Th second book in the Elements series by John Boyne. Yet again an extremely powerful and at times tough read . Although it’s a fairy short read it’s one that will have me thinking about it for a long time .

John Boyne has excelled himself in this novel

Evan Keogh, a gifted footballer, reluctantly films a fellow footballer, Robbie, whom he (secretly) loves, having has sex with a girl. The girl reports the act as rape and both boys are charged. They manage to twist the girl’s story and escape punishment.

Evan has lived a relatively secure life on an island with a caring mother and dominating father. He wants to be an artist, but football is his career. He’s openly gay, however, this does not sit well in the football world. Evan would love to find a partner and fall in love, unfortunately, circumstances don’t allow this to happen.

John Boyne’s masterful use of words once again, exposes some very dark matters and how people need to deal with their consciences.

Dane Whyte O’Hara is a brilliant narrator. He brings the voices of each character alive and made the listening experience one I will not forget for a long time. I’ve read all three books published so far in this series. This was the first for me to listen to. I am now going to purchase both Water and Fire as audiobooks because listening somehow increases my senses and makes the enjoyment of the audible words even more special than reading the words.

Rony
Elite Reviewing Group

PS: I'm sorry that this review is late. I've been poorly and not able to write reviews.

The 2nd in a series if 4 book. The link between the 1st and 2nd was subtle and brilliant.

Boyne is the best at character studies, they really feel alive.. He takes I'm complex live events and handles them to sensitively, providing different perspectives of challenging experiences. This one mastered it again. A small sideline character from book 1 crosses the channel to England & takes centre stage as a professional footballer, where could things go wrong? The publishers use of language couldn't be better ... gritty' says it all.

It's a coming of age story, a young guy man finding himself in front of the tabloid newspapers and a criminal jury.

Couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next.

After reading water I was really looking forward to this book. I really loved how it kept you questioning between right and wrong. It was interesting trying to work out who was lying, but I’m glad at the end it gave us the true version of events.

I've enjoyed everything I've ever read by John Boyne and Earth, the second novella in his "The Elements" series is no exception. For such a short book at under 200 pages he manages to create characters and plot brilliantly.

Evan has moved from his small island home, escaping his bullying father to make the most of his talents and become a famous footballer (achieving his father's dreams but not something he actually wanted). He is on trial for allegedly filming his teammate rape a young woman; the book follows the trial and fills in Evan's back story to show how he became the man he did.

It's a gripping and compelling book that lends itself to be read in one sitting. Both Evan and his teammate Robbie come across as likeable characters that you feel real sympathy for but you're then not sure throughout the book whether they are guilty or not - this leads to a really uncomfortable feeling that a character that you like may have done something awful. It's testament to John Boyne's ability as a writer that he can create such interesting and nuanced characters and it shows how our histories really do shape who we are.

I thought this was a brilliant read and thoroughly enjoyed it - it had me gripped on every page and the ending was superb. A definite five star book and one I've not stopped thinking about - very poignant and provokes lots of discussion.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I was honestly blown away with how much content, depth and detail that was presented in this book which is less than 200 pages long. I certainly didn’t feel as though I had read a short story as the intricate characters and plot was truly amazing. A fantastic book and I can’t wait for the next one. Highly recommended.

In the latest installment of John Boyne's Elements series, the focus shifts to Evan Keogh, who left the island on the same day as Willow/Vanessa, the protagonist of Water. Seeking to escape his tumultuous past and pursue a career in art, Evan’s plans fall apart in England. Facing unemployment and a lack of support, he turns to football, excelling in the sport he knows best.

Evan joins a Championship club, primarily drawn to the team by defender Robbie. The narrative begins with Evan heading to a courtroom to hear the verdict in a significant case that will unfold throughout the story.

John Boyne is working his way to be on of my favourite authors.

In a story that could have been ripped from the headlines, two professional footballers stand accused of raping a girl they met on a night out. As the case plays out in court - and in the media - defendant Evan Keogh reflects on everything in his life that brought him to this moment.

Having adored Water, the first of John Boyne's Elements novellas, I eagerly anticipated the release of the second installment and it did not disappoint.

As always, author John Boyne handles difficult subjects with sensitivity and nuance, using his words to highlight enduring homophobia in Ireland and in football, and its devastating repercussions. He also speaks out against the way in which the criminal justice system so often fails victims of sexual violence, effectively putting them on trial to decide whether or not they are enough of a victim to deserve justice. Boyne's skill at humanising social problems allows him to craft a compelling, unsettling story which packs a real punch in fewer than 200 pages.

Evan himself is a tortured, complex character, seemingly having spent his whole life in conflict with who he wants to be and others' expectations. A closeted gay man from an extremely conservative island community, now existing in a hyper masculine culture which has made him a reluctant star, he has been deeply unhappy and unfulfilled for as long as he can remember. Boyne does not try to excuse or downplay Evan's actions - both on the night of the rape and afterwards - but would have the reader try to understand how he came to make the choices he did.

Boyne's prose is lyrical and blunt at turns, and he weaves the motif of earth effectively into the narrative. I am now looking forward to seeing the stories he chooses to tell in the series' final two novellas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

Evan Keough is a handsome, talented famous footballer. Accused of being an accessory to rape, he becomes notorious. It is up to the reader to work out the truth of Evan’s evidence, his back story, the stories he gives to his mother and to priest Ifechi. ‘Earth’ by John Boyne is second in his Elements quartet and, like its predecessor ‘Water,’ is another small book with a powerful story.
Like Willow in ‘Water,’ Evan’s past story is revealed in pieces. As a boy on the remote Irish island first introduced in ‘Water,’ Evan is unable to be who or what he wants to be. He knows he is gay. He is certain he wants to be a painter. Unfortunately he is better at football, which he hates but which his father loves, and is a moderate artist.
A theme that runs through the first two books in the Elements quartet is complicity in guilt, about burying deeply the moral instinct of right and wrong, and dealing with the consequences as time passes. It is about bearing a grudge. Throughout the story I didn’t know if Evan was truthful or not, never knew what he was hiding. His back story is brutal at times and difficult to read. Evan’s down-to-earth upbringing is contrasted with the wealth he encounters in London and in the world of professional football. The theme of earth runs throughout the book, the burial of the dead, earth as a hiding place, of being grounded to the earth of losing a foothold, of the final return of a traveller to the soil of their homeland.
I can’t say I enjoyed reading ‘Earth,’ the first of John Boyne’s books that I can say that about. It is a truthful, awkward, shameful and sad book about a young man who can’t find his place in life, who is horribly abused and exploited. I remain unclear about culpability. Boyne purposely blurs the line between lies and truth, both in the evidence given in court and discussion on social media. In today's world, the presence or absence of data on a mobile phone can win or lose a criminal trial, and public speculation about guilt and innocence is often based on ideas not fact where the loudest voices are heard.
A disturbing social commentary.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

Very compelling novel . anything by John Boyne is worth reading in my opinion! An interesting story about a damaged young man and the lies and crimes he gets involved with to survive. Nuanced and interesting. I loved it!

Is there anything John Boyne can't do? Another superb piece of writing that continues his new sequence of novellas.

Just like in the first installment, it’s hard to believe that Boyne puts it all together in less than 200 pages. Another propulsive read, with fluid prose and compelling characters trying to locate their moral compass. You could easily gulp this down in one go, and there’s not many better in the business than Boyne at the moment. This is another cracking read.

John Boyne is a master storyteller. ‘Earth’ the second of his quartet of novellas, takes Evan Keogh, the teenage boy who we met in ‘Water’ to a seductive life in England as a talented football player. But fame and fortune can’t force him to want such a life, because Evan’s passion is for art. Using his body for easy money does not lead to fulfillment, and nor does his idolotry of footballer, Robbie, who uses him as callously as perhaps he thinks he deserves. Like ‘Water’ this story encompasses multiple themes; here in ‘Earth’, morality and conscience, self-doubt and disgust, sexuality, elitism entitlement and loneliness becomes a page-turning story that repels and disgusts and yet manages to render the main character worth caring about. The trial is horrific, and the outcome impossible to imagine as a fair one. But we can rely on Boyne, surely one of the most versatile writers of modern times, to give us an ending that is entirely not expected and entirely right. And yes, of course Earth is there throughout, from the mud of the football field to the symbolism of the stench of his life, and hopefully his redemption. Thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital a ARC and to John Boyne for his superb stories.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again … Irish writers have my heart!

I inhaled both these incredible novellas. Boyne has a way of dragging you in and not letting go till the last, beautiful word.

These are the first two books in the quartet Elements series, and at just under 200 words, both pack a powerful punch and are simply breathtakingly crafted.

Both touch on tragic and tough subjects - in only the way Boyne can, they are evident of superb storytelling! Rich in character development and setting, you can’t help but feel engrossed, almost in love with the main characters - they beg you for sympathy, understanding, and so much more.

Both these books deftly weave and incorporate politics, marginalised communities, abuse and religion with note-perfect writing. The fact that Boyne can say so much, in so little words is what holds power.

This novel is loosely linked to Boynes previous novel Water, where Evan left the Island. Earth now focuses on Evans story after that journey.

Evan dreams of being a painter but ends up a professional footballer. As we visit the past and discover what happened, we also follow the current court case that Evan is mixed up in.

I don’t want to give too much away but this was such a good story! I read it in one sitting yesterday. Just as he used the metaphor of water in the first of the quartet, he uses Earth to signify moments of importance in Evan’s life.

This is the second novel in Boynes four part ‘Elements’ series. As always, his writing is beautiful, the cast of characters, the compassion, it’s just a captivating read with a couple of twists!

A typical John Boyne read, dealing with sensitive subjects, some upsetting scenes but ultimately a must read! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Can’t wait for the next one in the series ❤️📚

I found Earth a short, compelling read. I'm in awe that there is so much packed into less than 200 pages. Earth is the second title in John Boyne's “The Elements” series and it didn't disappoint. John Boyne is one of my favourite writers.

Evan Keogh who appeared in Water, the first title in the quartet, is now a talented professional footballer despite that never having been his dream. Four years on he's become everything his bullying father wanted him to be and is miserable. He's also been living a lie.

He's now on trial with a fellow professional footballer Robbie, in a sexual assault case. Robbie is charged with rape and Evan has been charged as an accomplice. The tabloids are having a field day. His parents have come over from Ireland for the trial and his father is as controlling and obnoxious as ever.

The trial is central to the story but we also read of the life Evan has led since he ran away from his island home, the characters he's encountered, his relationships, his secrets.

I love how the story unfolds and characters and events connect seamlessly, sometimes unexpectedly. His 'friend' and co-accused Robbie has had a very privileged upbringing and comes across as pretty arrogant and nasty. Will being on trial for rape bring him down a peg or two or to use a good Scottish saying, “put his gas at a peep”? Robbie's father takes the view the the victim only had herself to blame for what happened and his son did nothing wrong.

It was quite the emotional rollercoaster. I felt sadness, sympathy, horror, anger but I enjoy John Boyne's writing even when difficult issues are involved. Every word counts – there are no words wasted. Definitely 5 stars from me.

I'm really looking forward to the third book of the quartet.

This is the second in John Boyne's "Elements" series. I loved the initial book in the series, "Water". However it is not necessary to have read "Water" to appreciate "Earth". The recurring theme in this latest work is once again "guilt, complicity and grief". It is hard to review without giving spoilers but this one is grittier and more shocking than "Water", What remains the same though is the very high quality of the story-telling, the prose and the genius of John Boyne's writing. Special thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

It’s a gripping story about one young man, Evan, whose direction in life takes a turn from what he dreamt.

Evan is before the court as an accessory to a rape by his teammate, Robbie Wolverton. This is an intense and emotional read, so be prepared for the rollercoaster. Boyne has a real talent to pack in such a descriptive story in a short novel is very impressive and he keeps you gripped right to the end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I’ll be keeping an eye out for the 3rd in this series.

Earth is the second in John Boyne’s new quartet of novellas named after the four elements. I enjoyed the first book, Water, so I was looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint. Although the two books (and presumably Fire and Air as well) are loosely linked, they are completely separate stories and you don’t need to read them in order. If you have already read Water, you may remember Evan Keogh, the teenage boy we last saw leaving his home on a small Irish island in search of a new life in England. Earth is Evan’s story.

Evan has had a talent for football from an early age, but his true passion is for painting and on his arrival in London he hopes to pursue a career as an artist. After a series of rejections he is forced to accept that he’s unlikely to achieve his dream and with his money running out he reluctantly decides that he will have to use his football skills after all. The book begins with Evan, now twenty-two and a famous footballer, preparing to stand trial for sexual assault. Robbie, his friend and teammate, is accused of rape and Evan has been charged as an accessory for filming the incident on his phone.

For such a short book (under 200 pages), Boyne manages to create a multi-layered story covering a range of important – and often uncomfortable – topics. Much of Evan’s story is told in flashbacks as he remembers his childhood, his strained relationship with his father and his growing awareness of his sexuality (Evan is gay, which can make life difficult both in his small Irish community and in the world of professional football). When he arrives in London he is taken advantage of by an older man who pushes him into work as a male escort, which has disastrous results for Evan. This is what leads to Evan’s decision to become a footballer, despite his dislike of the sport – and again I thought it was interesting to see how Boyne explores the idea of someone achieving huge success in a profession that they don’t enjoy and don’t respect, as well as the various ways in which young men cope with suddenly attaining a level of fame that they’re not really prepared for.

The trial is also a main focus of the book and I found it increasingly frustrating and infuriating to see how the victim was treated in court. I hoped Evan would do the right thing and not just try to protect his friend, but Boyne keeps us doubting him throughout the novel and I’m not going to tell you whether I got the outcome I wanted. Obviously there have been many real life cases of women making allegations of sexual assault against famous people and the courtroom scenes are all the more disturbing because you can easily imagine them happening.

Like ‘water’ in the previous book, Boyne works the element of earth into the story in several different ways, from the soil of Evan’s island home to the ground beneath his feet that is so important to his sport. Of the two, I think I preferred Water but both are powerful books and I’m now looking forward to Fire, coming in November of this year.

I am always impressed by a book that manages to pack an emotional punch in under 200 pages. This book does so masterfully.

John Boyne handles both language and plot well, and manages to combine grit, character complexity, and conflicting emotions in the reader. The topical theme of sexual assault by footballers made it especially compelling and was - as far as I can tell - addressed realistically.

I have not read the first novel in the "Elements" series, but this did not detract from the reading experience, and I will definitely be getting hold of a copy to read.