The Heart's Invisible Furies
Book Review - The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Reading The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne in New Town at St. Charles, MO
I'm a little late to the party on this book, it originally came out in August of 2017...but my review is just in time for the release of the paperback! Remember when I reviewed The Authentics and interviewed the author, Abdi Nazemian? Well a few weeks later Abdi emailed me and suggested that I read and review The Heart's Invisible Furies. Abdi's exact words were that it "blew me away" adding, "Truly, this book touched me more than any I've read in years, and I've been recommending it far and wide." I mean, how could I not read it after a recommendation like that?
Reading The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne in New Town at St. Charles, MO
But on the other hand, when you hear a review like that, your expectations are pretty high. So what if the book doesn't live up? You need not worry with this one - it far exceeded my already-high expectations. This book is touching: heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. The author explores themes of love, both romantic and familial, and posing the question what makes people family. I can't recommend this book enough.
Reading The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne in New Town at St. Charles, MO
The story centers around the life of Cyril Avery - born to an unmarried woman who was thrown out of her Catholic church, Cyril was put up for adoption. Thus, Cyril Avery is not a real Avery...and his adoptive parents remind him of that fact quite often. We follow Cyril's life from the moment he was born through the many tragedies and fortunes of his life. We meet a variety of characters that enter and exit his life - some who come back around and others who make only a single, brief appearance (much like all of our lives.) Cyril's story comes full-circle beautifully, ending back where it began with countless life lessons learned along the way.
Reading The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne in New Town at St. Charles, MO
There were a few times that I felt the story was progressing slowly. But I just needed to give it time to reveal the significance of the plot. Everything included in this book was rich with meaning, sometimes it just took awhile to reveal the significance. It was truly touching. I cried real tears, I literally laughed out loud, and there were moments I needed to pause, stop reading, and take a moment to let a passage sink in (or to give myself a relief from all the feels.)
Reading The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne in New Town at St. Charles, MO
At 580 pages, this book is a bit of a commitment (and I'm the worst at committing to long books!) This one was worth every page, every minute spent reading. Go out and read this book - you won't regret it. PS - Abdi, thank you so much for recommending this one! I owe you one.
