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Boy Swallows Universe
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
An utterly wonderful novel of love, crime, magic, fate and coming of age, set in Brisbane's violent working class suburban fringe - from one of Australia's most exciting new writers. Brisbane, 1983: A lost father, a mute brother, a mum in jail, a heroin dealer for a stepfather and a notorious crim for a babysitter. It's not as if Eli's life isn't complicated enough already. He's just trying to follow his heart, learning what it takes to be a good man, but life just keeps throwing obstacles in the way - not least of which is Tytus Broz, legendary Brisbane drug dealer. But Eli's life is about to get a whole lot more serious. He's about to fall in love. And, oh yeah, he has to break into Boggo Road Gaol on Christmas Day, to save his mum. 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 read all year. 'Trent Dalton is the most extraordinary writer - a rare talent. A major new voice on the Australian literary scene has arrived.' Nikki Gemmell 'An astonishing achievement. Dalton is a breath of fresh air - raw, honest, funny, moving, he has created a novel of the most surprising and addictive nature. Unputdownable.' David Wenham '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 'Enthralling - a moving account of sibling solidarity and the dogged pursuit of love.' Geoffrey Robertson QC 'Stunning. My favourite novel for decades. Left me devastated but looking to the heavens.' Tim Rogers
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Teresereading
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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1. Trent Dalton‘s Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies
2. The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed out the Window

3. As a pre-teen Little Women and To Kill A Mockingbird

# wondrousWednesday

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KPS-BOOKS-45
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Mehso-so

Took me a while to get through this one, I enjoyed it but struggled. Maybe the hype gave me high expectations, the ending was the best part so glad that I stuck with it.

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Writeme
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Bailedbailed

I have a hard time reading about neglected kids, kids with drug dealing parents, violence against animals, etc. This had all that in the first 50 pages. I‘m out.

CarolynM Good call. A lot of people love this book, but I really didn‘t like it. 10mo
11 likes1 comment
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rachaich
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Brilliant! Wonderfully descriptive and magical.prose with the gritty realustic story of children and parents, friends and fear. Very unputdownable!

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emilyhaldi
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Bailedbailed

60% of the way through and I am still bored out of my mind! It‘s a bail for me...
Still counting it! ✅ #booked21 #setinAustralia

MicheleinPhilly It‘s a real shame cause it‘s so pretty! 4y
Kalalalatja I‘m loving the cover, but too bad about the content! 4y
LeeRHarry I bailed after 30 pages - some people really like it some don‘t- I had been putting off reading it since it came out but as it is this month‘s irl bookgroup pick I thought I‘d better give it a go 🤷🏼‍♀️ 4y
See All 7 Comments
Reviewsbylola 60% is admirable! 4y
CarolynM I would have bailed before that point except I was reading it for my book group. I agree about it being boring. I just never believed in it at all. People love it and I really don't understand why😬☹️ @LeeRHarry 4y
LeeRHarry @CarolynM me neither - I‘ll be interested to hear what the rest of my bookgroup thinks ! 4y
CarolynM @LeeRHarry One person in my group felt the same as me, everyone else really liked it😳😩 I'd love to know how your group feels. 4y
72 likes7 comments
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emilyhaldi
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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I love to read in the morning with my cup of coffee, but these knuckleheads are quite the distracting duo today 🐶😼 They‘re always going at it- wrestling, rolling around, batting each other on the head... it‘s a blossoming friendship 😆

batsy Great photo 😆 4y
MsMelissa Love this photo 🥰 4y
Readergrrl That is so cute! 4y
See All 19 Comments
squirrelbrain Love it! ❤️ 4y
Julsmarshall Such cuties! 4y
Soubhiville I love a good cross species wrestling match 🤣. Great photo! 4y
TrishB Great pic ❤️ 4y
MaureenMc 😂😂 4y
nanuska_153 The dog's face 😂😂😂😂 4y
sarahbarnes That looks intense! 😂 4y
Eggs What a great photo 🐶🐱🐶🐱 4y
mdemanatee This picture is gold. 4y
Simona Perfect captured moment! 4y
LeahBergen This is the best 😆😆 4y
youneverarrived 😂😂 brilliantly captured 😆 4y
Magpiegem That picture made me laugh out loud 😂 4y
Cathythoughts Great picture 4y
Bookzombie What a great photo! 💕🐈‍⬛🐶 4y
Reviewsbylola Yeah, Winky sure looks like she‘s feeling friendly. 4y
89 likes19 comments
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Twainy
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

🎧 Well 😆 this isn‘t what I thought it was going to be at all! It‘s set in Australia with an Aussie narrator.

Recommendation so of course I didn‘t check the summary. This is a difficult review because I find literary fiction sometimes a leetle bit boring.

This is mainly about Eli who starts the book very young & ends the book around 18 years old. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2👇🏻

Twainy TW - drugs, adult language & situations, bloody violence.

It‘s a coming of age story. Family of drug dealers & a hardened criminal for a mentor. It‘s a slow burn written beautifully, tear jerking moments. Eli has a brother Gus who doesn‘t talk but feels magical. They go through a lot! The last hour of the book turns into an action packed Hollywood thriller! 👇🏻
4y
Twainy While I might not be the correct person to review this book, I really enjoyed it!! Aussie narrator was great except when he cried hysterically at a couple points when Eli was a pre-teen. It was grating. I listened at 1.5X as the speech felt slow. Loved it! 4y
28 likes2 comments
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mjtwo
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

5-26 October 2020
Like others have said, it took a while to find its groove (or perhaps more accurately for me to find its groove) but I really enjoyed this. Particularly Slim, who is apparently based on a real Queenslander. I also appreciated the blurred line between real and imaginary and August‘s clairvoyance, if that is what it was. Looking forward to reading Dalton‘s follow up but waiting for the hard cover release next year.

susurran One of my favorite books of 2019. Absolutely loved this book. 4y
7 likes1 comment
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Erofan
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

1. Boy with a big heart ♥️
2. A smile 😀 By smiling, I cheer up myself and others, even strangers!
3. I would like to visit the future, not the past! I would like to see how humanity is doing in the year 3020!)

@I.be.Stef , thanks for the tag 💕

@Violetta @JessClark78 @PickwickPlockPlock

Eggs # 2 - the magnanimity of the smile 😊☺️😀. Good for you ❤️❤️ 4y
i.besteph Awww that‘s definitely something I couldn‘t go without.....a smile :) 4y
i.besteph ❤️❤️❤️ 4y
BiblioLitten I love your answers! 4y
54 likes4 comments
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Erofan
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

This is a touching story about a Brisbane Boy! His brother is a genius... and he hasn't spoken since he was six. Their lives are spent among drug dealers. In an instant, the Boy's life will change, a terrible person will come and take away the only man he loved, his mum will be in prison, and the Boy will lose his lucky finger. This is a book with deep meaning and beautiful text.
Thanks for the wonderful book, @Violetta ! 😘

Violetta Great that you liked it! 😘 4y
BookwormM I loved this 4y
66 likes2 comments
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ItsAnotherJen
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Wow. That was a hell of a ride! It took me forever to get into, not sure why. It is a good book. There is so much being told in each of the pages at first that I hesitated getting back into it some days. By the ending I was totally engrossed. I really enjoyed the experience..and all the twists and turns. The last 1/4 almost seemed like a different book altogether, but it ties in all these little details from the first 3/4. Makes for a good story.

107 likes2 stack adds
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WellReadCatLady
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Finished it in 2 hours! Listened to tagged book and made the time fly by!

Texreader This is awesome!! 4y
27 likes1 comment
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ItsAnotherJen
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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This cover is beautiful! 🤩 It inspired me to paint my nails to match. 😁 #currentreads
#selfcare 💅

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WellReadCatLady
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Lunch break!

18 likes1 stack add
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kimovsky
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
Pickpick

So unusual, so enjoyable.

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CourtSmall
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

57-2020⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Audiobook 15
A coming of age story set in the Northern Suburbs of Brisbane. (my family grew up in the exact same suburbs mentioned). I know this has won numerous awards and is highly praised but to be honest the first half of the book drags but the second half redeems the whole book.

CarolynM It didn't do a lot for me. I think the Brisbane connection would help. 5y
10 likes1 comment
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Nebklvr
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

A wonderfully wacky story of dark humor, bleak lives, and unexplained circumstances. The writing is beautiful and captivating. It felt like an Australian “Peace like a river”.

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Madison91
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

This took me FOREVER to finish and I don‘t know why, I loved the characters, it was a little dark, it HAD SO MANY Australian references and even more Brisbane references, I should have been obsessed, I also laughed so much, and the writing was beautiful. I just don‘t think it was my usual sort, I think I need to read it again in one hit.

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Dolly
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

I chose this for the top spot for The #BookTubePrize round 1 group F. I recognized the great writing. It was engaging but violent with drug references. All in all it ISN‘T my kind of book. Others liked it enough so it‘s moving on to round 2.
1. Boy Swallows Universe ✨
2. The Man Who Saw Everything 🚫
3. Dominicana 🚫
4. The Starless Sea 🚫
5. Middle England ✨
6. Patsy ✨

The 3 starred books are moving into the next round of judging.

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LouiseWalters
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
Pickpick

Loved this book, growing up in Australia in the 70‘s in lower middle class suburbia - really felt authentic. I could really imagine the life described - as unreal as it seems. Perfect.

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Pumpkinandegg313
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Great read. Although not usual genre, this book was given to me as a gift for Christmas and after the first few chapters, found myself caught up in it. Aussie readers would definitley enjoy this as there a lot of Australian landmarks mentioned as well as less famous locations.
A very intriguing book that gave me quite a giggle. Well worth the read.

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Dolly
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Finished the second of six books due for review at the end of March. Review to follow.

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Yanya
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

WOWEE!

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Joanne1
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Reminiscent of other masterful Australian novels like Jasper Jones and Bridge of Clay, this is exceptionally beautiful. I feel like the story swallowed me for a while and allowed me to live inside it‘s words, and what stunning words they were! A must read, all the ⭐️. What took me so long to get to this one?

39 likes1 stack add
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Joanne1
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Yes it does, Trent Dalton.

LapReader He signed mine too at Newcastle Writers‘s Festival. 5y
33 likes1 comment
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Joanne1
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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To be honest I‘m more a fan of Christmas Eve and Boxing Day than the big one in between. Christmas Eve consists of doing a jigsaw together as a family, driving around looking at Christmas lights and swapping books. My husband is not much of a reader but he picked me this magnificent hard-backed signed copy of Boy Swallows Universe, it‘s stunning

Penny_LiteraryHoarders Yes, the days following the big day are better - for relaxing and just enjoying and being quieter and relaxed. 😊 5y
Joanne1 @Penny_LiteraryHoarders so true. The quiet and the peace. 5y
36 likes1 stack add3 comments
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MrB1
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
Pickpick

10/10

BookwormM Agreed amazing book 5y
Curiouser_and_curiouser Cool! It's in my TBR stack for 2020! 5y
2 likes2 comments
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MrB1
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
Pickpick

10/10

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Lindy
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

I will try to sum up my review in three words: Thriller Melts Heart. Also, a remarkable #audiobook performance by #Australian Stig Wemyss.

CarolynM This book is huge in Australia right now. I didn't like it much, but I'm in a very small minority😬 5y
Joanne1 Love your three word summary. And the book of course. 5y
Lindy @Joanne1 😘 5y
57 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Lindy
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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“Clutch! First gear! Steadily on the pedally.”

(Is it just me, or do Aussies have the most adorable expressions in the world ?)

(Internet photo)

Texreader Love this!! 5y
CarolynM I'm born and bred Australian and I'd never heard this expression before reading the book. I don't know if it's a Queensland thing or if the author just made it up. 5y
See All 9 Comments
Lindy @CarolynM I wonder if @Marchpane or @Sue might be familiar with it? 5y
CarolynM Actually @JennyM is in Brisbane, we should ask her. Have you heard this expression, Jenny? 5y
JennyM @CarolynM @lindy nope, I‘ve never heard anyone say it up in Brissie. But I think it‘s awesome! 5y
Lindy @JennyM 😊👍 5y
Sue I can‘t say I‘ve heard it either - something similar in regards to a pushbike though - ‘steady on the treadily‘ - so it may be a family thing. 5y
Lindy @Sue I like steadily on the treadily too. Thanks! 5y
44 likes9 comments
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Lindy
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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I asked Slim to tell me the whole story, and for two hours, while we washed his land cruiser, he told me that thrilling adventure tale so enthusiastically I wanted Nantucket fish chowder for lunch and white whale steaks for dinner.

48 likes2 stack adds
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Lindy
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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I asked Slim if he‘d ever read Moby Dick and he said he‘d read it twice because it‘s worth reading a second time, though he said the second time around, he skipped the bit where the writer goes on about all the different species of whales found all across the world.

[This passage made me think about @KathyR ‘s question: Why did Wu Ming-Yi include all the pages about different models of bicycles within the story of The Stolen Bicycle?]

emtobiasz I had a college English professor who admitted to skipping all the whaling parts in Moby Dick and all the war parts in War and Peace. I‘m all for reading how you want, what you want, but that may not be the best thing to confess to your students. 5y
JennyM Hope you enjoy! This book is HUGE in Australia. 5y
Lindy @JennyM I‘m 6 hours in and wow, the foreshadowing about Eli‘s lucky finger was well done. Also, I am waiting for the opportunity to say “steadily on the pedally.” 😊 (edited) 5y
Lindy @emtobiasz I agree with you and your English professor about reading how you want. If they were actually teaching those texts (MD & W&P) it was a pretty bold admission. 5y
44 likes5 comments
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BookishEscapade
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Mehso-so

I struggled so much through this novel especially in the middle. Out of the books I‘ve read this year, this has taken me the longest and it‘s not even the longest book I have read.

The beginning was hard to follow at first, the middle was a struggle and it wasn‘t until I was 82% through the story that the story grasped my attention and I was up until 3.30am last night. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Would have loved to have some closure on a few things.


⭐️⭐️⭐️

BookwormM Glad it wasn‘t a complete wash out for you 5y
BookishEscapade @BookwormM me too, I just feel bad that it didn‘t resonate with me. I really wanted it too 😞 5y
See All 7 Comments
BookwormM I really felt this book from the beginning I was in love with the boys from the start and that little hint of magical realism sealed the deal for me 5y
BookishEscapade @BookwormM I loved the boys too. Admired the strength of Frankie and Roberts character development. But I wanted to know so much about the underground world too! 5y
BlameJennyJane A so-so is encouraging. I‘m glad it wasn‘t ultimately a bail given some of the challenges getting into it. I shall venture in again myself at some point. Thanks for the update! 5y
BookishEscapade @BlameJennyJane no problem at all! Let me know how you go :) 5y
7 likes7 comments
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BookishEscapade
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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SOS!

I‘m really struggling to read this. I like the story, love it, but it‘s not keeping me engaged as others are. I‘m onto my 5th day of reading this full time.

Is it worth it?

BlameJennyJane I‘m struggling in a similar way- starting and stopping and waiting and trying again. 5y
BookishEscapade @BlameJennyJane im glad I‘m not the only one! I had so many colleagues and friends tell me to read it because it was fantastic but now I‘m just struggling. 5y
BlameJennyJane Exactly! I follow the author in Insta and he is amazing, and the hype, and I have in print and audiobook... but the struggle is real. Lol. I‘m pausing again but not giving up! (edited) 5y
See All 10 Comments
BookishEscapade @BlameJennyJane and I can‘t go back to it! If I give up now, I won‘t ever read it haha! I just have to persevere 🤷🏻‍♀️ 5y
BlameJennyJane @Thewanderer92 ☘️☘️☘️ let us know how it goes! 😁 5y
BookishEscapade @BlameJennyJane I shall! Haha thanks, you too 5y
BookwormM I loved it it‘s a slow build but worth the payoff 5y
BookishEscapade @BookwormM I‘m almost 3/4 of the way through and I‘m struggling. Is that really how long the build up takes? 5y
BookwormM I would say if you are not loving it now you may well end up not loving it... 5y
BookishEscapade @BookwormM okay, update. I am loving it, it has taken a swing. I was up until 3.30am reading. I‘m onto the second last chapter and I‘m almost finished with it! 5y
9 likes10 comments
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BookishEscapade
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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When you have finally purchased a bath caddy and reading in the bath will be so much more comfortable from now!

Come-read-with-me @Thewanderer92 Looks absolutely divine! 🛀🏻 5y
15 likes1 comment
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BookishEscapade
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Excited to get started on this!

BookwormM I loved this book 5y
BookishEscapade @BookwormM all my English teacher colleagues have been begging me to read it for months! I‘m finally getting around to it now 5y
BookwormM Hope you enjoy it 5y
8 likes1 stack add3 comments
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EllieDottie
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

I‘m not quite sure how I feel about this book. I don‘t love coming of age stories or stories about drugs, and I found the language overly descriptive and out of character for a twelve year old boy, but overall the effect was captivating! I loved this journey and felt compelled the whole way through! I highly recommend!

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Come-read-with-me
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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1. 18 2. Depends upon my mood,but mountains are my go to place. 3. Nigeria. 4. London

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MelKelsey
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

I highly recommend to those who love words and writing. The writing is smart, poetic, and playful. The story is dark without feeling dark. It's ultimately a coming-of-age story of a boy growing up in trauma. The story is told in the form of writing to a criminal. There's a magical element of knowing the future, but knowing it out of context. It's really not about the story as much as it's about the writing, which is worth a second read.

BookwormM I loved this book 5y
20 likes1 comment
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Rissreads
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Rissreads @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego would you like to join in? 7 favourite covers in 7 days, no explanations. 5y
JaclynW The title is interesting too! 5y
Cathythoughts That is a great cover ... & I want to read it too 👍🏻♥️ 5y
46 likes3 comments
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Petelord
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
Pickpick

Amazing best Australian book I have read in years. Fabulous characters and storytelling. Highly recommended

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Messiejessie
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

This was one of those books where at the start, you don‘t know what the hell is going on. The further you read, however, things make sense and the story all knits together beautifully.
Eli and August are wonderful characters.
This author has a really unique writing style and a way of making the ordinary seem lovely.

BookwormM I loved this 5y
11 likes1 comment
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EllieDottie
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Some Sunday reading!

47 likes1 stack add
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Samplergal
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Wow! This was not the book I thought I was going to read. Great thriller type but doesn‘t begin in that way. Loved this book! #24B4Monday #SummersEndReadathon.

Second book read and sixteen hours in.

Andrew65 Fantastic total, 2/3 of the way there. 👏👏👏🙌 5y
83 likes1 comment
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Samplergal
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Enjoying this book a lot. #SummersEndReadathon #24B4Monday. Rainy day in Florida.

BeansPage Rainy days at the end of summer make me want to start singing The Winds of Change LMAO 😂😂 5y
Andrew65 Rainy here in Northern Scotland too! 5y
Clwojick I wish it was raining here! It‘s a muggy day, but at least it‘s not snowing yet. 5y
80 likes1 stack add3 comments
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TooManyBooks
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Utterly gripped by this brutal yet compassionate read. Plans had to be put on hold as I eagerly turned every page. There was so much warmth, poignancy, trepidation and understanding here that I think it will feature as one of my all- time favourites ☺️

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Dolly
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

Some reviewers gushed about this book. I expected to like it much more than I did. The beginning did not grab me and I would‘ve bailed had it not been for others who raved and gave this 5 stars. I knew it got better after half way but seriously I don‘t want to read a book where I struggle through the whole first half. Good plot, excitement in the ending, not especially well written.

CarolynM I agree with what you've said but I think I liked it even less than you did. I have no idea why people like it so much. 5y
40 likes1 comment
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Becker
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Both the story and the writing feel fresh - like it hasn‘t been done before. I‘m really enjoying this.✅

Samplergal I‘m getting this started soon. 5y
29 likes1 comment
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Dolly
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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I‘m hoping for 2 winners here. I got in early enough on Boy Swallows Universe that I only had to wait 3 days for it!!! Thank you BookTube! I‘ve heard great things about both of these. The Far Field is really good so far.

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BooknerdsLife
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Here's my mini book haul from June. And Yay! I've finished 2 at the bottom out of these 4 books, not too bad, right? 🤷🏻‍♀️ The top 2 books are my birthday present so will probably read them after my birthday later this month.
Have you read any of these? Or have them in your #TBR pile too?

#bookshaul #newbooks #bookstack #bibliophile #bookworm #aussiereader #readinglife #LoveOzYA #YA #Fantasy #Fiction #Romance

TrishB Just read Boy Swallows Universe this week 👍🏻 5y
BooknerdsLife @TrishB Just saw your review & love it 👏🏼💖 5y
BookwormM I loved Boy Swallows 5y
BooknerdsLife @BookwormM I‘m so happy you did 🤗Hope I‘ll enjoy it too 🤞🏼 5y
39 likes4 comments