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Boy Swallows Universe
- Narrated by: Stig Wemyss
- Length: 16 hrs and 42 mins
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Boy Swallows Universe
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Editorial reviews
Beloved performer Stig Wemyss voices the story of Eli, a young boy growing up in Brisbane in the early 1980s trying desperately to navigate a world of notorious criminals. Eli’s father is missing and his mother is imprisoned in the Boggo Road Gaol, leaving him and his mute brother August to fend for themselves with only a heroin-dealing stepfather and an infamous felon to watch over them. And if that weren’t enough, Eli is about to discover his first love.
A gorgeous, gritty coming-of-age story, Boy Swallows Universe made big waves when it was released in 2019, earning 10 prestigious awards, including the 2019 Indie Book of Year and 2019 ABIA Audiobook of the Year. Celebrated journalist and author Trent Dalton drew on his own troubled youth to craft this incredible story, which is both hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure.
Publisher's Summary
'The best Australian novel I have read in more than a decade' Sydney Morning Herald
'Astonishing, captivating ... a wild, beautiful, heart-exploding ride' Elizabeth Gilbert
The bestselling novel that has taken Australia, and the world, by storm. Winner of Book of the Year at the 2019 Indie Book Awards, winner of a record four Australian Book Industry Awards in 2019, including the prestigious Book of the Year Award, and winner of the 2019 UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, NSW Premier's Literary Awards
Brisbane, 1985: A lost father, a mute brother, a junkie mum, a heroin dealer for a stepfather and a notorious crim for a babysitter. It's not as if Eli Bell's life isn't complicated enough already. He's just trying to follow his heart and understand what it means to be a good man, but fate keeps throwing obstacles in his way—not the least of which is Tytus Broz, legendary Brisbane drug dealer.
But now Eli's life is going to get a whole lot more serious: he's about to meet the father he doesn't remember, break into Boggo Road Gaol on Christmas Day to rescue his mum, come face to face with the criminals who tore his world apart, and fall in love with the girl of his dreams.
A story of brotherhood, true love and the most unlikely of friendships, Boy Swallows Universe will be the most heartbreaking, joyous and exhilarating novel you will hear all year.
Reviews:
'Boy Swallows Universe is a wonderful surprise: sharp as a drawer full of knives in terms of subject matter; unrepentantly joyous in its child's-eye view of the world; the best literary debut in a month of Sundays.' The Australian
'Boy Swallows Universe hypnotizes you with wonder, and then hammers you with heartbreak.' Washington Post
'This thrilling novel' New York Times Book Review
'Marvelously plot-rich ... filled with beautifully lyric prose ...At one point Eli wonders if he is good. The answer is "yes," every bit as good as this exceptional novel.' Booklist
Critic Reviews
"I couldn't stop reading from the moment I started, and I still can barely speak for the beauty of it. Trent Dalton has done something very special here, writing with grace, from his own broken heart." (Caroline Overington)
"Dalton's splashy, stellar debut makes the typical coming-of-age novel look bland by comparison.... This is an outstanding debut." (Publishers Weekly)
"One of the best Australian novels I've ever read." (The Guardian)
What listeners say about Boy Swallows Universe
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Al
- 01-07-2018
Exceptional
I selected this book without much thought but can't recommend it highly enough. The performance by the reader was perfect too.
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29 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- LYNNEF
- 30-01-2019
Riveting
Such clever compelling writing. Well drawn characters that are endearing and terrifying in various measures throughout the book. The cycle of crime, mental illness, poverty and self destruction and redemption are all so beautifully bound together. I could not stop listening!
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Debbie G.
- 14-05-2019
Best book I've ever read
Unfortunately it's spoiled every other future book.
I love the way it's written.
There a a couple of sad bits but there are countless hilarious bits.
The ending was a bit crazy but you get so involved in the characters that you'll want to hear about the rest of their lives.
Sign me up for any and all future Trent Dalton books. He writes so differently than any author I've read.
Sting Wemyss was really good too.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Katherine Avery
- 21-12-2018
Teen fiction?
I think this is teen fiction, but not sure. Written from the perspective of a teenage boy. Good listen overall, however my pet peeve is that it is written catering to an American audience. I think it insults American's intelligence that they won't be able to work out what a torch is, alternatingly between flashlight and torch.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Melle
- 16-09-2019
Memorable
I tried to read the book but found it hard going, so bought the audiobook. The performance is excellent and brought the characters to life, which brought me into the story and allowed me to invest in the story. Not your typical story, and it takes some concentration to keep track of all the threads, but ultimately fascinating and a highly satisfying conclusion, where everything comes together. Would certainly recommend. It takes a while to get into, but it a memorable journey.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stan
- 01-06-2021
No blurb could do this book justice
I saw this book on the list of top Australian books & although the blurb made it sounds like any other bog standard ‘young adult’ book, I gave the sample a go and it just sucked me in (and made me pretty sure it wasn’t targeted to a young adult audience). I decided to give the book a go & I’m so thankful that I did!
This book is amazing, it captivated me & I ‘read’ from page 50 to the very end in a week, which is big for me. The narrator is brilliant. The voices are perfect and the tonality is spot on. There wasn’t a simple moment that I questioned the narrators choices or was brought out of the story because of them.
This is one of those book that could be about almost anything and it would still be a captivating read. The way the author tells the story through the main characters life and perspective, being heartfelt, funny & sincere, whilst also leaving you never 100% sure of how much you can trust the truth of the story or if the story is how a kid would see it. How a kid would see the events in his mind, or how he’d subconsciously shape them to make them seen less scary or himself more brave, it’s great!
Don’t trust the blurb on this one. Trust the reviews & be sure to check out the sample - you won’t be disappointed!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-04-2021
Loved it
Such a cleverly written story. I wasn’t sure in the beginning but one of the most enjoyable books I have listened to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Maura
- 18-08-2018
Brilliance!
I hung on every word- such depth and richness on every page. Stig Wemyss is incredible with a phenomenal capacity to capture such diverse voices of the characters one of the best books I’ve read. Loved the integrity of Eli &August and loyalty of Family. A must read. Won’t be disappointed.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hamed Shahnam
- 14-10-2018
I love the narration
The amazing narration brought this fantastic story to life. It was a gripping read and throughly enjoyed during my drive to and from work
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gemma
- 07-09-2018
Best book I’ve read in years!
Amazingly well written with incredibly complex but relatable characters and beautiful imagery. Couldn’t stop listening, narration was spot on!
Have been recommending to all my friends and family. But it now, you won’t regret it :) :)
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