I didn’t know what to expect heading in to this book and I’m honestly not sure how I would explain it to someone else because I wouldn’t want to spoil anything.
Cyril isn’t a “real” Avery. He’s reminded of that his entire life. We follow him from his birth in 1945, meeting up with him every seven years until 2015.
At times this book dragged a bit for me. Some of the more dramatic plot points hit all at once, which isn’t really necessary for a book that’s almost 600 pages. That being said, it’s still worth a read.
A lot of people say this book made them cry, but I would like to add that this book made me laugh more than anything. Even when covering heavier topics, Boyne was still able to weave a little bit of humor between the sadness (and appropriately, nothing felt forced or out of place).
[major spoilers start here!]
I wasn’t shocked when Julian ended up being one of the patients with AIDS, and although I found that part of the book sad, it wasn’t what stuck with me.
I’ll preface this by saying I am not an emotional reader by any means. I assumed the saddest part of the book was Julian’s death. Then Bastiaan (which just made me so angry – not at the author, but because it’s grounded in reality and just so horrific and unfair). Still, I didn’t cry throughout the entire book. Until the very last page…which definitely made me tear up a little.
Overall, this is a wonderful story about a man’s life over the course of 70 years. It’s amazing what changes and what stays the same.
Read with Aimee 