A literary and hilarious tour de force. Her elegantly simple writing allows her ideas and musings to shine. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan, review: a wily, caustic debut novel about young love Soon Ava falls for sternly witty British banker Julian - for his mind in a way, and certainly for his wallet. There are intimate moments here, even if they do occur at one remove. Now I know what the phrase razor sharp wit really means. Ava, newly arrived in Hong Kong from Dublin, spends her days teaching English to rich children. In June, we're reading author Naoise Dolan's debut book, Exciting Times a novel about an Irish millennial expat in Hong Kong who finds herself in a love triangle with a male banker and a female . Naoise's debut novel EXCITING TIMES was published by W&N in the UK and by Ecco in the US in 2020, and became a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated and optioned for TV. , RIYL: Sally Rooney. New York, @thefamilybookshelf, "Exciting Timesis a sharp, character-driven story about the complicated relationships of three 20-somethings.. Im not sure how many of you will actually love this novel. D I S C L A I M E RThese are all just my own opinion on the book. Edith Zhang Mei LingEnglish name Edith, Chinese name Mei Ling . Judy Blume. However, they did enjoy the political and historical references throughout the novel, albeit having to do a bit of research on the topics themselves. In this, shes reminiscent of Sally Rooneys precarious young women, whose struggle for self-affirmation is so snarled up with the power dynamics of sex. Here goes apologies if this review gets a bit ranty. Her first novel. Unfortunately, Dolans superficial evocation of the island is conjured mostly through Instagram latte art geotagged on fashionable streets. Nolan does a brilliant job of harnessing technology to her story, specifically the phone. "Hands down one of the most anticipated debuts of the yearA piercingly provocative look at modern love and power games." Already drawing comparisons to Sally Rooneys work, Exciting Times, by Naoise Dolan, has many of the familiar tropes of the millennial novel covered: Jealousy and obsession, love and late capitalism, sex and the internet all come whirling together in a wry and bracing tale of class and privilege. Victoria, or more commonly Vix, lives in a small house; her brother has muscular dystrophy; her mother is unhappy, and money is scarce. Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Naoise Dolan, 2020. Those whove spent time in Hong Kong cant help wondering what its like to be among the Anglophone transplants who work and party there. The book is perfect for those who wants to read contemporary, lgbt books. In fact, Now longlisted for the 2021 Desmond Elliott Prize for debut fiction and for the 2021 Women's Prize. Fiercely intelligent, brutally funny and written with such heart, Exciting Times announces an impressive new voice in literature. @thereaderignites. BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfictionbooks that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. @what_leah_reads. "I have to say I really liked this debut novel by Naoise Dolan. But when she asks whether he loves her, he cannot say more than "I like you a great deal." Regardless, I encourage you to seek outExciting Timesfor yourself because I know so many of you are hungry for reading experiences that capture the complexities of love, personal politics, and the precariousness that comes with being young and lost and in love. Three-syllable words spread out like the spokes on an umbrella: "attaches" became "a-tach-iss.". She has been short-listed and long-listed for several prizes, including the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Dylan Thomas Prize, and the Sunday Times Young Writer . Until she got pregnant at fifteen, she'd . Es un libro en el que la protagonista est tan bien retratada y es tan cruda y llena de aristas que, realmente, casi da igual lo que le pase a ella personalmente, porque lo que te interesa como lector es su voz, su forma de ver el mundo y su forma de verse a s misma. Naoise Dolan captures perfectly the nauseating insecurity of growing up today. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. - Book Riot 4. 1. The book is fast-paced, but with finely-wrought moments of stillness. About the author (2020) Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. 40+ in stock. When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Naoise Dolan. She, a . When the two begin a romance, Ava pretends Julian is only a roommate. In Irish author Dolan's debut novel, 22-year-old narrator Ava relocates from Dublin to Hong Kong to teach grammar at a school for English-language learners. However, as a TEFL teacher, Ava struggles with a myriad of contemplative problems and inner issues as she comes to terms with her feelings for both Julian and Edith. Ava, the narrator, is an Irish ex-pat living in Hong Kong. Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Exciting Times Naoise Dolan. She has been short-listed and long-listed for several prizes, including the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Dylan Thomas Prize, and the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. The middle section was slightly better than the beginning, there was an ounce of truth to it, but then it nosedived again. That, or I wanted to be him., Ava is hyper-verbal and exacting, and Dolans writing excels when Ava turns her analytical eye on the intersections between English syntax, zeitgeist technology and interpersonal relationships: Because I lacked warmth, I was mainly assigned grammar classes, where children not liking you was a positive performance indicator. Read more. Join BookBrowse today to start discovering exceptional books! Founded in 2009, The Rumpus is one of the longest running independent online literary and culture magazines.Our mostly volunteer-run magazine strives to be a platform for risk-taking voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere. Ava, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | this book is insane because not only does the protagonist have the same birthday as me but also the male love interest has the same birthday as the man i didn't shut up about all of last year. 3. That doesnt make for a worthy heroineor it might make me 'too old' to empathize. Julian is a banker. Your ultimate guide to the (arguably) best film genre: the romantic comedy. She is in a constant battle of inner conflicttotal social apathy, whilst silently scathing of her prejudiced workplace. Exciting Timesfollows Ava, a young Irish woman living in Hong Kong and her relationship with Julian and Edith. Its a Euro-centric story, despite its Asian setting." I think I may be experiencing a personal jadedness with these narratives that prevented me from fully enjoying my reading. ), On a personal level, I found Avas character very insular and detached, but the moments that worked their way under my skin were those where she drafted text messages which she didnt send. Exciting Timesis a smart and funny book that deals with class, money, bisexuality, and the uncertainties of modern love through the eyes of a narrator that is scared to be loved. You liked the writing style ofNormal People. Ava is a 21-year-old who leaves Ireland, where shes convinced everyone hates her, to become a teacher of English as a foreign language in Hong Kong. A gut-punch of a novel about a Cherokee child removed from her family and sent to a Christian boarding school in the 1950s. The story explores the freedoms and dangers of modern love and expression through Avas relations with these two people and her teaching of the often non-sensical semantics of the English language to her students. About a third into the story, when I was starting to wonder where everything was going, were introduced to Edith, a lawyer from Hong Kong who starts to capture Avas attention away from Julian. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend if you want to read something thats not the normal style." Related Post: Why You Should Buy a Kindle Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over. I have no love for a novel which only uses my home town as a colorful backdrop and doesn't give a shit about what is happening to the local people. Just $45 for 12 months or Multiple friends of mine whove read Sally Rooneys phenomenally popular novel. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a life--and announces herself as a singular new voice. I like cool detached styling, I like complex unlikeable protagonists, I like dissections of class, I like explorations of sexuality. Overall, the #ReadWithMC community had trouble relating to Ava, mainly due to her passive aggressiveness and inability to speak the truth to fellow characters in the book. (I mean, I love them both and what good company to be in! @suzylew_bookreview, "Love triangle. As they fall into a quasi-relationship, Ava moves into his apartment, where Julian allows her to live rent-free. Always fun reading the #readwithmc selection!" The style is detached and detaching in an interesting way but if you like sinking teeth into a narrative this is not for you. She hopes hell be as impressed by her youth and attractiveness as she is by his salary, which she has Googled, thoroughly. They trip her up and get in the way. Current research indicates that autistic people have higher rates of LGBT identities and feelings than the general population. I 'm sorry. Though the wedding briefly revives Vixs old feelings for Bru, whom Caitlin is marrying, Vix is soon in love with Gus, another old summer friend, and a more compatible match. His privilege is the invisible third party in the relationship. Exciting Times. Eek! A widowed painter and her teenaged . This book also brought back so many memories from my trip to Hong Kong with my friends after college graduation (swipe!). 2. But Caitlin, whose own demons have been hinted at, will not be so lucky. When Ava leaves Ireland aged 22 to make her own money . Not long after her arrival, she finds herself on a lunch date with Julian, an Oxford-educated British banker in his late 20s. They form a digital counterbalance to Avas aloof and guarded in-person presence, and through this duality Dolan captures perfectly the nauseating insecurity of growing up today. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. Everyone should read it right now. "Overall, this surprising novel is believable and piercingly written, with many hilarious linesFor fans of Rachel Khong's Goodbye, Vitamin." This is the kind of book that people are going to have vastly different opinions on. Every time she typed out a note in her phone to send to the other characters, only to delete it, my soul died a little. Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. This book is incredibly fine. By Naoise Dolan. After confiding that she called her college savings account her abortion fund, she says: I knew some women who saved with their friends, and they all helped whoever was unlucky. But real life is messy and people are messy, and this book dramatizes that in a way that rings profoundly true. If in part one, Ava feels held at a frustrating distance why is she so hard on herself? Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan. Though the novel had mixed reviews, one thing readers did agree on is that Dolan is a unique and smart writer who they'll continue to support throughout her career. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. Dolan seasons the novel with insights about class, gender, race, colonialism, and language, though the result does not always bring depth of flavour. Its a story about intimacy, vulnerability, being alone, and being different versions of yourself with different people.
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