The Heart's Invisible Furies

It is rare that you find yourself deliberately reading slowly because you want to savour every sentence, every phrase, every word in a novel, and because you don't want the experience to finish. Rich, layered characters, with subtle and complex themes, and an extremely clever plot. John Boyne is magnificent.

This was a wonderful story. One error though, until 1971, there were pounds, shillings and pence so it would have been 10 shillings, not 50 pence in 1959. It makes me feel glad to realise that Ireland has grown up quite a bit since I was a child.

My favourite book this year. I really enjoyed it so much that I was sad to finish it. The writing style was unusual, but I really liked it. Have recommended it to other people who all loved it too. Definitely worth a read.

The beginning was fairly depressing. The story developed nicely and by the end I was glad I continued to read to the finish. It was uplifting . The characters were diffucult to relate to until almost the end. I am glad I made it through to finish

Ever wonder why so many Irish were always emigrating? It wasn't just because of hunger, it was also because of the crushing authority of the church and the prejudices and hate it cultivated. This is a story of wonderful people who didn't fit in, who were outcast for becoming pregnant while unmarried or whose sexual orientation made them criminals and fair game for anyone. It is a sad story at time, but written with feeling - and with humour, so you almost laugh when you feel like crying. I enjoyed the book tremendously, and think a lot of people would benefit from as well as enjoy reading it.

This book is touching and hilarious. Beautifully written, it paints an incredible picture of a life and of Irish society across decades. Can’t recommend it enough. Though some of the subject matter is tough, the storytelling is tender and humorous, making for a compelling and memorable read.

This story was so moving. Being able to follow Cyril through his life and be a witness to the pains he's suffered as well as the greatness in overcoming those pains has been a beautiful experience. I was sad when the book ended because I felt so connected to the characters.

This book had me laughing and crying. An exquisitely told story that inspires and makes one feel included in a crazy world. Thank you to John Boyne and other writers who are able to tap into a psyche of a generation and put into words what the heart is too overwhelmed to articulate.

I simply adored this story. I laughed and cried. The humor of the characters and the heartbreaking events made the story feel real and relatable to me. Cyril may be one of my all time favorite characters.

Usually I only like books with an exciting plot line, but this story didn’t need it. I loved the connection you felt with the main character. Reading through his emotional development pulled at my heart strings like no other story has.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies: Who is Cyril Avery? is set in Ireland and spans 70 years from the 1940s when Cyril Avery is an adopted child.

Cyril grows up in Dublin with his eccentric adopted parents: his new mother Maud, an author, and his new father, Charles Avery, the Director of Investments in the Bank of Ireland. It was made clear to Cyril that he was adopted and not a ‘true Avery’ – therefore he would not be supported financially as an adult ‘in the manner that a real Avery would have been.’ He befriends Julian Woodbead, a boy the same age, and the son of Max Woodbead, the solicitor defending Cyril’s father. A precocious seven-year-old, at 14 Cyril and Julian are boarders at Belvedere College, and by 21 Cyril questions his identity and sexuality. By 1973, at 28 years of age, he dates Julian’s sister, Alice.

He abandons Alice and their son Liam. Constantly searching for his place in the world, Cyril seeks an expression of his true self, an understanding of his ancestry, and acceptance in society. Presented with both humour and pathos, Boyne goes beneath the surface of outward appearances and personality to explore the truth behind Cyril’s need to be needed, and his search for the mother that abandonned him.