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Boy Swallows Universe

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Boy Swallows Universe

By: Trent Dalton
Narrated by: Stig Wemyss
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About this listen

'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

©2018 HarperCollins Publishers Australia pty Ltd (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers Australia pty Ltd Biographical Fiction Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Heartfelt Funny

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.

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)

All stars
Most relevant  
This is a long book, but a profound and complex story from the perspective of a boy growing up in the poorer parts of Brisbane. The reader has the perfect voice for this story, light and Australian without being too broad. And what insight this book provides - into life as a teenage boy, the drug world, the rough world of family violence and the triumph of love in all its various types and forms. If you want an insight into growing up hard in any part of Australia this is it, and further if you wanted a view on family life and making ends meet, passion and bravery this is it too. Almost impossible to turn off at the end as it moves towards the a conclusion worthy of any great novel.

what a brilliant book!

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This was a great listen. So well written however I think the author just laboured too much on over-descriptive text. It got a bit much as the book went on - too "colourful" at times (to quote the book). It took me about 10 chapters to fully get into it, then the bulk of the book was gripping, but then then the last 10 chapters or so really let the book down. Just too far-fetched and not in line with the main story in the rest of the book. For me the ending was disappointing and was in contrast to the high calibre of the rest of the story.

Great read but too long

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I was totally impressed with this book. The story was brilliant and well put together and the narrator was excellent. I was totally spellbound right from the start. Another book where life gets in the way of a great story. Looking forward to future books.

Get it!

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This is an incredible story brilliantly brought to life through the narration of Stig Wemyss. This is the first time I have had a story come to life through the telling and it is a wonderful example of what audio books are all about. This book has occupied my commute to and from work for the last week and now I don't know what I'll do without it!

Amazing!

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A beautifully written story with some shocking scenes. The narration was very well done. A must listen, especially if you grew up poor or with ‘dodgy’ parents in Australia.

Beautiful

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Can't believe it took me so long to discover this. The most amazing story, told so beautifully. A must read.

Stunning

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What an amazing story. Different. Thought provoking and full of resilience. Well worth a listen.

Awesome story

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Well done Trent. When I saw you on TV I found myself looking for your missing finger! Narration was excellent too and may have added to the overall enjoyment of the novel.

At times funny, compelling and moving. Overall a good yarn

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There is such wisdom and love in this story. The writer has a forgiving heart and as a reader I adopted the idea that there was a bit of good and bad in everyone. It is funny, deadly serious and very relatable. You love all the characters because the writer does. Told beautifully as well, the accents and the tone really made the characters come to life.

Boy is a genius

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I loved this book. It has a wonderful humour and humanity to it. I am so glad i experienced it as an audiobook because the words came alive. A wonderful narration! It truly felt like Eli was talking.

Wonderful story , beautifully narrated.

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