A review by saestrah
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

emotional funny hopeful sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Having this book on my TBR list for long enough that I forgot what the book was about, I almost stopped reading this after the end of the first part. To avoid spoilers, it wasn't subject matter I was particularly in the mood to read and it was just before going to bed. But I loved the narration from the first page so I picked it up again over breakfast and couldn't put it down. After staying up until four in the morning to finish it, and writing this after five hours of sleep, I still don't regret my decision.

The Heart's Invisible Furies is incredibly moving, with each chapter narrating Cycil's life in seven year increments. Despite the hardship of his life, from growing up gay in Ireland in the 40s to the AIDs pandemic in the 80s, Cycil's narration is incredibly funny. Often blinded by his own emotions, it's easy to get swept up in his struggles through relationships and identity, that when revelations come to life I was as shocked as he was. The plot had predictable moments with threads of coincidences too good to be true weaving throughout the story, but it's something that doesn't deminish how much I loved this book.

If you can give yourself enough time to read this book in one sitting, I fully recommend it.
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