Boy Swallows Universe

A Novel

By: Trent Dalton

Narrated by: Stig Wemyss

An utterly wonderful debut novel of love, crime, magic, fate, and a boy’s coming of age, set in 1980s Australia and infused with the originality, charm, pathos, and heart of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The mind can take you anywhere you want to go.

Eli Bell’s life is complicated. His father is lost, his mother is in jail, and his stepdad is a heroin dealer. The most steadfast adult in Eli’s life is Slim - a notorious felon and national record holder for successful prison escapes - who watches over Eli and August, his silent genius of an older brother.

Exiled far from the rest of the world in Darra, a seedy suburb populated by Polish and Vietnamese refugees, this 12-year-old boy with an old soul and an adult mind is just trying to follow his heart, learn what it takes to be a good man, and train for a glamorous career in journalism. Life, however, insists on throwing obstacles in Eli’s path - most notably Tytus Broz, Brisbane’s legendary drug dealer.

But the real trouble lies ahead. Eli is about to fall in love, face off against truly bad guys, and fight to save his mother from a certain doom - all before starting high school.

A story of brotherhood, true love, family, and the most unlikely of friendships, Boy Swallows Universe is the tale of an adolescent boy on the cusp of discovering the man he will be. Powerful and kinetic, Trent Dalton’s debut is sure to be one of the most heartbreaking, joyous, and exhilarating novels you will experience.

©2019 Trent Dalton (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

“[A] marvelously plot-rich novel, which...is filled with beautifully lyric prose.... Exceptional.” (Booklist, starred review)

A wonderfully pleasant surprise

This was not at all what was expecting. I’m usually a mystery/thriller, science fiction, and fantasy listener. But the characters, relationships, and narration hooked me from the beginning.

What a GREAT listen.

I can’t wait until June for Mr. Dalton’s next book.

Absolutely Fabulous

It has been a long time that I sat on the edge of my seat listening to a story, so eager to find out what would happen next. The way Trent Dalton weaves the characters together-this story is nothing short of genius, full of humor, intrigue, and love. The narrator is excellent, able to embody different voices. An Australian tale such as this should be read by an Australian as it makes the story that much richer.
One of my more favorite Audible experiences.
Well done.

WHOA

I loved it. I was confused about where the book was going about 1/3 of the way though but I hung in bc 1) it’s hilarious; 2) I love Eli; and 3) the writing was so good. Then the author provided a framework for what was happening that I could understand and I have now added the book to my top 5 fiction books list. I LOVED IT. Bravo

Mixed Review

Aside from the nasty language, this might have been a great fantasy adventure for teenagers. Do early middle school children really speak like this?

I enjoyed this novel - a tale about an innocent lad cast into a world of violent, irresponsible, criminal adults who mostly don't care a whit about him. But as much as I had fun with it I would let only the most jaded juvenile anywhere near it.

Among the best novels I have listened

The plot and characters in this novel are totally engaging. The magical realism of the style keeps the reader wondering what is real. The plot depicts an epic battle between good and evil where good prevails and love conquers all, all narrated with a lovely Australian accent

Amazing narrator and wonderfully entertaining

I loved it. I loved the characters, the twists and turns, the description and detail and the story. The narrator was amazing and energetic. Incredible listen.

Loved loved loved

I enjoyed this story so much. A little magic, lovely humans, a little heartbreak. One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. Excellent narrator to boot!

Loved it.

narrator was great. storyline was great. original and really clever. wanted something different and got it!

A Rare Coming of Age Story

If you liked The Goldfinch, you will probably like Boy Swallows Universe. They are different books but also similar. Both are engrossing stories about boys overcoming unbearable circumstances. There are so many contemporary novels about girls and women and so few really good ones about boys and young men—for mature readers. During the first half of this book I was a bit bored and worried about where the story was going. I almost gave up. But I am so glad I didn’t! The second half is marvelous. There is a hint of magical realism in this book—which distinguishes it from The Goldfinch. But it is not overbearingly supernatural or paranormal. It’s almost believable and it’s not essential to the story. By the second half of Boy Swallows Universe you will really care about the main character and his brother and what becomes of them. And you will not be disappointed by the ending. I have read and listened to hundreds of novels and I would rate this one among the top twenty-five.

Masterful

Incredible coming of age story mixed with a crime adventure and love and family. It’s fantastic. That’s really all there is to say. One of my favorite books ever read.