Boy Swallows Universe

By Trent Dalton,

Book cover of Boy Swallows Universe

Book description

'The most extraordinary writer - a rare talent' Nikki Gemmell

An utterly wonderful novel of love, crime, magic, fate and coming of age 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 andā€¦

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

3 authors picked Boy Swallows Universe as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

What a fantastic and poignant tale, beautifully written with loveable Australian protagonists. Eli is a precocious boy, growing up in hot and humid Queensland during the 1980s with his mute brother, Gus. The nostalgia was pretty strong with Boy Swallows Universe, being of a similar vintage to the author. The fact that Eli also followed his dreams to become a young journalist made the book a real page-turner for me. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Hereā€™s another tantalizing underdog story, this time about a 12-year-old boy coming of age under impossible circumstances, and he does it with such innocence and goodness and almost poetic thoughtfulness that you canā€™t help but love him.

Our young hero is Australian. His task: Save his mother from disaster, face off against a powerful and violent drug dealer, and find his way into a career in journalism, all the while relying for friendship and advice on an escaped convict.

Daltonā€™s novel is thrilling, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at once.

Equal parts quirky, literary, humorous, and touching, Daltonā€™s debut novel won him a record four Australian Book Industry Awards in 2019, and itā€™s not hard to see why. Boy Swallows Universe follows the ups and downs of teen protagonist Eliā€™s descent into a world of drug-lords and prison barons, all while caring for his messed-up parents and mute brother and seeing the world in a uniquely beautiful way. Ex-journalist Daltonā€™s prose will sometimes take your breath away in this modern classic about life in the far-outer suburbs of Brisbane, Australia, where a ā€˜normalā€™ life seems simultaneously too far away andā€¦

From Karin's list on understanding the Australian spirit.

If you love Boy Swallows Universe...

Ad

Book cover of The Ballad of Falling Rock

The Ballad of Falling Rock by Jordan Dotson,

Truth told, folks still ask if Saul Crabtree sold his soul for the perfect voice. If he sold it to angels or devils. A Bristol newspaper once asked: ā€œAre his love songs closer to heaven than dying?ā€ Others wonder how he wrote a song so sad, everyone who heard itā€¦

Want books like Boy Swallows Universe?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Boy Swallows Universe.

Browse books like Boy Swallows Universe

Book cover of Breath
Book cover of The Harp in the South
Book cover of The Yield

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

2,007

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

šŸ“š If you like Boy Swallows Universe, you might also like...

Book cover of Vivian Amberville - The Weaver of Odds

Vivian Amberville - The Weaver of Odds by Louise Blackwick,

Vivian AmbervilleĀ® is a popular dark fantasy book series about a girl whose thoughts can reshape reality.

First in the series, The Weaver of Odds introduces 13-year-old Vivian to her power to alter luck, odds, and circumstances. She is a traveler between realities, whose imagination can twist reality into impossibleā€¦

Book cover of Kanazawa

Kanazawa by David Joiner,

Emmittā€™s plans collapse when his wife, Mirai, suddenly backs out of purchasing their dream home. Disappointed, heā€™s surprised to discover her subtle pursuit of a life and career in Tokyo.

In his search for a meaningful life in Japan, and after quitting his job, he finds himself helping his mother-in-lawā€¦

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Australia, heroin and heroin addiction, and coming of age?

Australia 342 books
Coming Of Age 1,411 books