Brilliant debut novel. This book will stay in my head for a long time. Eli’s life is a fascinating and interesting tale told by him. His description of life and those around him was a riveting read,

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Wasn't sure about this book when I started reading but..............I quickly become gripped. The way the story was told, the language that was used to tell the story. Excleelnt.

⭐️⭐️ 2 stars

Not for me sorry.

The writing had an unusual style, sentences and chapters were too long and I couldn’t follow the thread of the story most of the time.

I thought August was an interesting character but I struggled to engage with Eli.

Overall disappointing given the hype.

I think I just found my favourite modern literary book. Holy cheese balls, this book is incredible. How did Mr Dalton think up something to niche and interesting and wonderful but still heartbreaking? How is someone so talented allowed to roam this Earth?!

Okay maybe that was a little over the top, but to be honest this book blew my mind. To write from such a specific viewpoint and to do it so well and so thoughtfully is rare. It's a coming-of-age novel that you never knew needed to be written. I kind of want to do my degree again so I can write a dissertation about this book. To write such intense events through the eyes of a young boy is incredibly difficult, but Dalton manages it perfectly. He has the balance between what actually happens vs how the protagonist sees it down to a T. I felt the disconnect so vividly between what he sees and how he processes it. But not just that, he's also incredibly intelligent. He doesn't let these events affect him like they would an adult, yet he speaks about them intelligently and logically, and then moves on to deal with the next event. If anything, the protagonist is slightly too intelligent for a 12 year old at the beginning, but he's special. So I can wholeheartedly accept this.

The characters are all so individual and exciting and well-rounded. Slim is probably my favourite, but I think August is a close second. I also enjoyed the unexpectedness of the relationships, the step-father and step-son who get on, the written relationship between Eli and Alex, his school friends who are important at times when they need to be but not at others. Honestly I'm gobsmacked.

Literary books don't need to be these long-winded, complicated masterpieces that only the most intelligent can enjoy. They can be accessible whilst still being intelligent and interesting and original. Just like this book.

Highly recommend this to all who are thinking about picking it up. One of my favourite books of the year.

I’ve been looking for another great coming of age novel for a long time - and this is definitely great. Well written and absorbing, lovely characters and a lot of emotion. Well worth a read.

I started off not liking this book. Initially, I found it hard to get into and the style of narration awkward. But oh boy was I wrong! This is a fantastic read and one of the best books I've read this year. Once you settle into the narrative style, you sink into the rough, gritty world. I came to love the main characters and really root for them. As well as the grit, there's a lot of love and humour in this book. Definitely one to read.

This story is about Eli and August, brothers being raised around violent, drugs and poverty. Yet amidst all these dangers these boys have such a special bond and connection, helping each other through heartache and tragedy. Eli is the story's central character and his life is anything but easy. August is a drug dealer, and his father has long fled. Despite this Eli wants to be a journalist.

This story is wonderful, the characters are believable and emotive. I strongly recommend this book.

Great synopsis, interesting read, really makes you think. Appeals to many. Definitely recommend you try it! So glad I did!

I chose this because of the critical acclaim it's received in Australia but unfortunately, this wasn't something I enjoyed. Too bleak and perhaps it was also because while I enjoy reading books set in vastly different cultural/geographical landscapes, I am less comfortable in a setting which is almost but not quite familiar? I felt as though everything was just a little bit out of my reach - recognisable but not enough for me to empathise wih the characters. I did see potential if I had been willing to try harder - I think it probably deserves its awards, but it just wasn't for me at this time.

A well written, engaging and thought provoking book.
I loved the style of writing, the well written characters and the the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Absolutely wonderful. 4.5 stars but rounding it up because it’s definitely a cut above other 4stars. Charming, convincing characters, grittily realistic and a little bit magical all the same time. Can be a little bit slow in places, but by the end those nostalgic flashbacks make more sense. But truly a glorious read, and a unique perspective

This is a book with a difference. It offers every speck of emotion within it. It’s based in Australia it certainly deals with very thought provoking topics.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Harper Collins uk for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

I couldn’t finish this book, the Australian slang and disjointed storyline had me re-reading several times to make sense of bits of it and it just wasn’t worth the effort for me. There was much to recommend it and I can see why some readers have loved it, especially those who can connect to the Brisbane background. The characters are very likeable if a little unbelievable but the downsides, added to the excessive bad language outweighed the good for me.

I didn't finish this book.
It felt like a slog to be honest.
I expected it to be more...
More funny
More gritty

I don't know. It had some good moments,but for me,not enough to keep me reading.

wow I am beyond words. What a moving and heart tugging book this. It isn't often that a book will stay with you long after you read it but this one will

I loved everything about this book! Drawn from childhood memories, Boy Swallows Universe recalls the tragedies, loneliness and heartbreak of Eli’s tough upbringing. With the onset of adulthood and his increasing control of life’s circumstances, Eli seeks answers to his family’s past tragedies and thus acceptance of who he is. As an ex-patriot, the colloquialisms and familiar geographical settings made this novel an absolute delight to read, not to mention more than a little nostalgic.

I am speechless, it’s hard to put into words such a book as this. Moving, thought provoking, heart breaking, intense, captivating, addictive read. The writing is almost lyrical and so imaginative it’s beautiful, I love writers who can do this. An amazing book that will stay with you long after you read it.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This book made me feel all the feels. It was profound and brutal yet inspiring and uplifting, closely following the authors own upbringing in Australia in the 1980s. It was a beautifully clever book and one I will not forget for a long time!

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton is quite a harrowing read which tells the tale of the life of a 13 year old boy, Eli, and his mute brother August, set in Queensland, Australia.


There are other characters, like his mother and her boyfriend, Lyle, who are both drug dealers, a father who he can't ask about, and Slim, who is a convicted murderer, Eli's best friend and baby sitter.


A red telephone, prophecies drawn in the air by August, and drugs are key points in the book, and there's a hint of magic, but not enough to turn you off this book if you don't like fantasy. It's not a fantasy book. It's a coming of age tale, where you see everything from Eli's perspective, and sometimes he isn't sure what's happened. Or he is, but lies to himself.


Boy Swallows Universe is Trent Dalton's debut novel, but he's an accomplished journalist, having been nominated for awards in Australia.


This is partly based on Dalton's own childhood, and he talks about it in a post for HarperCollins. This put a whole new spin on the book for me!


I enjoyed Boy Swallows Universe, and if you like coming of age stories, with some crime mixed in, you'll enjoy this!



Boy Swallows Universe was published on 5th July 2018, and is available on Amazon to buy on Kindle and on Waterstones to pre-order the hardback, which is coming out on 16th May this year. I've found a link to where you can search for local bookshops, including independent!



I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins (the publishers) for this book.



Check out my GoodReads profile to see more reviews!

If I had to describe this novel in three words they would be emotional, effortful and impactful in more or less equal measures.

After having read “Boy Swallows Universe” I feel that I am completely indebted to Trent Dalton! This book has all the components that make a really fantastic story: from the mood and undercurrents to the very clever writing and the experience of love and friendship, not forgetting the feelings of hope, desperation and failure. Trent Dalton has drawn a remarkable young narrator to adore in Eli, growing up in his vastly dysfunctional family. 

There were instances where this was a very difficult read for me, being as it was a little like sitting on a roller-coaster, however, it was extremely worthwhile even though, by my standards, it was a fairly lengthy novel. 

 I enjoyed “Boy Swallows Universe” so much and I'm hoping to read more by Trent Dalton soon…

[Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss, HarperCollins UK and the author, Trent Dalton, for my free ARC of #BoySwallowsUniverse in exchange for an honest review.]