‘A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom‘ by John Boyle is a novel that should be nominated and hopefully win a literary prize. It’s structure is like nothing I have seen before. On first encounter the novel appears very confusing as it leaps ahead in time and names change. Very quickly however you realise that the narrator is the same person and somehow you just accept the style. A lot of thought and research has gone into this novel and the rewards on reading it are immense.

Wow! What an extraordinary book. I loved it. I admit to being a fan of John Boyne books, but after reading this one he has been elevated to one of my favourite authors. Such an amazing read, beautifully and intelligently written. I love the way the story flows from one chapter to the next even though they are in different times and places, it still reads as one story. The way one story is woven seamlessly through historical events is extraordinary. It is an epic, timeless and insightful tale of survival, love, family and betrayal. Definitely 5 stars.

This is an epic, inventive, globe trotting, millennia spanning novel which, once you’re in step with the conceit of the temporal and geographic shifts, is fully absorbing. Having not even looked at the description- I was sold by the author- I admit to a confused double take in chapter two! All quickly became clearer, if not actually clear! The continually developing yet shifting narrative is thrillingly well told, with a believable sense of character development despite the obvious shifts.

In retrospect, I would have been interested in a few more perspectives that didn’t fit so neatly - the slave chapter is refreshing for its different approach, and the continual shifts do occasionally result in breadth over depth.
There can at times be an element of “next famous cameo”, Nonetheless, the sheer stylish brio and pace of change means that this is a minor issue.

Ultimately ‘A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom’ may lack the emotional heft of ‘a ladder to the sky’ or “the heart’s invisible furies’ but i’d thoroughly recommend it.

John Boyne’s Traveller, an unnamed narrator, starts in 1 A.D. and presents himself through time right up to the present day and beyond. If this sounds confusing, it takes a little getting used to, but once the rolling pattern of mutation is has been grasped, the reader can settle back, content in the hands of this master storyteller and look forward to where and when he will be taken next.
Set in countless countries, covering as many eras, the traveller with his artistic talents rubs shoulders with famous and some not so famous leaders of the past and present.
Just being here for the ride is pleasure enough, but I think John Boyne is reminding us that in the course of 2000 years nothing much has really changed in terms of leadership and leaders. And yes, the penultimate chapter is a timely reminder of what we all felt then, and the last chapter pure self-indulgence – but sure why not.
I loved this read and am grateful to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Netgalley for the kind invitation.

This is an imaginative tour de force from John Boyne, spanning place and time in the history of man’s inhumanity to man and abuse of power through the ages. In scope and theme it is very reminiscent of another such epic novel - ‘Cloud Atlas’ by David Mitchell and may well match that novel’s cult classic status.

This is an incredibly ambitious work;it challenges the reader to move with our hero through time, space and life as we witness the very best and worst of humanity.
Boyne's research must have taken years and the detail of everyday life is breathtakingly evocative.
At time the novel shocks in its clarity, but takes your breath away at times too with its simple message of the universal nature of life and stories.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this and it did take me a few chapters to get into how the story was going. Such an unusual unique way to tell a story. The characters & descriptions of the time and place they lived was so vivid. Every time I stepped away after finishing a chapter I was thinking about how the next part of the story would go. John Boyne has such a fantastic way of telling a story.

The Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom is a book like nothing I’ve ever read before. It follows the story of a family with each chapter written as though they lived in a different location and time period from AD1 through to 2016 with the epilogue based in 2080. The story itself is engaging but the unusual method of telling it that John Boyne uses makes it brilliant! I am amazed at the research that went into telling this story and savoured every chapter. I highly recommend this book.

John Boyne is the consummate storyteller. In ‘A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom’ he takes the reader from the birth of the narrator, son of Marinus, on the night of the Slaughter of the Innocents in Herod’s Palestine in AD1 to the USA in 2016 on the eve of the election of Donald Trump as president. Every chapter moves the narrator on in time and place and Boyne takes us to 51 countries over two millennia.
This sounds complicated and in some respects it is. However, throughout the novel, the storyline is constant and, whilst the characters’ names may change to suit their setting, they begin with the same letter so it’s easy for the reader to keep track. For example, the father Marinus becomes Marek in Turkey, Marius in Romania etc.
In every chapter we are introduced to new customs, religions, cultures and governments, as well as a few eminent historical figures. None of the cultural references feels forced or excessive; that they do not is testament to Boyne’s talent.
At its heart, this is a novel which celebrates both the power of storytelling and the universality of human emotions, whether in medieval Sweden or on the battlefields of the Somme. This is emphasised in Portugal AD 1267 when the narrator reasons that, ‘Love does not change, anger never varies. Hope, desperation, fear, longing, desire, lust, anxiety, confusion and joy; you and I endure these emotions just as men and women always have or ever will. We are a small people in an ever-changing universe. The world around us might be in a state of constant flux, but the universe within?’ In the Epilogue 2080, the narrator, now a man in late middle-age, pronounces:
‘I am all of these things and more.
I belong to the past, the present and the future.’
This is a superbly constructed, fitting novel for our turbulent times and a reminder of the importance of stories in helping us make sense of the world.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

John Boyne is so fantastically versatile in his writing. There is no topic that he cannot mould and shape and arrange to suit his style and skill set. The storyline here was so different from anything I’ve read before. From 30% in or so I finally got to grips with how it was written but initially the huge jumps in dates and distance between suggested locations confused me. The names changed from chapter to chapter, which was a very interesting concept, the change in places, in continents even, and huge jump in years, at first only served to add confusion but gradually gave way to my recognition of the mammoth task Boyne had undertaken and delivered with such fine accomplishment. Me did research enough to write 30 or 40 novels such was the variation in locations and settings of the different phases of this novel. The story too was good and I began to long to see what changes would come with the next era. I really loved when I recognised other characters from his previous novels. I thought they were expertly included in the narrative. And I loved 2016 and the epilogue so much. They represented how life is and how life could so easily be. I can’t imagine how much time and effort, drafting and redrafting went into this accomplishment but I applaud the author’s efforts. The is a novel the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Well done John Boyne, again!!!!

Oh my word!! I am literally speechless... John Boyne is an epic writer.... his other books are phenomenal but this has literally blown me away... a story of so many parts going through so much time!! A book that requires concentration and to be read in bigger chunks but it’s worth every single second! A standing ovation for this man.....

"Some stories are universal. They play out across human history. And time is the river which will flow through them."

The story of a man's life playing out over the course of 2000 years, each chapter in a different place and time. An unusual but captivating concept that only Boyne could write so well.
I've never read anything like this before, it's so unique!
A story of family and love, death and betrayal. Revenge! Taking us through pivotal moments in history along the way.
I didnt think Boyne would ever top The Hearts Invisible Furies but this masterpiece is sure to give it a run for its money! Simply breathtaking.