The rumors are true: This does read like Sally Rooney. Edith is a local, sophisticated, and enthusiastic lawyer who falls in love with Ava and isnt afraid to say so. Straight romance. 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. I really am. Exciting Times is very funny in its cool observation and the way it takes us inside Avas spirals of overthinking. Find books by time period, setting & theme, Read-alike suggestions by book and author. Dolan writes about some of the social and political changes happening on the island, and its really interesting to consider this novel a time capsule for some of the last, perhaps, 'golden years' of the Anglo-European expat life in Hong Kong. GENERAL FICTION, by I definitely feltand enjoyedthat similar sparseness of language employed by both authors to cut to the crux of an emotion. Dolan is particularly good at capturing the way men talk to women whom they mistakenly think are not as smart as they are. Ahead, we're showcasing the best fashion and beauty looks you can recreate now. Identity Politics and the English Language: Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times The comparison was mentioned repeatedly in the book's marketing materials, in reviews, in interviews, and in the 28-year-old's author biographies. m sorry. exciting times naoise dolan ending explainedlivrer de la nourriture non halal. But real life is messy and people are messy, and this book dramatizes that in a way that rings profoundly true. Button, water, Tuesdayanything with two syllables zipped up then down like a Gothic steeple. Condition - Very Good. If in part one, Ava feels held at a frustrating distance why is she so hard on herself? [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. East and West collide in a timely and bittersweet novel of loyalty, love, and the siren call of freedom. She's instructing the dispassionate topic of grammar to youngsters in Hong Kong. I am not in my twenties although still full of angst. Ava herself would give much the same impression, which is a sign the book is successful even if it doesn't make it universally appealing. Categories: Exciting Times for Naoise Dolan: A Review - HeadStuff This can be really interesting territory for a novel, but it didn't completely work for me here. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. The following is excerpted from Naoise Dolan's debut novel, Exciting Times, an excerpt of which was published in The Stinging Fly by Sally Rooney. I often had to re-read passages, as subtext also plays a huge part in the book. It finds her teaching English while abroad and indecisive about two lovers. As they fall into a quasi-relationship, Ava moves into his apartment, where Julian allows her to live rent-free. 6 min read. You didnt likeNormal Peopleor are not a fan of Sally Roonys writing style (like, I readNormal Peoplea year ago and still am unsure how I feel), 2. But I'm going to just get it out of the way, for Naoise Dolan . Youre not a fan of unreliable narrators (hiit me), 3. Not so much. Unfortunately, Dolans superficial evocation of the island is conjured mostly through Instagram latte art geotagged on fashionable streets. With Naoise Dolan on the literary scene, there are Exciting Times ahead.' - i-D. 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. Amazon.com: Exciting Times: A Novel: 9780062968746: Dolan, Naoise: Books 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Telling neither the full truth about the other, Ava finds herself falling in love with Edith. Characters who bottle up and wont say how they feel drive me crazy, and Ava was no exception here. Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. A young Dubliner in Hong Kong struggles to connect in this fresh and funny debut about love and self-knowledge. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. In a novel where human connection is such a challenge, these flickering pixels provide one of the most affecting and powerful moments. Very . That said, I did not always love this book. Like New Very Good Good. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan. Or a good girlfriend? When you not only stalk her on subreddits, but worry about whether the algorithm will reveal to her the true extent of your stalking. And others will find that not much happens and it's just meh. Ava has left her life in Ireland behind to teach English to rich children in Hong Kong. "Okay wow, what a great book! Exciting Times. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In July, we'll be reading Brit Bennett's bestselling novel,The Vanishing Half (opens in new tab). Aperus are . [PDF] Exciting Times : A Novel - Download Book Online Exciting Times By Naoise Dolan | Used | 9781474613460 | World of Books Ultimately, this one was a miss for me. . - Booklist (starred review) Reviews | 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 . 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. 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? 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. Heres how it works. 40+ in stock. In Naoise Dolan's 'Exciting Times,' an Irish ex-pat in Hong Kong lands in a love triangle. New RRP 8.99. I also really loved how the author addresses the Irish English references in the novel and wondered if non-Irish readers understand them. She's lost as well as lonely. 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. Naoise Dolan, 2020. 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. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. The Irish debut novel everyone is talking about.' - The Gloss. She's a long way from her home in Ireland. The book is fast-paced, but with finely-wrought moments of stillness. The more I think about this novel the more it suffers in my estimations. Ava, the narrator, is an Irish ex-pat living in Hong Kong. I dove right in and read from beginning to end, and now Im giving thanks that such a book exists in the worldlight, sweet, sad, true. Noting that the school hires only white people, she remarks: "Like sharks' teeth, teachers dropped out and were replaced.". It would definitely have been helpful to have a general idea of the geopolitics between Ireland/Britain/Hong Kong. All rights reserved.Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. 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. I found her style of writing very unusual and can see why people would compare her to Sally Rooney based on that. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Sally Rooney-endorsed. Multiple friends of mine whove read Sally Rooneys phenomenally popular novel. Instead of just a romance or coming-of-age narrative, Dolan dives a bit deeper to probe what we carry into the relationships we form (like our personal politics and gendered expectations) and how those either weigh us down or perhaps end up setting us free., Exciting Timeslost me a bit in the second half with its pacing. 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. Not long after her arrival, she finds herself on a lunch date with Julian, an Oxford-educated British banker in his late 20s. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan review - a bracing, witty debut Those whove spent time in Hong Kong cant help wondering what its like to be among the Anglophone transplants who work and party there. All Rights Reserved. Condition - Like New. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan - Goodreads in part two, we watch her coming into the light. Your ultimate guide to the (arguably) best film genre: the romantic comedy. . Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Avas character provides us with biting social commentary. The dark and light sides of friendship breathlessly explored in a novel best saved for summer beachside reading. 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. What does she see in this man? Again, this recalls Rooney, who uses emails both sent and unsent as a potent fictional technique, and writes in Normal People that the network is a form of intelligence in itself, containing them both, and containing their feelings for each other. I also think the teaching English abroad aspect was well-researched and spot on. 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 . - Book Riot EXCITING TIMES is a joy from start to finish, and the perfect balm for these times-fresh, funny, sharp. 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. Incredibly readable.' - Belfast Telegraph. Who said I liked you? he counters. She is in a constant battle of inner conflicttotal social apathy, whilst silently scathing of her prejudiced workplace. Offline, shes likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop. Author Politics FBI agents, prosecutors argued over Trump before raid 8:48pm Gophers Scoggins: Give . But the intellectual aura inserted across the novel felt taut and occasionally reaching. However, this isnt anotherNormal Peopleand dont expect it to be. There are intimate moments here, even if they do occur at one remove. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. 23 year old Ava moves to Hong Kong to escape Ireland. Exciting Times Naoise Dolan. But Im going to just get it out of the way, for Naoise Dolan is Irish, in her mid-20s, and her debut was previewed in literary magazine, Naoise Dolan: 'I'm not good at presenting myself as likable', Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan review a witty, deadpan debut, 'The stakes were really high': the stars bringing Sally Rooney's Normal People to TV, 'My family are too frightened to read my book': meet Europe's most exciting authors, Sally Rooney: 'I want the next thing I do to be the best thing Ive ever done', 'All words are not equal': the debut novelist who's become a lockdown sensation, Tiger King and a bloody mary: Hilary Mantel, Simon Armitage and other writers on lockdown life, Introducing our 10 best debut novelists of 2020. Exciting Times is her first novel, an excerpt from which was published in The Stinging Fly by Sally Rooney.