Welcome to Litsy!

I absolutely loved this novel from Trent Dalton. The story, the use of language, and the emotional ups and downs are truly wonderful.

I loved this book. It had everything going for it...drama, parenting, romance, wisdom, and some thriller action. I also loved the sketches at the beginning of each chapter. Dalton has wonderfully drawn from his own history, both personal and professional. He describes domestic abuse as a Tyrannosaurus Waltz, a phrase that really captures the reality of the situation many women find themself in. Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the digital ARC. 5/5!

I mostly enjoyed Boy Swallows Universe, more than I thought I would, but it goes a bit off the rails in the third act 😕 It‘s definitely a different perspective on Australia – less sun-kissed beaches and beautiful bushland, more suburban noir and seedy underbelly. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/boy-swallows-universe-trent-dalton/

📚 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓜𝓪𝓲𝓵 📬

𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 by 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 has been described as a “complicated & surprising“ coming of age story. Published 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵. 𝟷𝟽, 2024, Bibliolifestyle & Harper Perennial sent me a copy of this unpredictable, gritty, magical, & emotionally moving tale about love & fate, life & death, & all the things we see when we look in the mirror: all our past, all our present, & all our possible futures.

SOOOOO sentimental I almost rolled my eyes…. But then I didn‘t, cos deep down I really liked it.
Trent Dalton is a magical storyteller. He has told these people‘s love stories with tenderness, care, sentimentality and a dash of good humour.

I think this is his best yet!

1. Trent Dalton‘s Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies
2. The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed out the Window

3. As a pre-teen Little Women and To Kill A Mockingbird

# wondrousWednesday

Fabulous to see Trent Dalton in conversation with Bret McKenzie at Te Papa in Wellington a couple of weeks ago. Honestly Trent is such a warm, funny and compassionate guy. He had the craziest upbringing as a kid and somehow he turned out to be a real good egg with a big heart. A very fun night 🎉

A bit harder to get going on this one, it didn‘t have the magnetic pull of “BSU” or “AOSS” but it got there in the end and when it got going boy did it get going. I think he knows what he‘s doing with his writing here and the uncomfortable start is an honest climb inside the world of those living on the streets. Poignant, funny and also terrifying I really don‘t know how Trent does it. #bigtrentdaltonfan