Read an excerpt from the bookhere (opens in new tab). She is known for her debut novel Exciting Times . Exciting Times is a wily, caustic story about young love.It is set in Hong Kong in 2016, where Ava, a recent graduate from Dublin, has moved to teach English, ostensibly until she works out what . Eileen was six years older than me. The answer Exciting Times seems to offer is yes, in this case they are just as shallow and myopic as one would assume. Available in used condition with free delivery in the UK. This gives the novel a strangely solipsistic feel, like a hall of mirrors, where every attempt to gaze outward is met only by your own face. Him needing me was strange and new. Exciting Times Naoise Dolan $27.99 $26.03 in cart add to cart I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and. Exciting Times is a fun, snappy read ordinarily, Id say its short chapters could be torn through on your commute, but itll brighten lockdown too. "I have to say I really liked this debut novel by Naoise Dolan. The years in between are related in brief segments by numerous characters, but mostly by Vix. The title of Naoise Dolan's debut novel, "Exciting Times," is a clever trick an ambivalent phrase that reads one way in millennial deadpan, an additional way as an . More Books, Published Jun 2020 Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. His privilege is the invisible third party in the relationship. Who said I liked you? he counters. It also turned into a really beautiful queer love story, taking turns I hadnt anticipated at the outset of the novel. Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. Theres a certain dry, almost deadpan quality in her observation of the lives of her twentysomething characters the complications of attraction, and the gap between whats felt and whats spoken; calmly articulated self-loathing, and precise capturing of class differences that both authors nail down dead. Its the closest well ever come to telepathy: she realises Edith is thinking about her at that moment, and it changes everything. She hinges on the idea of a strong female, but then plays out the stereotype. A variety of explanations for this have been proposed; The Lancet's "Commission on the future of care and clinical research in autism" commented that it "might be part of a different concept of self, less reliance on or reference to social norms, or part of a . ROMANCE | - Exciting Times [ Book Description ] When you leave Ireland aged 22 to spend your parents' money, it's called a gap year. . Magazine Subscribers (How to Find Your Reader Number), 6 Queer Debuts To Read During Pride Month, Shortlists for Dalkey Literary Awards Are Revealed, Colleen Hoover Is Back. Naoise Dolan'sExciting Times (opens in new tab)drew instant comparisons to Sally Rooney'sConversations with Friends (opens in new tab)(2017) andNormal People (opens in new tab)(2019)perhaps because Dolan and Rooney are both brilliant Irish writers who instill a dry sense of humor in their characters. "If I had to describe this book to someone in two sentences it would be like this:Eleanor OliphantandNormal Peoplegot together and had a baby. Offline, shes likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop. [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. Ava is pulled into the orbit of wealthy, privileged banker Julian who comes from London. Visit our corporate site. @thefamilybookshelf, "Exciting Timesis a sharp, character-driven story about the complicated relationships of three 20-somethings.. Honestly. Naoise Dolan is an Irish novelist. The story centers on conflict within Ava, the main character. Politics, grammar, and morality are explored with quick jabs and sharp wording. However, this isnt anotherNormal Peopleand dont expect it to be. Sentences are short. I often had to re-read passages, as subtext also plays a huge part in the book. I think these were used as great insights. She's sharing an Airbnb with roomies that don't like her. By Naoise Dolan. 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. 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. Its a Euro-centric story, despite its Asian setting." A young Dubliner in Hong Kong struggles to connect in this fresh and funny debut about love and self-knowledge. When you not only stalk her on subreddits, but worry about whether the algorithm will reveal to her the true extent of your stalking. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added. A widowed painter and her teenaged . I related to it immensely. 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. Search String: Summary | The book is fast-paced, but with finely-wrought moments of stillness. Exciting Times is an acerbic tale of sex and love, set in the social media age.' - The Herald Scotland. Everyone should read it right now. Naoise Dolan - Exciting Times: A Novel Audiobook. in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. LITERARY FICTION | If Sally Rooney couldn't write, was more cynical and forgot everything about subtlety and realistic characterisation and dialogue. In a novel where human connection is such a challenge, these flickering pixels provide one of the most affecting and powerful moments. But while it had a similar vibe and a cast of millennials, it definitely had more of a dry and cutting tone to it. If youre looking for likable and well-rounded characters, a happy love story, and everything packaged up in a neat box, this isnt it. Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. Her elegantly simple writing allows her ideas and musings to shine. Thats good to know about me, she thinks. Dolan seasons the novel with insights about class, gender, race, colonialism, and language, though the result does not always bring depth of flavour. And damn I wish I could figure out why exactly. Categories: Im sorry. Characters who bottle up and wont say how they feel drive me crazy, and Ava was no exception here. The book was first published in April 1st 2020 and the latest edition of the book was published in April 16th . Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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 "[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." Title Enter Edith. Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. The project, based on Irish writer Naoise Dolan's debut novel, hails from U.S. financier-producer Black Bear Pictures, which optioned rights to the book ahead of its June 2020 U.S. release to . Exciting Times Naoise Dolan. Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Nenia I yeet my books back and forth Campbell, review of Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan on LonesomeReader. This book is very clever and very busy being very clever making it tiring to read but being a millennial seems pretty exhausting so perhaps its captured a lived experience. And yet its so original. That doesnt make for a worthy heroineor it might make me 'too old' to empathize. 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. In fact, Exciting Times (talk about a misleading title) reads like a dry, emotionless version of Conversations with Friends without the subtle characterization and psychological realism that made Rooney a household name. Surely, Dolan has much in common with the immensely popular Rooney in terms of themes and style. 4. June 2, 2020. She's lost as well as lonely. 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. Our parents had divorced when I was a baby, and now lived in different counties in the west of Ireland. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. I hope youll give her debut a tryit was exceedingly worth it!" More from Star Tribune. Edith is curious and enthusiastic, and Ava can no longer maintain her detached, ironical approach to life feelings flower all over the place. Her first novel. <style> body { -ms-overflow-style: scrollbar; overflow-y: scroll; overscroll-behavior-y: none; } .errorContainer { background-color: #FFF; color: #0F1419; max-width . Youre not easily pleased with how other people put sentences together, Julian accuses, but when it comes to money, youve got no taste. Already drawing comparisons to Sally Rooney's work, "Exciting Times," by Naoise Dolan, has many of the familiar tropes of the "millennial . Buy Exciting Times: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER By Naoise Dolan. Search: It finds her teaching English while abroad and indecisive about two lovers. Books that read fast, cut fluff, and get to the point are your jam. I really am. By this I mean that Naise Dolan also focuses on love from a millennial point of view. Membership Advantages. Reviews | Lily wont send Emerson to her fathers house overnight until shes old enough to talkSo she can tell me if something happensbut she doesnt want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. A banker who likes to spend money on Ava, to have sex and discuss fluctuating currencies with her. More Information | As for Julian, he is a closed book he wouldnt fulfil his function in the storyline otherwise and the rest of the characters, barring Avas hilariously frank Mam on the phone from Ireland, are similarly unforthcoming. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. @brigittesbookshelf, "Lovers of Sally Rooney will absolutely devour this book. 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 Aperus are . Lots of reviews are making the Rooney 'millennial lit' comparison which is fair but I'd add. It read as slow-paced indecisiveness. evenings that often end in drunken blackouts or in bed with her sort-of boyfriend Julian, who . I have a feeling this one is going to be popping up on lots of summer 2020 must read lists! Stories so good, you won't need a bookmark. @bookcrazyblogger. This years Womens Prize for Fiction longlist includes quite a few of these disaster women books and I for one am really pleased with that. The prose is interesting; the way Dolan writes the dialogue is natural; the conversations back home with family felt real in a way that many writing about calling home don't. About the author (2020) Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. On a sentence level the novel delivers one perfect zinger after another. There is just something I really appreciate about women writing about women making terrible choices and being honest about that while they are doing it. However, I soon grew to really like this, as I became used to her inner thoughts. Naoise Dolan, 2020. I definitely feltand enjoyedthat similar sparseness of language employed by both authors to cut to the crux of an emotion. Exciting Times is the debut novel from Irish writer Naoise Dolan (and one of the Headstuff Picks of 2020 ). But that's what I really enjoyed about thisthe characters felt real and the uncertainty and non-committal situations also felt very real. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend if you want to read something thats not the normal style." Ava is constantly trying to make sense of her situation by framing it in terms of identity: does sleeping with Julian make her a bad feminist? EXCITING TIMES. influencers in the know since 1933. by Blume knows the way kids and teens speak, but her two female leads are less credible as they reach adulthood. Noting that the school hires only white people, she remarks: Like sharks teeth, teachers dropped out and were replaced. From the jump, Ava approaches the world with cleareyed humor. The Irish author, who will appear virtually at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, set her multi-award winning novel in Hong Kong I know its frustrating that any new young female writer must find themselves compared to Sally Rooney. Now 45% Off. This book is incredibly fine. 2019 Naoise Dolan (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group. The fact that Naoise Dolan is being touted as "the new Sally Rooney" is nothing short of an insult to Rooney's work. Genre: Literary Fiction I am not in my twenties although still full of angst. 6 min read. D I S C L A I M E RThese are all just my own opinion on the book. I 'm sorry. Edith has much in common with Julian: an Oxbridge pedigree and a high-powered, high-paying job. Colleen Hoover. The story is told through Avas eyes and she often diverges on topics, which are not always explained. Ava, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. Regardless of whether this will be a standout favorite for you, I believe we can all appreciate the hype it has whipped up and the skill of Dolans writing." Article Pre-publication book reviews and features keeping readers and industry 256 pages 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. This novel is a tedious account of one girls romantic flings during a year of living abroad in Hong Kong. This is one of the hottest debut authors of 2020, described as the new Sally Rooney and perfect for fans ofAnimalsandTrick Mirror. June 3, 2020 7 AM PT. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. But when she asks whether he loves her, he cannot say more than "I like you a great deal." Given my absolute adoration of Rooney, its no surprise I loved this debut by a writer who counts Rooney as an inspiration and mentor. She said "completely" a lot and usually dropped the "t" in the middle. Some will declare Ava sharp and wise and funny, a hyper-relatable protagonist. Reviews: Trustpilot. @kelseylovesbooks. ISBN-10: 1474613446 . Still, Dolan deserves her own praise for her debut novel that centers on a millennial Irish expat named Ava who teaches abroad in Hong Kong, and ends up in a love triangle with a banker, Julian, and a lawyer, Edith. The most insightful and raw of these are the caustic observations about Irelands repressive attitudes to homosexuality and abortionand how they damage individual lives. When he leaves to go work in London again, Ava is left wondering what their exact relationship status is, caught between being a sugar baby or being Julians girlfriend. Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times drew instant comparisons to Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends (2017) and Normal People (2019)perhaps because Dolan and Rooney are both brilliant Irish . Exciting Times Book Rating. Just $45 for 12 months or 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. Why do you like me? Ava asks him. Another month has whizzed by, seriously where is 2021 going so fast, and it is time for the latest #BookClub with Melanie and I. $15 at Amazon. And also coming out: Ava slowly falls for Edith, a Hong Kong lawyer. Nine months later, out popped their new child known asExciting Times. Read an excerpt from Emiko Jean's new novel, here, then dive in with us throughout the month.