Laugh, cheer, and weep as John Boyne takes you on an unforgettable journey through the Dickensian life of one of the greatest new protagonists in literature! It has been a long time since I have loved a character as much as I love Cyril Avery.

Given up as a baby by an unwed teen mother in post-war Ireland, Cyril is adopted by the Averys, whose treatment of Cyril is more of a business arrangement than that of loving parents. It’s as if they forget he even lives there—except when they’re reminding him he’s "not a real Avery."

As the book moves from 1945 to 2015, we follow sweet, well-intentioned Cyril from Dublin to Amsterdam to New York City as he embarks on a series of humorous and heartfelt adventures.

As he grows up, goes off to boarding school, and then out into the world, he struggles with identity, religion, and sexuality, all the while trying to discover who he really is, inside and out. For many years he is adrift, trying to make sense of his heart’s desires in a cruel, confusing world.

The story also documents a very real period in Ireland's history, when expressing interest in the same sex meant persecution by friends and family, excommunication from the Church, and even imprisonment. While these same laws no longer apply, the book is a reminder that people suffered under these rules not that long ago. The wonderful humor throughout helps cushion that reality.

This novel is perfect for fans of John Irving and Frank McCourt. It’s big, bawdy, and brimming with heart. I wanted to wrap Cyril up and keep him safe from a world that has told him his love is wrong. This novel is a thing of magic, it absolutely floored me. Don’t be surprised at the end of the year when I tell you it’s my favorite book of 2017. And don’t be surprised when you agree.