sarahbish's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tanyafrey's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Homophobia, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Hate crime, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Trafficking, Outing, and Medical content
duffymn's review against another edition
5.0
Well, if you too devoted an entire graduate class to Joyce’s Ulysses, it’s top notch. If not, don’t despair. This perhaps is the longest and most gripping novel I’ve read in a decade. What a true Irish family saga, filled with some of the most heartache and love I’ve ever read. Nuggets of dark comedy lace the text. The ending begs for more. Well done, Boyne. Well done. Few novels drive me (even after 531 pages) to read more. I’ll read everything Boyne writes, forever.
jadewhite1008's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sewsurf's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
fuck this book
mollybugler's review against another edition
5.0
One of those books you could reread over and over again to learn something new each time. Utterly adored it, a great recommendation 😏
lnbnjmin's review against another edition
5.0
An absolute must-read. So heartbreakingly beautiful and thorough.
taygivs's review against another edition
5.0
“Well, Cyril,’ she said, leaning forward and surprising me by her choice of words. ‘If there’s one thing I’ve learned in more than seven decades of life, it’s that the world is a completely fucked-up place. You never know what’s around the corner and it’s often something unpleasant.”
I’ve been singing my praise for this book from the rooftops because it’s been such a powerful force in my life. Every few years a book comes around and fundamentally changes me. The last two books were Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and A Little Life by Hanya Yanigihara. The Heart’s Invisible Furies reminded me that it is possible to find peace in the face of unimaginable tragedy and suffering. It reminded me that a good cry and a “shit. this sucks” is sometimes good enough. It begged me to sift through life’s darkness and find optimism’s beaming light. It reminded me that joy comes simply from accepting and living in truth. It reminded me that human connection is messy and nonlinear and breathtaking in its beauty. Perhaps most importantly, it reminded me that even when the world falls apart, the human heart is a wonderfully fierce and resilient little thing. ❤️ I cried for days—big heaping ugly tears. Should you decide you’d like to break your own heart just to learn how to put the pieces back together again, I know just the book.
I’ve been singing my praise for this book from the rooftops because it’s been such a powerful force in my life. Every few years a book comes around and fundamentally changes me. The last two books were Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and A Little Life by Hanya Yanigihara. The Heart’s Invisible Furies reminded me that it is possible to find peace in the face of unimaginable tragedy and suffering. It reminded me that a good cry and a “shit. this sucks” is sometimes good enough. It begged me to sift through life’s darkness and find optimism’s beaming light. It reminded me that joy comes simply from accepting and living in truth. It reminded me that human connection is messy and nonlinear and breathtaking in its beauty. Perhaps most importantly, it reminded me that even when the world falls apart, the human heart is a wonderfully fierce and resilient little thing. ❤️ I cried for days—big heaping ugly tears. Should you decide you’d like to break your own heart just to learn how to put the pieces back together again, I know just the book.