The title of this book intrigued me as well as the cover. I found it difficult to 'get into it' at first however I persevered and was glad I did. A gritty tale of a boy and his brother growing up in Australia in an environment of domestic violence and drug use. Very sad at times but uplifting in other places showing that good can come from 'evil'. Thanks netgalley for suggesting this book!

Superb, touching coming of age story about Eli, a boy born to drug dealer parents living in Brisbane, Australia. His best friend is a notorious pensioner ex con, he has an older brother who never speaks and he gets told off for swearing and littering.
It should be a recipe for a depressing tale, but this one was glorious in its depiction of a remarkable child surviving despite his circumstances and through momentous life events. With a vein of dark humour running through it, it’s incredibly moving and a wonderful read. Five stars from me.

I loved this book! I very much enjoyed growing up with Eli & Gus & felt their joy and pain. The Bell brothers will stay with me for a long time... Eli’s “details” were inspired and I’d love him to correspond with me. I thoroughly recommend this beautifully written book featuring wonderfully rounded characters who all came to life on the pages.

I hears so many good things about this book that my anticipations where sky high. And, sadly, they fell plat. I couldn't get into the book and had a hard time getting through it. Don't get me wrong, it's written alright but way too depressing.

I loved this book. Once I got used to the writing style, it was so beautiful. The subject matter is harrowing, and the fact that it comes from reality is more scary. But, you know, some lives are difficult and this is reality too.

It's set in Queensland, and I had no idea there was this sort of world in Australia. It was difficult to read about this harsh world especially thinking of the teenagers involved.
But, I think the writer did a really good job with the book and the characters. It was totally gripping and interesting.

Thanks a lot Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing read - a truly inspirational story that is moving, horrifying and heartwarming in turns. Seeing a dangerous life through a child's eyes through to a horrific conclusion, the book explores what it means and what is takes to be a good man in often trying circumstances. The characters are well-drawn and believable and engage you directly through the whole book. Towards the end I couldn't put it down in the search to find out what happened, and I wasn't disappointed. Tremendous book.

I loved this book. By turns magical and gritty, poetic and jarring, it’s the story of Eli Bell, his silent brother August, and family and crime and drugs and prison and love. It’s really hard to describe it in a way that would do it justice, so I’ll just say that it was beautiful, immediate, urgent and unexpected.

Trent Dalton spins a mindbogglingly brilliant yarn in Boy Swallows Universe, his debt novel. It is easy to see why this little jewel (inspired by the author's life?!?) is taking Australia by storm. A more funny, sympathetic, bazaar, lovable, curious, heroic and touching coming-of-age novel I have not read. Completely unique and rich in Aussie flare that is sure to delight even the most jaded reader.

In Boy Swallows Universe we follow the miraculous existence of young Eli and his mute older brother, August. Life in Brisbane circa 1983 is not easy when you live on the fringe of society and your babysitter is a convicted killer. It's a challenging life but the refreshing view from Eli's perspective makes even the worst of it charming and bearable. I was thoroughly taken by the brothers' plight reading much of the early book with trepidation. It seemed pretty grim at the outset but everything slots into place quickly bringing the reader onboard as an awed spectator. So much comes to pass that shocks and amazes, I won't touch on it for fear of giving plot points away. Suffice it to say that if you give this book a go, you will be enthralled by what the future holds for these two special boys.

Much to my surprise, this at times fantastical novel is based on the author’s childhood growing up with a drug addicted mother involved with a criminal. Apparently a 50/50 split of reality and fiction, rather than the type of misery-lit that can often be inspired, this is a gripping romp through 80s Brisbane, balancing the misery with a message of hope, and a magical realism that links the main character’s mute (by choice) older brother and a mysterious red phone in a hidden room.
Characters are well drawn, some grotesque, some idealised but all broadly believable in the narrative. Highly recommended

Hated it and loved it! The world Eli inhabits is brutal, violent and drug fuelled and not one I really wanted to read about, but life for some people is a brutal, violent and drug fuelled place and this is reality. However the writer and the hero of this story has a magical and poetic way of viewing and writing about the events as they unfold. I didn’t stop reading even when perhaps I wanted to (head in the sand sort of person normally) and I am pleased I didn’t stop. This is a book that is not easy to forget and should probably be on english literature reading lists before long. Beautiful and harrowing in equal measure.

Thank you (I think!) netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this honestly.

What a fantastic tale!

It took me a little while to settle into the writing style but I am so glad I carried on. This story of the grim, drug infested underworld of Queensland shows a very different side of Australia from the sun drenched beaches we have come to expect. However whilst some of the incidents are truly shocking they are juxtaposed by the hopeful, naivety of the central teenage characters.

But this book keeps on giving - not happy with being a commentary on society it then shifts into a redemption detective story with a thrilling ending. Even then it is not done, reading the afterword put a whole new spin on the book, one which I won't I spoil but please make sure that you read it when you get there.

Absolutely brilliant. It took me a little while to get into it but I loved it. Characters are well written and I was really rooting for Eli throughout. Left me with a great big smile on my face.

Sadly this novel wasn’t for me. I found it too busy and the writing didn’t draw me in to the story. I also couldn’t find the magic that I was promised. I am afraid it is a it’s not you, it’s me type of book.

Trent Dalton is an incredibly imaginative writer. In this novel he spins a mesmerising tale about the formative years of two brothers. Gus [ who never speaks] and Eli [ who spins wonderful yarns] . Their upbringing in a remote Australian town is tough, to put it mildly, but the manner in which they deal with it is totally beguiling. The moral of the story is not to be judgemental of criminals and drug addicts and to be loyal to those you love. Eli loves his Mum so much he breaks INTO prison to see her on Christmas day. Boy Swallows Universe is a brilliantly conceived and beautifully written novel and I urge you to get hold of a copy. Definitely the best book I've read so far this year.

About 1/3 of the way in, I was about to give up on this book. It was fragmented and not easy to follow. I am so glad I didn't! I really liked this book, the characters were not exactly relatable, but ones you really connected with and whose story you wanted to know. By the end of this book, I wished there was more!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book.

Love, crime, magic, an ex-criminal for a baby sitter all rolled into one amazing coming of age novel. Eli is a young teenager in the poorer suburbs of Brisbane. His father is an alcoholic, his mum and step-dad are drug dealers mixed up in a dark underworld and his brother is a mute. All Eli wants to do is grow up to be a good man but life keeps throwing curved balls at him.

An amazing story of unexpected friendships and true love - it will break your heart and make you smile in equal measure.

The best book I've read in a long time.

Extraordinary coming of age story that stole my heart! ❤

Eli is 12 years old when we meet him for the first time. He has an older brother August who doesn't speak and communicates by drawing words in the air. Eli and Gus live with their mum and her partner who both deal drugs. Eli and Gus spent most of their time with their babysitter Slim Halliday, a convicted murderer who escaped from prison. Sounds pretty crazy, right? What makes it even more crazy is the fact that the story is inspired by the author's own childhood and his memory of Slim Halliday who is a real person and was called Houdini of Brisbane after escaping from prison. Slim Halliday was the author's family friend in real life.

Despite the rough conditions of the suburban Brisbane Eli Bell is growing up in, he is trying to follow his heart and is desperate to become a 'good man'. When the notorious drug dealer Tytus Broz unexpectedly barks into Eli's house one evening, Eli's life is turned upside down once more. Eli's stepfather disappears, Eli's mum ends up in prison and Eli himself loses a finger that is cut off by Broz' man.

I wasn't sure if I liked the book at first as there were no introductions and the reader is thrown into this slightly strange story. But the more I read about Eli and his brother Gus, the more I loved it. Eli Bell is a very special and memorable character, whose coming of age story will make you laugh and it might make you cry.

Having recently visited Brisbane, I enjoyed recognising some of the locations mentioned in the book, even if a lot must have changed since the 80's when this book is set.

Boy Swallows Universe is different from anything I read and it was a welcomed breath of fresh air in my reading routine.

Wow, where to start...I didn’t always find this book easy to read, but I’m so glad I did. When I looked back at the story after reaching the end I felt like Trent Dalton had bared his heart and soul in the pages. The vivid details in the story of these two brothers was both horrifying and beautiful and when it finished, I cried.
If you ever doubt the human capacity to endure, to love or to thrive in spite of the environment they are in, then you need to read this book. A book that embodies love, friendship, family, strength, belief in a little magic and that doing the right thing is a choice you can make even when it’s the most difficult thing to do.
A tough read but in the end it blew me away. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
My thanks to #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #BoroughPress and #TrentDalton for allowing me to read and review this book.

It's not the kind of novel I've read before. I was stunned to find that this is based on the author's real life. What a tough life he had! Talk about dysfunctional families! Poor boy! It's Lord of the Flies meets The Godfather territory. Blimey.

I did struggle with it however. Not just the subject matter although this was tough reading and then some - the writing style was choppy and the chapters were a bit long. I tend to struggle with coming of age novels as the voice of a young boy is difficult for an adult to write I guess, but having said that, this author was that boy so the writing takes on a chilly nuance as you read. He does often write as older than his years, but then the boy had to grow up pretty quick!

After a slow start and build up, the novel really gets going. You have to admire the way the characters are drawn and despite the author's involvement in it all, he still manages to draw the best from people and to represent hope in the dark.

A very unique read and a worthy one. I just found it too bleak and difficult to review as this is a man's life after all and I felt a bit of an intruder watching him like this. I didn't always feel comfortable reading it.

The author ends with perhaps the most moving piece of writing i've read in a while and puts the entire book into context.

If I was to sum this up in a sentence I'd say it was magical realism meets the Sopranos. Having said that, it doesn't really do this justice. Trent Dalton has, according to the notes in the back of this book, based this very much on his life growing up. I find this slightly mesmerising and the fact that he managed to grow up at all, quite laudable. It's dark and twisted and surprising but also funny and tender and deeply sad in places. I found myself absolutely rooting for Eli, the main character from the first few pages, and seeing the world through his eyes, learning to find wonder in unexpected places. It's fresh and compelling and a strong contender for one of my favourite books of the year.