstories of the historical figures. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of research needed to write this book. Luckily, as we move through time the people are more well known and less research was needed.
Needless to say, this is a very philosophical book. “We are a small people in an ever changing universe. The world around us might be in a state of constant flux, but the universe within?” I wasn’t at all sure how Boyne would bring this to an end. But he does so in a totally satisfactory, inventive manner.
If you appreciate books that take chances, you will enjoy this. It will strike a chord with anyone who loved Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

I really really wanted to love this one. I started it but I just had so much trouble following what was happening. I might pick this one up again at a later date, I think part of it might just be timing, With everything happening in the world my brain had trouble focusing on this one.

A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom started off really intriguing — with a juddering timeline that sees the main character jump ahead through time and space, the storyline eventually covering two thousand years and most of the globe, his circumstances always proceeding as though he is living the same life (and it is the same life as far as he is aware), and with the people around him slightly changing their names and circumstances to match the change in settings — and while at first I was enjoying the novelty of this, it eventually began to drag; another time, another place, the main character crossing paths with the famed and the ordinary, all in service to some oft-repeated, pedantic lessons from author John Boyne. And I wouldn’t be so disappointed if I hadn’t grown to expect more from Boyne. The format eventually wore on me, the overall plot was neither interesting nor instructive, there was nothing to the characters to make me engage with them, and the ideas were presented with a hammer to the head. I would give this 2.5 stars and am rounding up because John Boyne can write some pretty sentences.

As a devoted fan of John Boyne's work, I was incredibly excited to pick up "A Traveler." Its structure is ambitious: each chapter (of around 10-15 pages) includes a different cast of characters about 100 years ahead of the chapter before it. The storyline, however, stays the same: a man experiences loss and grief and seeks revenge from the man who hurt him. The villain is also constant: a cruel, heartless, obese, man of royalty and stature. Using weight as a measure of morality seems very outdated here: Boyne goes to extreme measures to remind the reader just how shocking the villain's weight is. In every. single. chapter. It feels cheap, and made me roll my eyes more than once. Rape and violence against women are also unfortunate reoccurring themes: how many times do I need to read about child abuse? and women being hit in the face? The characters lack nuance and believability, and fall into the simplistic categories of "good" and "bad." This was such a disappointment because Boyne tends to shine in exploring the complexities of the human spirit.

The novel spans over 2,000 years, beginning in the year 1 AD and ending in 2080, with the narrator on a space colony. I can appreciate the incredible amount of work that must have gone into writing such a story: all of the small cultural references, finding geographically-appropriate names. Boyne did his research. And yet, I keep returning to the question of "why?" The structure, while experimental and original, does not enhance the story he set out to tell. It's distracting and puzzling. It just goes to show that just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Overall, this one was a disappointment for me and I hope his next book will return to the themes and structures that have made him such a successful author up to this point. Maude Avery makes a small cameo at the end which was a nice surprise for fans of "The Heart's Invisible Furies."