Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. Why do you like me? Ava asks him. 256 pages A refreshingly wry and insightful debut." Don't get me wrong, it's not the story itself, the story as a concept it totally up my alley (it has to be, because it sounds like a Sally Rooney novel): A 22 year old Irish expat living in Hong Kong who finds herself in a love triangle with a cold English banker who doesn't want to be her partner but will let her live in his expensive appartment for free, and a young woman from Hong Kong. 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. 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. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. - Library Journal She writes fiction, essays, criticism and features for publications including The London Review of Books, The Guardian and Vogue.Her 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 . The Irish debut novel everyone is talking about.' - The Gloss. Omnipresent yet subtle, Hong Kong doesn't overshadow the characters and their struggles in trying to figure out life. She creates her own isolation, whilst being envious of those who are not lonely. Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. 1. In fact, Now longlisted for the 2021 Desmond Elliott Prize for debut fiction and for the 2021 Women's Prize. But that's what I really enjoyed about thisthe characters felt real and the uncertainty and non-committal situations also felt very real. While there, Ava meets Julian, a rich banker from London, who invites her to move into his home. But even though shes divorced, Lily isnt exactly free. [2] She experienced homophobic bullying in school. I could see it forever, for us: walking through cities, laughing at things that werent that funny. When Julian tells her hes returning to Hong Kong, she must navigate the precarious situation shes inadvertently created. The more I think about this novel the more it suffers in my estimations. Rooney writes more stream of consciousness and this is more tightly bound, but the emotions and ways of being felt so similar." Edith is curious and enthusiastic, and Ava can no longer maintain her detached, ironical approach to life feelings flower all over the place. Some will find Ava absolutely intolerable and insufferable and won't be able to finish the first 25 pages. Ava wants to be herand wants her. By this I mean that Naise Dolan also focuses on love from a millennial point of view. She talks to Ava about Ava, and delivers the odd riff on her mother or Judy Garland, but we never delve deep into her own feelings or get to see her vulnerabilities exposed. The story follows Ava through two loosely defined relationshipswith Julian, a wealthy British banker, and with Edith, a Hong Kong born, Cambridge-educated lawyer. You get annoyed when a book includes references to politics/political issues/cultural references and you have NO IDEA what they mean (lots of info on politics in Ireland and Hong Kong, neither of which I knew OR cared to Google), While this style is definitely not for me, if you were a fan ofNormal PeopleandEleanor Oliphant,I can see you really enjoying this read and encourage you to try. RELEASE DATE: May 8, 1998. Its free and takes less than 10 seconds! In addition to appearing in best selling lists in the original English, it has also been translated into Italian where it has got rave reviews. Enter Edith. Written in a Woolf-esque internal monologue from Ava's perspective, we are met with an inner conflict that struggles to reconcile her disapproval of capitalism and a hyper-sensitivity to class structures . Caitlin, on the other hand, lives part of the year with her wealthy mother Phoebe, whos just moved to Albuquerque, and summers with her father Lamb, equally affluent, on the Vineyard. Click here and be the first to review this book! I personally see the appeal for Sally Rooneys fans (and thats why I chose it as my next rec), but I also think that Dolan deserves praise of her own. But now theyre co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. . Ultimately, this one was a miss for me. "[A] wry, tender debutDolan's smart, brisk debut works as charming comedy of manners, though it packs less of a punch when it comes to class consciousness." The years in between are related in brief segments by numerous characters, but mostly by Vix. I often had to re-read passages, as subtext also plays a huge part in the book. In a novel where human connection is such a challenge, these flickering pixels provide one of the most affecting and powerful moments. LITERARY FICTION | Thats partly because Edith herself is only lightly sketched in. I was more interested in her thoughts and experiences with class than her relationships, to be honest, even as they played proxy for amplifying her feelings around status. The dark and light sides of friendship breathlessly explored in a novel best saved for summer beachside reading. The novel takes place a few years after the 2014 Umbrella Movement, peaceful demonstrations that galvanized Hong Kongs youth, who were demanding open elections, in a renewed spirit of protest. Add to cart. A widowed painter and her teenaged . Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Dolan encapsulates this in a perfect image near the end of Exciting Times, when Ava is tensely watching the three little dots on her messaging app: Edith is typing reads her screen. [5] Dolan obtained an English degree from Trinity College Dublin in 2016 [6] [2] and later a Master's in Victorian literature from Oxford University. This month we are discussing. - Booklist (starred review) Avawho has struggled throughout the novel to be vulnerable in often maddening waysmust make a decision: live comfortably or live truthfully. Every complaint you've ever read about "millenial fiction"? Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, 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. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. anyway i picked this novel up solely because of the sally rooney comparisons and in the second chapter itself a sentence begins like because i lacked warmth [] which reminded me of the quote in rooney's second novel that goes [..] marianne lacks warmth, by which she means the ability to beg for love from people who hate her. what i will say in my measured judgement is that rooney's writing, especially considering. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan. The book was first published in April 1st 2020 and the latest edition of the book was published in April 16th . An upcoming glossy series based on the debut novel of the same name by 29-year-old Irish author Naoise Dolan - and streaming giant Amazon will be behind it. Like Rooney, Dolan writes in a deadpan style. How to Join Marie Claire's Online Book Club. Never feel guilty about skipping book club again. "Much likeNormal Peopleby Sally Rooney, I expect there will be polarizing opinions onExciting Times. The book is fast-paced, but with finely-wrought moments of stillness. She has been shortlisted and longlisted for several prizes, including The Women's Prize for Fiction, the Dylan Thomas Prize and The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year . Both intonations feel native to its 22 . The forthcoming book from 'We Are Not Like Them' authors Jo Piazza and Christine Pride asks the question: Who gets to make the choice to be a mom? She studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin and Oxford University. Do you take delight in words like "gormless"? Naoise Dolan: seasons the novel with insights about class, gender, race and language. I know its frustrating that any new young female writer must find themselves compared to Sally Rooney. But Caitlin, whose own demons have been hinted at, will not be so lucky. I cant believe it was written so geniously by someone so young. "I have to say I really liked this debut novel by Naoise Dolan. 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. Phoebe Dynevor, the glamorous lead of Netflix's Bridgerton, is set to star and executive produce Exciting Times. 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. Ava, newly arrived in Hong Kong from Dublin, spends her days teaching English to rich children. Do you re-read witty comebacks to try and bake them into your mind should you ever need them? The young Irish writers first novel is dry and sharp in its observation of twentysomething expat lives. Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over. Its a story about intimacy, vulnerability, being alone, and being different versions of yourself with different people. Exciting Times? @compulsivereadersblog. An exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity. She, a . Ava is pulled into the orbit of wealthy, privileged banker Julian who comes from London. Its not easy to sustain interest in someone so relentlessly floundering for self-knowledge, and the book flags once Ava and Edith are together. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Publication Information. Because truly, if you love her books, dont sleep on this one. However, they did enjoy the political and historical references throughout the novel, albeit having to do a bit of research on the topics themselves. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. She studied at Trinity College, followed by a master's in Victorian literature at Oxford. It seemed farcical that I even needed to explain to Edith . I took some time getting used to the narrators voice, but once I did, I became completely absorbed in Avas story. The dialog is brilliant throughout. Blume knows the way kids and teens speak, but her two female leads are less credible as they reach adulthood. But boy, this novel feels so liveless and fake. [4] She identifies as queer. Categories: Only 2 left. She also launched and managed the sites virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. So while the storyline and characters didn't do it for me, I'm interested to see what Dolan puts out next. Reviews | Judy Blume Naoise Dolan is an Irish novelist. She is also obsessive and over-analytical in her thoughts about both Julian and Edith. After graduating from Trinity, Dubliner Ava moves to Hong Kong to teach Englishthe only thing she is qualified to doand gets hired mostly because she is white. The story centers on conflict within Ava, the main character. Her relationships are dysfunctional and we see her repeatedly make choices that we know (or think we know) are wrong for her. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. Absent the textures of a real city that is sharply divided along generational, ideological and class lines, Dolans novel could have taken place in any other major Asian metropolis. For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for theMarie Clairenewsletter. This debut novel tells the story of a millennial Irish expat who becomes entangled in a love triangle with a male banker and a female lawyer I laughed out loud at so many parts, especially in conversations with her parents! 3.79. Related Post: Why You Should Buy a Kindle . New RRP 8.99. Its something I appreciate in memoirs and also in literary fiction. Julian is a banker who likes spending time with Ava, but incapable (or simply unwilling) to express his feelings for her. Edith Zhang Mei LingEnglish name Edith, Chinese name Mei Ling . But there are nuances that made me literally stop reading and think about what Dolan had wrote. ISBN-10: 1474613446 . Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Some will declare Ava sharp and wise and funny, a hyper-relatable protagonist. - Publishers Weekly As they fall into a quasi-relationship, Ava moves into his apartment, where Julian allows her to live rent-free. After high school, Caitlin travels the world and cant understand why Vix, by now at Harvard on a scholarship and determined to have a better life than her mother has had, wont drop out and join her. Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. , Something small I enjoyed was the depiction of Ava's queerness. Naoise Dolan. Until she got pregnant at fifteen, she'd . This information about Exciting Times was first featured dynamic. - O, the Oprah Magazine I loved him potentially, she thinks. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. 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. The comparison was mentioned repeatedly in the book's marketing materials, in reviews, in interviews, and in the 28-year-old's author biographies. I really am. [3] A college debater, she co-convened the Irish Mace competition in 2015/16. With a similar rhythm of detachment and sparsity found in Rooney and Ottessas writing, I can see why comparisons are being drawn, and I dont think this comparison does Dolan any disservice. . She's instructing the dispassionate topic of grammar to youngsters in Hong Kong. The book centres on Ava (Dynevor), an Irish woman who moves to Hong Kong . Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Exciting Times is an acerbic tale of sex and love, set in the social media age.' - The Herald Scotland. Eileen was six years older than me. Exciting Times takes place in Hong Kong around 2015, when 22 year-old Ava leaves Ireland to take a job as a TEFL teacher and find her own way in the world.This is a novel of many layers. GENERAL FICTION, by Naoise Dolan is in her late 20s and has often been compared to Sally Rooney. June 3, 2020 7 AM PT. Dolans writing is extremely sharp both cutting and tart but there are places where it feels overly cynical. 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. Meanwhile, Atlas mother returns with shocking news. The Irish author, who will appear virtually at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, set her multi-award winning novel in Hong Kong The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother. "Telling Time to Minute" contains high-end 3D animations that explain abstract topics visually in detail to understand it more easily. She's a long way from her home in Ireland. Retrieve credentials. Her elegantly simple writing allows her ideas and musings to shine. During an evening stroll, she thinks: I didn't need to know how other women went about being together. @suzylew_bookreview, "Love triangle. <style> body { -ms-overflow-style: scrollbar; overflow-y: scroll; overscroll-behavior-y: none; } .errorContainer { background-color: #FFF; color: #0F1419; max-width . She dissects language and her humor is so deadpan I sometimes read sentences twice. Why do you like me? Ava asks him. I like cool detached styling, I like complex unlikeable protagonists, I like dissections of class, I like explorations of sexuality. You liked the writing style ofNormal People. I think I may be experiencing a personal jadedness with these narratives that prevented me from fully enjoying my reading. Aperus are withering. Emotions are dealt with baldly, dryly: Anyway, I hated her, says Ava about Victoria, a moneyed friend of Julians. A gut-punch of a novel about a Cherokee child removed from her family and sent to a Christian boarding school in the 1950s. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. Dolan's debut novel, Exciting Times, is a smart, funny, . Telling neither the full truth about the other, Ava finds herself falling in love with Edith. Dolan skilfully reveals to us how Avas choices are all made with self-protection in mind: her constant irony, her low expectations, her chilly relationship with Julian. Exciting Times Book Rating. Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published. 3.5 out of 5 stars 3.7 out of 5.0 5 Stars . In Exciting Times, Echoes of Sally Rooney, but With a Queer Twist, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/books/review/exciting-times-naoise-dolan.html. In sixth grade, when Victoria Weaver is asked by new girl Caitlin Somers to spend the summer with her on Marthas Vineyard, her life changes forever. in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. But real life is messy and people are messy, and this book dramatizes that in a way that rings profoundly true. My main problem was Ava. Condition - Very Good. Ava eventually comes to recognise that her cynicism is the protective garb of youth, but it is something the book also struggles to shrug off. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. I personally found that to be utterly fascinating. Copyright 2023 Kirkus Media LLC. Politics, grammar, and morality are explored with quick jabs and sharp wording. (Ecco, 256 pp., $16.99.) CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022. Throughout the book, Ava makes incisive observations about the legacy of colonialism in both HK and Ireland, in addition to funny musings about the rules of English grammar she teaches her students, but can hardly explain, let alone justify, herself. Heavily influenced by Sally Rooneys Normal People in terms of the tiresome indecisiveness of committing to a relationship, its as if Exciting Times is just Normal People set in China with some extra LGBT content packed in. Sentences are short. I hope youll give her debut a tryit was exceedingly worth it!" An intimate, bracingly intelligent debut novel about a millennial Irish expat who becomes entangled in a love triangle with a male banker and a female lawyer. Millennials floundering in the realms of the heart. Categories: . 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