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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. 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. 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. 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. Categories: This book also brought back so many memories from my trip to Hong Kong with my friends after college graduation (swipe!). 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. When Julian plans to return to Hong Kong, Ava must come clean to Edith and decide for herself which life she wants to live: one with romance and adventure or money and comfort. I often had to re-read passages, as subtext also plays a huge part in the book. 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. 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 40+ in stock. 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. But even though shes divorced, Lily isnt exactly free. Ava wants to be herand wants her. She is known for her debut novel Exciting Times . Its something I appreciate in memoirs and also in literary fiction. Condition - Very Good. This is one of the hottest debut authors of 2020, described as the new Sally Rooney and perfect for fans ofAnimalsandTrick Mirror. This month we are discussing. It was ok, but I was disappointed and wanted a little more." 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. 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. influencers in the know since 1933. by Sigh. Exciting Times is a beautiful novel written by the famous author Naoise Dolan. The book is fast-paced, but with finely-wrought moments of stillness. Aleksandar Hemon's characters are romantics. "Exciting Timesby Naoise Dolan follows a young 20-something as she flees Dublin for Hong Kong in search of a life that matches her desires. I also really loved how the author addresses the Irish English references in the novel and wondered if non-Irish readers understand them. 2019 Naoise Dolan (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group. Dolan was born in Dublin, Ireland. Let the BookTokking Begin, New Colleen Hoover Book Sells 800K Copies, Colleen Hoover Dominated Book Sales in 2022. Often when I read a queer novel some of it feels forced; this was seamless. 3.79. Lots of reviews are making the Rooney 'millennial lit' comparison which is fair but I'd add. Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. Naoise Dolan - Exciting Times: A Novel Audiobook. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. All Rights Reserved. I love the unconventional, the interpersonal, the relatable *but not talked about,* and this book had all of that and more. If in part one, Ava feels held at a frustrating distance why is she so hard on herself? 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 . New RRP 8.99. Ava is pulled into the orbit of wealthy, privileged banker Julian who comes from London. About the author (2020) Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. 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. Our parents had divorced when I was a baby, and now lived in different counties in the west of Ireland. In her first months as an expat, she meets Juliana 28-year-old English bankerwho seems aloof about everything except his job. Politics, class, and race anxiously hover over the entire novel. "[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." 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 The Stinging Fly while Rooney edited it. Now 45% Off. Heres how it works. Similarly to her feelings about Julian, Ava becomes obsessed with Edith, to the point where she begins wondering if Edith will be her girlfriend. In fact, Now longlisted for the 2021 Desmond Elliott Prize for debut fiction and for the 2021 Women's Prize. Oh . And sometimes youre just not sure anything looks good and nothing quite fits right. Every complaint you've ever read about "millenial fiction"? Are they as insensitive and indifferent as they seem to the foreign city they call home? RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022. Search String: Summary | Naoise Dolan. Exciting Times is her first novel, an excerpt from which was published in The Stinging Fly by Sally Rooney. 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. However, I soon grew to really like this, as I became used to her inner thoughts. Incredibly readable.' - Belfast Telegraph. 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." Some will find Ava absolutely intolerable and insufferable and won't be able to finish the first 25 pages. Ava, the narrator, is an Irish ex-pat living in Hong Kong. Nine months later, out popped their new child known asExciting Times. 4. And others will find that not much happens and it's just meh. "Gaydars . You like an unreliable narrator (thinkEleanor Oliphant) as you read. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | Until she got pregnant at fifteen, she'd . After a local waiter replies to her English greeting in Cantonese, an irritated Edith points out one of Avas blind spots: Youre not noticing because youre white, she says, people see me and assume Im from here. Edith might let Ava off the hook, but why should todays reader do the same? - Publishers Weekly Naoise Dolan: 'I'm not good at presenting myself as likable', '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', Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan review a bracing, witty debut, '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. ), 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. 2 junio, 2022; couples challenge tiktok; dome structure examples . Eek! Read an excerpt from Danielle Prescod's new memoir, here, then dive in with us throughout the month. 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. The Irish debut novel everyone is talking about.' - The Gloss. The comparison was mentioned repeatedly in the book's marketing materials, in reviews, in interviews, and in the 28-year-old's author biographies. Sally Rooney-endorsed. Some will declare Ava sharp and wise and funny, a hyper-relatable protagonist. She's instructing the dispassionate topic of grammar to youngsters in Hong Kong. The answer Exciting Times seems to offer is yes, in this case they are just as shallow and myopic as one would assume. Naoise Dolan and her debut novel, "Exciting Times." (Maria Bianchi / Ecco) 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 earnest expression. Though this model of relationship-as-power-struggle is hardly new, Dolan brings a fresh 21st-century sensibility to it. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. It felt authentic, less an added 'interesting' point, but a way of being that felt effortless. $15 for 3 months. And no squeamishness about asking for it, discussing it, hoarding it. Ava doesnt flinch. 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. Ahead, we're showcasing the best fashion and beauty looks you can recreate now. She said "completely" a lot and usually dropped the "t" in the middle. This novel is a tedious account of one girls romantic flings during a year of living abroad in Hong Kong. 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. NOTE: I am coming in here a little over a year after writing this because I have changed a bit as a reader and reviewer, and want this, which is still getting eyes on it pretty constantly, to reflect that. Ava is an accurately drawn emblem of the zeitgeist, but as such, she stands apart from it, isolated. 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? RELEASE DATE: May 8, 1998. Naoise is an author I know Ill follow throughout her writing career, and that excites me. Sentences are short. Exciting Times Book Rating. An exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity. Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. However, this isnt anotherNormal Peopleand dont expect it to be. Susan Blumberg-Kason is the author of . From the jump, Ava approaches the world with cleareyed humor. Its good to know thats how I behave in this situation.. Naoise Dolan is a queer and autistic Irish writer born in Dublin. Click here and be the first to review this book! But now theyre co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Queer romance. The characters are refreshing, I think particularly for me because they are not American, thus allowing for some exploration of how differing cultures analyze and observe class, race, and politics. A sharp, witty and ultimately moving debut . Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Naoise Dolan, 2020. 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 . Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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. Join BookBrowse today to start discovering exceptional books! Droll, shrewd and unafraid - a winning debut. I really am. D I S C L A I M E RThese are all just my own opinion on the book. But that's what I really enjoyed about thisthe characters felt real and the uncertainty and non-committal situations also felt very real. 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. I really am. When Ava leaves Ireland aged 22 to make her own money . I found this an invigorating respite from how people usually assessed women.. dynamic. The story is told through Avas eyes and she often diverges on topics, which are not always explained. Perhaps because Ava's first love interest, Julian, uncomfortably reminded me of someone from my past! None of the English-speaking characters seek to venture beyond their established social circles, where even brief references to elections or the conditions of domestic workers are dismissed as white savior-ish. They barely notice the Chinese characters on street signs, let alone try to understand them. Bookshop For Authors Bookshop . NY 10036. June 3, 2020 7 AM PT. Like New Very Good Good. Do you take delight in words like "gormless"? She obtained an English degree from Trinity College Dublin in 2016 and later a Master's Degree in Victorian Literature from Oxford University. Exciting Times was also nominated in the Best Newcomer Category at the An Post Irish Book Awards. I laughed out loud at so many parts, especially in conversations with her parents! GENERAL FICTION, by Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. I also think the teaching English abroad aspect was well-researched and spot on. Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Edith is a local, sophisticated, and enthusiastic lawyer who falls in love with Ava and isnt afraid to say so. GENERAL ROMANCE | The style is detached and detaching in an interesting way but if you like sinking teeth into a narrative this is not for you. Exciting Times, which was acquired in a seven-way bidding war, more than lives up to the . Spare by Prince Harry and Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld: The biggest new books of 2023,Expect a reading frenzy for Prince Harry's memoir to kick off a year that also sees releases from 'Exciting Times' author Naoise Dolan and 'Open Water' writer Caleb Azumah Nelson Tags: culture inews.co.uk uconn edu I loved him potentially, she thinks. Avawho has struggled throughout the novel to be vulnerable in often maddening waysmust make a decision: live comfortably or live truthfully. She hopes hell be as impressed by her youth and attractiveness as she is by his salary, which she has Googled, thoroughly. More Information | And yet its so original. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Condition - Like New. Get help and learn more about the design. On a sentence level the novel delivers one perfect zinger after another. What listeners say about Exciting Times Average Customer Ratings. Naoise Dolan captures perfectly the nauseating insecurity of growing up today. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself. Its the closest well ever come to telepathy: she realises Edith is thinking about her at that moment, and it changes everything. Find out exactly what #ReadWithMC loved and didn't love aboutExciting Times, below. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. And damn I wish I could figure out why exactly. @kelseylovesbooks. @readtotheend. I hope youll give her debut a tryit was exceedingly worth it!" The fact that Naoise Dolan is being touted as "the new Sally Rooney" is nothing short of an insult to Rooney's work. 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 literary rumor mill portrays Naoise Dolan as the new Sally Rooney, and that suggestion alone might push a writer onto the bestseller list these days. 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. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. - Booklist (starred review) 1. Naoise Dolan is in her late 20s and has often been compared to Sally Rooney. Exciting Times : A Novel [PDF] PDF Under: Categories eBooks & Readings. She hinges on the idea of a strong female, but then plays out the stereotype. It also turned into a really beautiful queer love story, taking turns I hadnt anticipated at the outset of the novel. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. 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. But real life is messy and people are messy, and this book dramatizes that in a way that rings profoundly true. 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. Stars = 4 / 5. This book may be short, but it packs a huge punch. Naoise Dolan's debut novel Exciting Times is to be made into a television series in the United States by Black Bear Pictures, whose credits include the 2014 Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game.