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The Heart's Invisible Furies

John Boyne (Goodreads Author)

4.47 · Rating details · 38,108 ratings · 6,017 reviews

Cyril Avery is not a real Avery or at least that’s what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn’t a real Avery, then who is he?

Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, an ...more

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Hardcover, 582 pages

Published August 22nd 2017 by Hogarth Press (first published February 9th 2017)

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· 38,108 ratings · 6,017 reviews

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Mar 24, 2017 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-books, historical-fiction, literary-fiction, irish-author

Update: If by some crazy reason you have missed this book....its a $1.99 kindle special today. I actually have a phone call to make to make sure a friend buys it today.
Not a book to hesitate buying it at this price if you’ve not taken your turn reading it yet.

A PHENOMENAL READ!!!!

I finished this seconds ago.... THE BEST NOVEL of 2017......
It's not only a FAVORITE-FAVORITE....It makes my top 10 BEST BOOKS in at least the last 5 or 6 years!!!! PHENOMENAL- long - lush perfectly escapist read!!!!

I ...more

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Aug 10, 2017 Emily May rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2017, botm

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.

This book. THIS BOOK. I cannot remember the last time I became so thoroughly immersed in a story, fell so deeply in love with the characters, and had my heart so fully ripped out. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a masterpiece. Most people will know Boyne from his hard-hitting children's book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but this book is something else entirely.

I'm ...more

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Aug 22, 2017 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: own, blogging-for-books

UPDATE: In Audible US sale today 12/26/18

The first paragraph of the book is what grabbed me:

Long before we discovered that he had fathered two children by two different women, one in Drimoleague and one in Clonakilty, Father James Monroe stood on the altar of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in the parish of Goleen, West Cork, and denounced my mother as a whore.

Pretty powerful stuff, that. Little Cyril is telling the story as a babe not even born yet and the story he told, whew. I was ...more

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Aug 23, 2017 Will Byrnes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-of-the-year-2017, historical-fiction, satire, fiction

Long before we discovered that he had fathered two children by two different women, one in Drimoleague and one in Clonakilty, Father James Monroe stood on the altar of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in the parish of Goleen, west C ork, and denounced my mother as a whore.

I imagine I must have been under some sort of a curse for the last sixteen years or so. How else to explain that I just finished reading my first John Boyne novel. Must be the luck of the Irish, well the Irish-Americ ...more

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Sep 04, 2017 Candace rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: listened-to-audio-version, childhood-loves, forbidden-romance, historical, love-triangles, sweet-heart-warming-stories

Well, I'm definitely in the minority with this one. With an overall average rating of 4.49, based on thousands of reviews, I had expected this book to be a sure thing for me. It just goes to show you that it doesn't always work out that way.

That being said, I can definitely see the appeal of this story for a lot of readers. This book addresses many important topics and tackles some controversial subject matter. It covers a period of time that spans decades, from the 1940's to present-day, lendi Well, I'm definitely in the minority with this one. With an overall average rating of 4.49, based on thousands of reviews, I had expected this book to be a sure thing for me. It just goes to show you that it doesn't always work out that way.

That being said, I can definitely see the appeal of this story for a lot of readers. This book addresses many important topics and tackles some controversial subject matter. It covers a period of time that spans decades, from the 1940's to present-day, lending to an "epic" feel.

Despite all of that, I still didn't love it. I liked it most of the time. The rest of the time, I was bored to death. This audiobook was so long that I didn't feel like I'd ever finish it. Much of that time was spent with mundane descriptions of the main characters daily life and other uneventful filler. While it helped to give a "complete" picture of the social climate and setting, it also made the book drag, in my opinion.

The book tells the story of Cyril Avery, a boy born out of wedlock to a young girl that was outcast by her family and community when her pregnancy was discovered. With no way to provide for herself, much less a baby, Cyril's birth mother decides to put him up for adoption. He was adopted by a wealthy couple in Dublin, who treated him more like a houseguest that had overstayed their welcome than a child that they wanted.

Early-on, Cyril had my sympathy. He was an outsider, even within his own home. His adoptive parents were deplorable at worst and indifferent at best. They provided for Cyril financially, but constantly reminded him that he wasn't a "real" Avery. They only laid claim to him when it suited their personal interests, such as when his adoptive father faced jail time and wanted to appear more sympathetic to the jury.

Cyril's only friend was a boy named Julian, who Cyril had been in love with since they first met. As the boys grew older, Cyril's feelings only intensified. However, he didn't reveal his feelings to Julian or anyone else.

Cyril played the part, going on dates with girls and taking a backseat to Julian's boisterous antics. As Julian slept his way through the female population, Cyril was the reliable, reserved sidekick. He maintained a façade of being a "respectable" and responsible, aka "heterosexual", young man. Meanwhile, he snuck around at night in seedy areas of the seedy where he could indulge in sexual encounters with strange men.

Mostly, I felt sad for Cyril. He couldn't ever relax and just be himself. Instead, he was forced to pretend to be somebody that he wasn't. If his secret came out, he would face persecution. He couldn't risk that, being that Julian might reject him. After all, Julian was the only person in his life that had ever really seemed to care about him at all. Although, in my opinion, I think poor Cyril always ended up getting the short end of the stick in that relationship. Julian always seemed kind of selfish to me.

As the story progressed, there were several big developments. Cyril eventually does find love and is able to live openly as a gay man. However, it was a long, slow journey. Other "big" events along the way, failed to elicit much interest for me. I barely batted an eye as Julian's kidnappers were sending home body parts. That was another clear indication that I just wasn't feeling it.

In the end, I give this one 3.5 stars. It was good, even beautiful at times, but it just didn't move me the way I had anticipated. I read for entertainment before enlightenment, so this type of book is a little outside of my normal type. I liked it, but now it's time for me to gladly jump back into the kiddie pool.

Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com ...more

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Dec 22, 2017 Maureen rated it it was amazing

So it's my last review of 2017, and my year in books has ended pretty much as it began with an excellent 5 star read. John Boyne is a truly gifted writer and 'The Heart's Invisible Furies' is simply mesmerising.

Cyril Avery was born out of wedlock to 16 year old Catherine Coggins. Because of this, Catherine is banished from the small Irish Community where she's lived all her life. This is 1940's Ireland where Catholic priests very much ruled their communities. Publicly denounced as a whore by the So it's my last review of 2017, and my year in books has ended pretty much as it began with an excellent 5 star read. John Boyne is a truly gifted writer and 'The Heart's Invisible Furies' is simply mesmerising.

Cyril Avery was born out of wedlock to 16 year old Catherine Coggins. Because of this, Catherine is banished from the small Irish Community where she's lived all her life. This is 1940's Ireland where Catholic priests very much ruled their communities. Publicly denounced as a whore by the parish priest in front of the whole congregation at Sunday Mass, she boards a bus for Dublin and turns her back on everything and everyone she's ever known.

Baby Cyril is adopted by a wealthy but unconventional couple, and although he isn't badly treated, he's never shown any real love and is constantly reminded that he's not a real Avery and never will be.

As Cyril grows older, he begins to realise that he's not like other boys, he has no interest in girls, and indeed when he meets Julian Woodbead at the age of 7, he's completely obsessed with him and this will continue for many years. He begins to see Julian as the love of his life, however it's a love that's not returned and something he has to keep secret - this was a time when it was a criminal offence to be homosexual, and at the very least would land you a severe beating.

As the years pass we share Cyril's life, firstly in Ireland, then onto Amsterdam where the laws were more lenient towards the gay community, and where he meets his future partner, and then finally to America, where he has to face one of the biggest tragedies of his life.

Oh gosh! This was a family saga of the highest order, covering seven decades, and it deals with issues that would appear unbelievable today. The author demonstrates how the Catholic Church created unbearable situations for families through it's hypocritical small minded beliefs.

It was an emotional read that had me chuckling at times, yet left me tearful at others. I became completely invested in the characters, and wanted to rage at the way Cyril was treated because of his homosexuality - he just wanted to live like everyone else with the one he loved - was that too much to ask?

The writing was that of a master at work, the characters were an eclectic bunch, but all the better for it, and the storyline broke my heart at times with its political and cultural prejudice.

At around 600 pages this isn't a quick read, but if you choose to read it, just savour every page, because if you're like me, you'll be really sorry when it comes to an end. A truly powerful read, and a tremendous finish to 2017.

*Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review* ...more

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Apr 09, 2017 Paromjit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, humour-comic-fiction, literary-fiction, netgalley

The Catholic Church has an unpardonable and deplorable history mired in horrors such as support for fascist regimes in Spain, Germany, Italy, its oppositon to liberation theology whilst buttressing the power of the tyrannical dictators of South and Central America and its brutal history in Ireland. John Boyne embodies the heartbreaking history of Ireland and the Catholic Church in the post war years from 1945 to 2015 through the ordinary life and times of Cyril Avery. It is ambitious, moving, un The Catholic Church has an unpardonable and deplorable history mired in horrors such as support for fascist regimes in Spain, Germany, Italy, its oppositon to liberation theology whilst buttressing the power of the tyrannical dictators of South and Central America and its brutal history in Ireland. John Boyne embodies the heartbreaking history of Ireland and the Catholic Church in the post war years from 1945 to 2015 through the ordinary life and times of Cyril Avery. It is ambitious, moving, unforgettable and epic in scope, incorporating real life characters and events, and documents the ground breaking shifts in Irish attitudes and culture. It begins with a vicious and hypocritical priest publicly denouncing the pregnant Catherine as a whore in public, with the support of her family and expelling her. Her son, Cyril, is adopted by Roger and Maud Avery, who inform Cyril that he is not family, simply a family tenant for the period of 18 years. Cyril lives in Dublin, Amsterdam and the city of New York.

Cyril comes to realise that he is gay in a society that condemns and criminalises him, ensuring that he is fearful and secretive whilst igniting an unbearable self hatred within him. The sanctimonious, misogynist, and judgemental Catholic church refers to being gay as a mortal sin, sanctioning punitive communities who relish in gossip that shred lives and reputations with impunity. The most important people in Cyril's life are childhood friend, Julian Woodbead who he meets when he is 7 years old and the dedicated and insightful Dutch docter, Bastiaan, encountered in Amsterdam who views Irish attitudes with bemusement. There is much sex and the deployment of the blackest of comedy and humour in the horrors, misfortunes and trials that befall Cyril through the years. This is a coming of age story, an emotional search for a sense of identity, home and country. Boyne's justifiable rage at a church and nation that inflicts such harrowing damage to its citizens is something I wholeheartedly share in spades. A Catholic Church bought to its knees by abuse and scandals is a welcome progressive development in Irish history, the people voting for gay marriage even more so. However, it barely atones for what happens to Cyril and others like him.

This is a savagely funny and entertaining read with a emotional and compelling narrative with such heart. The prose is beautifully expressive, vital and vivid. The character of Cyril is brilliantly developed to chime with Irish history. There are perhaps some questionable coincidences but they do not prevent the enjoyment of the story. I particularly loved the way Boyne celebrates the kindness and tolerance of ordinary people juxtaposed with a country ill served by corrupt, self serving politicians. An exceptionally brilliant book that I loved and cannot recommend highly enough. Thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC. ...more

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Jul 17, 2017 Diane S ☔ rated it it was amazing

When I first started reading this I had no idea of how much I would end up loving this book. Felt that way for the first 100 pages or so, not that I wasn't liking it but the beginning sometimes seemed a by muddled, couldn't figure out where it was going. It starts in the forties, in an Ireland where Catholic priests held way too much power over the lives of their parishioners. A young woman, barely sixteen and pregnant is literally drummed out of the church, after refusing to name the father of ...more

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Apr 16, 2017 Carol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, published-2017, chunkster, netgalley, kindle, 2017-super-favorites, read-2017

WOW! UNPUTDOWNABLE! UNFORGETTABLE! BEST OF THE BEST IN MY BOOK!

In THE HEART'S INVISIBLE FURIES, the story begins in Ireland and Catholic priests rule.

As for this reader, John Boyne rules.....Get ready to laugh, be shocked, appalled and heartbroken (continuously) as you read Cyril Avery's life story. We have here excellence in story-telling, amazing characters with outlandish names AND personalities that fit them to a big fat T.

Adopted as a baby to peculiar parents (to say the least) Cyril is oft

...more

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Jan 21, 2019 Meredith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: overdrive

5 BILLION STARS

“We’re none of us normal. Not in this f*cking country.”

I don’t have the words to do this book justice, so all I will say is that I loved everything about this book: the characters, the plot, the sentences. Every moment, every word, every second of reading. It's perfection!

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Jul 28, 2017 Angela M rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

I'm finding it difficult to do justice to this story that evoked so many emotions, sometimes from one extreme to another. I was sad and angry among moments of joy and there were times when I laughed out loud. The story a man struggling in a society that doesn't accept homosexuality, living with the odd people who adopted him at three days old, who said he'd never be an Avery . How is it possible for him to have a capacity for love, for caring when he experiences no love or comfort or caring in t ...more

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Jan 04, 2019 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, e-book, fiction-literature, historical-fiction, cultural, saga

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne is a 2017 Hogarth Press publication.

For years people have listened to me bemoan the demise of the great, epic literary saga. The big tome that covered decades and generations, loaded with drama, the sweeping grand love stories, the heartbreaks, crimes, and tragedies.

While this book has achieved a great deal of press, loads of accolades and praise, and is very beloved, for so many understandable reasons, at the end of the day, this is an amazing family ...more

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Jul 07, 2017 Larry H rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

Few authors can slay me emotionally while simultaneously making me think, the way that John Boyne does. His book The Absolutist (see my original review), is one of my favorite books of all time, and also made my list of the best books I read in 2012. Five years later, I still can't get that book out of my mind or my heart.

While not all of Boyne's books have caught my interest, his latest, The Heart's Invisible Furies , utterly knocked me out. I read the entire book in one day (thanks to two a Few authors can slay me emotionally while simultaneously making me think, the way that John Boyne does. His book The Absolutist (see my original review), is one of my favorite books of all time, and also made my list of the best books I read in 2012. Five years later, I still can't get that book out of my mind or my heart.

While not all of Boyne's books have caught my interest, his latest, The Heart's Invisible Furies , utterly knocked me out. I read the entire book in one day (thanks to two airplane trips, a delayed flight, and time to kill before an out-of-town meeting), and found myself at various times moved, angered, touched, perplexed, and devastated. (Sometimes I existed in more than one of these states simultaneously.)

I honestly don't know if there are appropriate words to express how much I love Boyne's writing, so I'll turn to Janice from the television show Friends :

Cyril Avery is born in 1945 out of wedlock to a fiercely independent teenager in Dublin, who is cast out in disgrace by her small Irish village. Adopted by Charles, a wealthy, womanizing ne'er-do-well and Maud, his novelist wife (who writes like a fiend but is horrified if her books sell or get any fanfare), whose parenting style consist mostly of forgetting he's there, forgetting he's a child, and reminding him he's adopted, Cyril is a quiet, intellectual child, mostly observing the crazy behaviors around him.

When he is seven years old he meets Julian Woodbead, the son of Charles' lawyer and childhood friend. Even at seven, Julian is infinitely more glamorous and worldly than anyone Cyril can imagine, and Cyril is utterly transfixed by him. This chance encounter begins a lifelong relationship which will bring Cyril to the greatest heights and the lowest lows, force him to understand who he is and what he wants and feels he deserves from life, and come to terms with his homeland and its domination by religion, as well as his unique upbringing.

The Heart's Invisible Furies follows Cyril from birth and then moves in seven-year intervals through his life. This is a searing look at how all too often we hide our true selves from those we care about, out of fear, self-loathing, and self-preservation, but it's also a look at how circumstances both within and beyond our control shape our lives and our chances at happiness and satisfaction. This is a story of friendship, love, bravery, pain, loss, violence, politics, religion, prejudice, and trying to find peace within ourselves, against a backdrop of some of the more tumultuous times in our world.

While my description makes this book sound more ambitious than it is, at its heart, this is a book about love of all kinds. Boyne's writing truly took my breath away at times, and even if I found Cyril's character a little too passive occasionally, I still felt for him, as well as the other characters Boyne created. There was a little too much violence in this book (not truly graphic in every case) but I know the scenes were in keeping with the world and time in which they were set.

This book didn't leave me in tears as often as The Absolutist did, but it moved me all the same. (And speaking of The Absolutist, props to Boyne for a subtle tip of the hat to that book in this one.) This is a book that needs to be read, be felt, and be pondered. I know I'll be thinking of the beauty and emotion of The Heart's Invisible Furies for some time.

NetGalley and Crown Publishing provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

...more

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Jan 10, 2018 Jaline rated it really liked it

Shelves: xx2018-completed

I learned a lot about Ireland – and the Irish – while reading this book. I learned that the priests are all perverts and sadistic controllers; their parishioners do their best to follow the example of the priests; the people are ignorant (and thus use myriad swear words instead of using real words); the men are either homosexual or they want to be, and if they aren’t either of those, they are still completely obsessed with sex with as many partners as possible, as are the other men. In fact, I l I learned a lot about Ireland – and the Irish – while reading this book. I learned that the priests are all perverts and sadistic controllers; their parishioners do their best to follow the example of the priests; the people are ignorant (and thus use myriad swear words instead of using real words); the men are either homosexual or they want to be, and if they aren’t either of those, they are still completely obsessed with sex with as many partners as possible, as are the other men. In fact, I learned that most Irish, male or female, gay or straight, are actually obsessed with sex in one way or another. Maybe this is also why the governments are completely corrupt and filled with people who would rather watch TV and fight with each other than figure out how to run the country – or so I learned.

This novel has a lot of humour in it – dialogue and narrative that is truly funny and engaging. This is particularly true in the first part of the book. However, somewhere along the line a strong undercurrent of anger colours the humour with dark paint. As Cyril’s life changes through his boyhood into his twenties, then his thirties, he still hasn’t figured out that maybe life’s challenges are actually there to teach him something; that maybe self-pity and nurturing feelings of being misunderstood are not a healthy way for anyone to make something productive of their life.

Even life-changing and positive relationships don’t seem to work for our Cyril. He manages to mess up anyway. When the most precious relationship of his life is destroyed, he moves along like an automaton in his enclosure of self-protection – still unwilling to accept that life has laid out lessons for him that cannot be escaped. Luckily, there are some people in his life who will not allow him to avoid himself forever and who were willing to help him help himself gain perspective and make some progress.

It is hard to tell what goes on in those “gap times” in his life (the book is written in seven-year intervals through his life span), but he does seem to start pulling himself together into an understanding that he is a being who is human and that maybe he’s not the only person in the world (or even Ireland) who has been challenged with hard choices and decisions to make in their lives.

Curiously, while the majority of the men in this book are weak in common sense, weak-willed, subject to bodily functions and fierce tempers alternating with ferocious indifference, the women are the opposite. They are mostly strong characters, intelligent, witty, and capable. I loved that the women are depicted this way. More evolution of all characters would have been even more welcome.

I did enjoy this book – I like the way it was laid out and the story has its brilliant moments as the writing is excellent. The rumbling undercurrents of anger alternating with abject self-pity did put me off, but maybe that was intended. If so, this book succeeded on all levels. ...more

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Oct 24, 2017 Mischenko rated it really liked it

See this review @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/...

I picked this up on Netgalley as soon as I saw it and I was luckily approved. I read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas years ago with my oldest son and couldn’t wait to read this after I read a few reviews on Goodreads from some close friends. The book wasn’t what I expected and due to the myriad of feelings I have about it, I’ve been struggling to write a review on it for a few weeks now. There might be spoilers here.

The story begins with a ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Adina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, ireland

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 cha 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.

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review ...more

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Sep 12, 2017 Kevin Ansbro rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Lovers of Irish fiction. Broad-minded readers. People who have have a wicked sense of humour.

Recommended to Kevin by: Cheri and Elyse

Shelves: human-cruelty, human-emotions, immorality, modern-romance, morality, shabby-hedonism, spiteful-humour, funny-as-f, irish-fiction, coming-of-age

"Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn't."
-George Bernard Shaw

At the outset, author John Boyle sets the scene that will lay the foundation for this bittersweet, decade-traversing novel: sixteen-year-old Catherine Goggan is with child in a god-fearing, godforsaken part of rural Ireland. But this is Ireland in 1945, when blind prejudice is as ubiquitous as clover in the meadows. And, because of her supposedly egregious sin, the town's misogynis ...more

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Mar 11, 2018 Susanne Strong rated it it was amazing

Shelves: traveling-sister-read, 2018-five-star-books, favorites, must-read, botm

5 Absolutely Brilliant Amazing Stars.

Unforgettable, Heartbreaking and Humorous. In “The Heart’s Invisible Furies,” John Boyne takes us on the journey of Cyril Avery’s life. His loves and losses, his heartbreaks and his triumphs. He makes you laugh out loud hysterically and cry just as often. John Boyne makes you fall in love with every single character in this brilliant novel. Cyril, his best friend Julian Woodbead, Julian’s sister Alice, Bastiaan and Ignaac. After finishing it, my heart was fu 5 Absolutely Brilliant Amazing Stars.

Unforgettable, Heartbreaking and Humorous. In “The Heart’s Invisible Furies,” John Boyne takes us on the journey of Cyril Avery’s life. His loves and losses, his heartbreaks and his triumphs. He makes you laugh out loud hysterically and cry just as often. John Boyne makes you fall in love with every single character in this brilliant novel. Cyril, his best friend Julian Woodbead, Julian’s sister Alice, Bastiaan and Ignaac. After finishing it, my heart was full. “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” definitely tops one of my favorite books ever list. I hope it finds its way on yours as well.

In the 1940’s, Cyril Avery’s birth mother, Catherine Goggin, was cast out of the Catholic Church for being an unwed mother. Cyril was then adopted by Charles and Maude Avery. They have never considered him to be a “real” Avery. Then, at the age of seven, Cyril undergoes a defining moment. He meets Julian Woodbead and they do what all little boys do, expose themselves to each other. In that exact moment, Cyril knows. He likes boys. He also knows that in Ireland, in that day and age, it is not acceptable, thus Cyril keeps it a secret and so it begins. A life of keeping secrets.

Heart’s is brilliant, clever, heartfelt, humorous and sad. Moments of laughing out loud WICKEDLY and SOBBING hysterically. This novel progresses every seven years up until 2015, throughout Cyril’s life as a gay man. He is responsible for heartache and pain and equally experiences bigotry, racism, love and hate. No one gets out unscathed. John Boyne brilliantly ties characters and storylines together in a way that stunned me. I loved this novel like no other. All I can say is that I hope you will too. Read it. Read it now. You will NOT regret it.

I shared this reading experience with Brenda and Lindsay. Reading this together was incredible. Lindsay and I loved Cyril like no other character. I’m so glad I read this with my sisters! Thank you ladies. Love you both.

Published on Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 3.11.18. ...more

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May 29, 2017 Debbie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, cultural, 2017-best-reads, almost-all-time-faves, lgbt, favorite-authors

5 meaty stars!

It has to be good if I give 5 stars to a 600-pager! (She with the ADD who likes her books to be under 400 pages….) Seriously, big books annoy me because so often they have fillers. Reading a big book can be like eating a massive plate of noodles, when you really just want to get to the luscious meatball nuggets buried somewhere in there (vegetarians, please imagine tofu nuggets; I must make this analogy relatable!). In a big book, you often get a plate full of philosophical or reli ...more

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May 22, 2017 Cheri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, 2017, ireland, irish-author, literary-fiction, literature-irish-literature, favourites

!! NOW AVAILABLE !!

The Catholic Church has not been known for embracing homosexuality, or sexuality except as it relates to bearing children to those happily wed with the blessing of the Church. It is in 1945, this era in Ireland, where sixteen year-old Catherine is exiled from her church by their priest, the same priest, who it will later be discovered had fathered two children by two women. One in Drimoloeague, one in Clonakilty. The same Father James Monroe denounces Catherine as a whore and !! NOW AVAILABLE !!

The Catholic Church has not been known for embracing homosexuality, or sexuality except as it relates to bearing children to those happily wed with the blessing of the Church. It is in 1945, this era in Ireland, where sixteen year-old Catherine is exiled from her church by their priest, the same priest, who it will later be discovered had fathered two children by two women. One in Drimoloeague, one in Clonakilty. The same Father James Monroe denounces Catherine as a whore and bans her from returning to this town with the congregation looking on as he drags her past the graveyard, giving her an hour to be gone. Forever.

Buying a one-way ticket, she boards the bus to Dublin with plans for no further than getting through this day. A young man named Seán gets on the bus at a later stop and eventually starts up a conversation with Catherine, and when they arrive in Dublin, it is to Seán’s friend Jack’s place they go, where Catherine will end up staying. She will eventually find work in the Dáil Éireann tearoom.

Told in seven-year increments, in 1952 we are introduced to young Cyril Avery, the adopted son of Roger and Maud Avery. Cyril is but a lad of seven years, and is taught to stress to others that he is the adopted son of Roger and Maud. This is the year that young Cyril will meet Julian, who will become his friend, his roommate, and the first boy that Cyril loves. Both Julian’s parents and Cyril’s adoptive parents are fairly well off. Cyril’s adopted mother is an author of some fame, not that she seeks fame, she can’t abide the thought of it.

Through Cyril we follow the changes that have since taken place in regard to sexuality, in Ireland and to some extent in the world. Ireland transforms over the years, becomes less of a theocracy, more tolerant, more attuned to civil rights, in a sense, Ireland's own "coming-of-age" tale. We follow Cyril from Dublin to Amsterdam, to New York, and eventually back to Ireland again, covering more than the struggle for gay rights; this also touches on the topic of sexual slavery, and more.

This story is the coming-of-age account of one boy-to-man, struggling with who he is and where or even if he belongs anywhere in this world, the shame he carries with him, the fear of being “found out,” the desire to find a place where he is accepted, most can relate to the feeling of wanting to feel safe and accepted. The people he meets through his life by chance, these wonderful characters help shape him, help him find a way to deal with his feelings of loss, and help lead him to an emotional place of peace.

All these struggles, and yet Boyne manages to include moments of humour, moments of lightness, moments of fun. There are tragic, devastating moments, and anger, balanced by some lovely, inspiring moments. Those commonplace moments of life, as well. Most of all, there’s love, finding love, falling in love, and living in love.

I was completely immersed in these words of Boyne. I laughed, I cried, and I was reminded that sometimes salvation may be found within, but even that requires a journey.

Highly Recommended

Pub Date: 22 Aug 2017

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Crown Publishing / Hogarth ...more

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Feb 26, 2018 Lindsay - Traveling Sister rated it it was amazing

Shelves: traveling-sister-read

5 stars!

I am having a hard time finding the proper way to describe my love for this book. Cyril is one of the most amazing and unforgettable characters I have ever ‘met’!

I felt an immediate connection to this novel – from page 1, I was fully invested in Cyril’s life. I felt so many emotions throughout the pages of this captivating book – happiness, anxiety, sorrow, sadness, anger, disappointment, excitement……and the list goes on. Cyril’s narration was done brilliantly!

This is my first book by ...more

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Sep 29, 2017 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 4000-books

582 pages of pure, unalloyed reading pleasure! This is my second book by this author and I have not got a single word of criticism to make about his writing.

The Heart's Invisible Furies tells the tale of Cyril Avery's life, right from his mother's unfortunate pregnancy to his eventual death. Cyril is a wonderful character who makes some shocking mistakes along the way but does good things too. I loved his sense of humour most of all, especially in the face of the ignorance and stupidity he had t ...more

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Sep 02, 2017 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: from-publisher, read-2017, puppysquisher

This book starts with a young girl being kicked out of her church because she is pregnant. The church and her family toss her out and she heads off to Dublin.

On reading the first bit of this story I thought everyone five starring this book had lost their minds...it wasn't bad but I was not turning pages very fast. (Partly due to being sucked into the Netflix void called Wentworth..not sorry)

Then the baby is born and we meet Cyril...and then I began to understand the rave reviews.

Cyril is given ...more

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Jan 13, 2018 Ann Marie (Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine) rated it it was amazing

I knew I had to read The Heart’s Invisible Furies when I saw it on so many “Best of 2017” lists. The endorsement of several of my favorite bloggers who often have tastes similar to my was enough to convince me to insert this 582 page book smack into the middle of my already jam-packed reading schedule. A few of those include Renee at It's Book Talk , Sarah at Sarah's Book Shelves , and Susie at Novel Visits. I’m happy say I do not regret for one moment the fews days following that I felt compell I knew I had to read The Heart’s Invisible Furies when I saw it on so many “Best of 2017” lists. The endorsement of several of my favorite bloggers who often have tastes similar to my was enough to convince me to insert this 582 page book smack into the middle of my already jam-packed reading schedule. A few of those include Renee at It's Book Talk , Sarah at Sarah's Book Shelves , and Susie at Novel Visits. I’m happy say I do not regret for one moment the fews days following that I felt compelled to read and review an entire book in the same day just to stay on schedule. This book proved to be one of the best, if not THE best that I’ve ever read.

In addition to the above, there are many reviews out there so I’m going to focus mostly on my experience with the book and what I felt were the highlights. I agree with the sentiments of so many others in repeating that the story was rich, unique, beautifully written and full of well-drawn characters to love (or not). Even in the lightest moments in this book, there was a heaviness in my heart that may have dissipated but never completely went away.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies if full of heartbreak, longing, and even humor – one of the most emotive books I’ve ever read. From the very beginning, where Cyril’s unwed, teenage mother is cast out of her church and her home, I was so drawn in that I never wanted to put this book down. It was a page-turner for sure, but not for the reasons one would normally think. Rather than flipping through at the edge of my seat because I couldn’t wait to see what happens next, I found myself simply unable to leave Cyril. I felt very connected to his character. I needed to see him through.

This book takes a hard look at many social issues from what is, at best the intolerance of and at worst, the abuse of power of the Catholic Church in Ireland to the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1980’s New York City. The unbelievable difficulty/impossibility of living openly as a gay man in Ireland in times considered “modern” where one of the things I found most heartbreaking.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies could also be primer on how to write all manner of highly nuanced family dynamics. There are too many examples to name but I was most struck by the complete rejection faced by many of the characters due to pretty much anything having to do with sex – if you had it, if you were thinking about having it, if you wanted to have it with the “wrong sort” of person, even if you were abused, you faced immeasurable pain and rejection from the very people you depended on most for love and support. The weight of shame was crushing. I’m gutted to think that in many parts of the world, including here in the U.S., there are still people who are unable to live openly without fear of rejection and violence.

I was amazed at the way John Boyne was able to weave together historically accurate renderings of the times with a series of unlikely events and coincidences in a way that felt absolutely authentic. Not once did I scoff at any of the improbabilities in the story. This, for me, is one of the hallmarks of a true classic.

Prior to having read The Heart’s Invisible Furies, the only book I’d read by John Boyne was The House of Special Purpose which I can also recommend. I’m now keen to read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I can’t wait to see what he comes out with next. ...more

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Feb 15, 2019 Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

”The desire to fall in love and to share one’s life with someone is neither a homosexual nor a heterosexual conceit. It’s human. We’re all suckers for a pretty face or a kind heart. What else can we do but keep hoping that the right person will show up?” - John Boyne

I usually don’t start my reviews with a quote from the author her/himself but I think this one is very important and needs to be read. In my opinion it’s the message John Boyne wanted to convey when he wrote “The Heart’s Invisible Fu ...more

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Feb 28, 2018 PorshaJo rated it really liked it

Shelves: challengereads, challengereads-2018, favorites-2018, audio

Rating 4.75

Love! I just love this one! A special heart-warming book that should be read by everyone! It puts you through so many emotions while reading it. I laughed, I gasped, and I tried *really* hard not to cry. Note to self - don't read this book in public on the next read. The odd looks when you laugh out loud. I resisted for so long, worried about all the hype. But this is one time where you can believe that hype.

The Heart's Invisible Furries tells the life story of Cyril Avery, well, he's Rating 4.75

Love! I just love this one! A special heart-warming book that should be read by everyone! It puts you through so many emotions while reading it. I laughed, I gasped, and I tried *really* hard not to cry. Note to self - don't read this book in public on the next read. The odd looks when you laugh out loud. I resisted for so long, worried about all the hype. But this is one time where you can believe that hype.

The Heart's Invisible Furries tells the life story of Cyril Avery, well, he's not a REAL Avery. Told in various years from his birth to almost the end, told in 7 year spans. He was born to a very young, un-wed girl in Ireland in the early 1940's, which is blasphemy. She is cast out of her church, her home, her family, and her town by the local priest. After all, the priests in Ireland pretty much run everything and tell people how THEY should live. Eventually, Cyril is adopted by Charles (love him) and Maude Avery and spends his early childhood with them. Quite the odd "family" dynamic here but it leaves a lasting impression on Cyril. Cyril knows early on that he is a gay man, but it's a crime in Ireland. So begins his life. He goes through many trials and tribulations and heartache over the years. You watch as he leaves Ireland, moving to Amsterdam, New York, and eventually back to Ireland. Cyril is a bit of an odd one at times, sometimes so aloof, he appears clueless. Which made me love him even more. So many wonderful, unforgettable characters in this one. So many topics covered such as politics, bigotry, racism, love, death, violence, illness, marriage, and I can go on and on. But I don't want to give anything away.

My only issue with this one is so many things in Cyril's life seemed to have way too many coincidences. So I had to knock it a bit for that. No one's life has that much fate intervening. But in the end, I loved it. And the audio....LOVED IT! Seriously, one of the best audios I've listened to in a very long time, and probably a favorite of mine. An actor can really do an audio justice and this was a perfect example. Stephen Hogan was fabulous. I highly suggest a listen to this audio. The book, it probably is in the top 10 of my all time favorites, and probably closer to the top. I'm looking for the print now and my only dilemma is.....do I read it, or listen to the audio the next time I revisit this one. ...more

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May 16, 2018 Candi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, european-literature, chunksters

4.5 stars

"Long before we discovered that he had fathered two children by two different women, one in Drimoleague and one in Clonakilty, Father James Monroe stood on the altar of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in the parish of Goleen, West Cork, and denounced my mother as a whore."

Catherine Goggin, age sixteen, had the misfortune of finding herself unwed and pregnant in a time and place wholly unforgiving of her condition – the time being the mid-1940s, and the place Ireland, a country 4.5 stars

"Long before we discovered that he had fathered two children by two different women, one in Drimoleague and one in Clonakilty, Father James Monroe stood on the altar of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in the parish of Goleen, West Cork, and denounced my mother as a whore."

Catherine Goggin, age sixteen, had the misfortune of finding herself unwed and pregnant in a time and place wholly unforgiving of her condition – the time being the mid-1940s, and the place Ireland, a country then in the clutches of an unforgiving Catholic Church. Banished from home and community, Catherine boards a bus to Dublin and a new life. Her newfound freedom will not allow her to keep her baby, however – the people of Dublin are no more empathetic to her plight than those of Goleen. Thus begins Cyril’s life under the care of the Averys, a well-to-do childless couple who are the most unlikely of parents. "Charles Avery, who, along with his wife, Maude, opened their home to me after signing a sizable check to the Redemptorist convent for all their help in the matter of finding a suitable child. From the start, they never pretended to be anything other than my adoptive parents and, in fact, schooled me in this detail from the time I could first understand the meaning of the words."

The Heart’s Invisible Furies takes one on an emotional, turbulent, and often humorous journey spanning seven decades in the life of Cyril Avery. This remarkable novel is told through Cyril’s voice, and his voice is one you will not easily forget. Like his mother before him, Cyril will be ‘guilty’ of a ‘crime’ in Catholic Ireland – homosexuality is as unpardonable as unwed motherhood. Throughout his life, he will experience and suffer from loneliness, lust, hypocrisy and bigotry, love, and grief. Most of all, Cyril’s story is that of the struggle to fit in, accept his identity, and ultimately grasp the always-elusive true happiness. In this pursuit, we will follow Cyril from an unsympathetic Dublin to the more tolerant Amsterdam, to New York City in the grip of the AIDS epidemic, and back once again to a transformed Dublin.

John Boyne is without a doubt a masterful storyteller. At approximately six hundred pages, this is a bit of a tome, but it engages the reader throughout. The pages turn quickly, and I never tired of it. Every character is written thoughtfully; each is unique and with a set of flaws that make him or her memorable and genuine. I even loved the not-so-likeable folks, oozing with so much vitality. Cyril, Catherine, Julian, Charles, Maude, Mary-Margaret and Alice are among the many that nearly walk straight from the pages of the book and into your own life for a time. I think this would have been a very heavy read if Boyne had written this any differently. The humor, sometimes understated and other times undisguised, was sprinkled throughout and was necessary to lighten the tone of a book that could have been brimming with heartache. The brilliant dialogue is what shines the most in this novel. There were several cringeworthy moments in Cyril’s life that may cause the more sensitive reader to perhaps wince from time to time. However, such episodes were par for the course with the subject matter, and once again a bit of comedy comes to the rescue. There seemed to be an abundance of coincidences, and I often had to set my incredulity aside and just enjoy the ride.

Whether or not you can identify with Cyril’s struggles of sexuality, you undoubtedly will be able to relate to a desire to be loved, to love freely without prejudice, and to simply belong. Like me, you will probably run through the entire gamut of emotions while reading this – from anger to shock to sorrow and to joy. This is my third John Boyne book and he has not yet failed to impress me with his wonderful writing and captivating tales. ...more

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Mar 24, 2017 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a story! This is about a Dubliner, Cyril Avery and takes place just prior to his birth, and in 7 year increments thereafter. We are taken from Ireland, to Amsterdam, then New York.. and back to Ireland.

We see the hypocrisy and influence of the Catholic Church in post World War ll Ireland until its evolution of change many years later, and how Cyril managed to live his homosexual life during these times. There is a lot of humor amid the drama!

These characters are wonderful and ended up meani ...more

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Dec 17, 2017 *TANYA* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-fav, own-it, highly-recommend

Brilliant!!! I cried plenty, laughed lots, gasped at times, and sobbed on numerous occasions. A very emotional book, full of endearing (and some loathsome) characters and incidents. Fantastic writing, clever story telling, the sequence of events combined with fiction and factual were sublime. My favored aspect of this book was how the story lines were scattered here and there but eventually they all came to fruition. Best of 2017, in my top 10 favorite for the year.

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Nov 22, 2018 Lori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin that come down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death light that endures.

—J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion

I love a fairy tale. From the hunchback old woman delivering the foundling babe to the castle until the happy wedding at the end. Well, not precisely a foundling, nor royalty in a castle for that matter, but close enough.

It's not a subtle point. The key phrase "a little h ...more

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About John Boyne

John Boyne

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John Boyne (born 30 April 1971 in Dublin) is an Irish novelist.

He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and studied Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, where he won the Curtis Brown prize. In 2015, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by UEA.

John Boyne is the author of ten novels for adults and five for young readers, as well as a collection of short stories.

His novel ...more