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. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. The book is perfect for those who wants to read contemporary, lgbt books. There are intimate moments here, even if they do occur at one remove. The protagonist, Ava, is an intelligent, 22-year-old loner who moves from her native Dublin to Hong Kong to teach English, with no discernible qualifications other than being white. I 'm sorry. by @brigittesbookshelf, "Lovers of Sally Rooney will absolutely devour this book. Thats partly because Edith herself is only lightly sketched in. "Exciting Timesfollows 22-year-old Ava as she leaves Ireland to teach in Hong Kong. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the sites day-to-day editorial operations. When you not only stalk her on subreddits, but worry about whether the algorithm will reveal to her the true extent of your stalking. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. va, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. She is also obsessive and over-analytical in her thoughts about both Julian and Edith. 3. If Sally Rooney couldn't write, was more cynical and forgot everything about subtlety and realistic characterisation and dialogue. Ava makes it her mission to get him to admit some feelings for her, purely because it would give her the upper hand. I cant wait to read what Dolan writes next. The novel goes on to discuss the history of colonialism by the British of the Irish and Hong Kong. The story follows Ava, a quick witted, self-loathing Irish 22-year-old teacher and Julian, an almost-30-year-old British banker, both living as expats in Hong Kong. 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. And others will find that not much happens and it's just meh. Soon they are sleeping together, and Ava moves into Julians flat. However, this isnt anotherNormal Peopleand dont expect it to be. Its the closest well ever come to telepathy: she realises Edith is thinking about her at that moment, and it changes everything. 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. Reviews | 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 Another month has whizzed by, seriously where is 2021 going so fast, and it is time for the latest #BookClub with Melanie and I. While Julian is back in London for six months, Ava meets Mei Ling Edith Zhang, a corporate lawyer from a well-off Hong Kong family. Ava, newly arrived in Hong Kong from Dublin, spends her days teaching English to rich children. - Book Riot I found this an invigorating respite from how people usually assessed women.. Fiercely intelligent, brutally funny and written with such heart, Exciting Times announces an impressive new voice in literature. Meanwhile, Atlas mother returns with shocking news. @bookcrazyblogger. Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. Exciting Times By: Naoise Dolan. Like Rooney, Dolan writes in a deadpan style. Don't the best books teach us something we don't know? Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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 . 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. Stories so good, you won't need a bookmark. An exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity. I would have liked for Dolan to explore the experiences of native Hong Kong residentsfor instance, she allude to coffin homes and student protests without going into detail. Both intonations feel native to its 22 . It would definitely have been helpful to have a general idea of the geopolitics between Ireland/Britain/Hong Kong. By contrast, Avas written correspondences social media posts and emails she labors over, analyzes, doesnt send or sends by accident become increasingly vulnerable in their disclosures as the book moves along. "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. 2019 Naoise Dolan (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group. Overall. "Much likeNormal Peopleby Sally Rooney, I expect there will be polarizing opinions onExciting Times. 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. Are they as insensitive and indifferent as they seem to the foreign city they call home? Exciting Times Book Rating. But Julians impending return means Ava must decide not so much between her lovers as between Edith and the expensive flat that she doesnt pay for. The years pass by at a fast and steamy clip in Blumes latest adult novel (Wifey, not reviewed; Smart Women, 1984) as two friends find loyalties and affections tested as they grow into young women. In a novel where human connection is such a challenge, these flickering pixels provide one of the most affecting and powerful moments. Aleksandar Hemon's characters are romantics. Its a story about intimacy, vulnerability, being alone, and being different versions of yourself with different people. Categories: In a theme park designed for terminally ill children, a cynical employee falls in love with a mother desperate to hold on to her infected son. - Booklist (starred review) Exciting Times is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. His privilege is the invisible third party in the relationship. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. Phoebe Dynevor, the glamorous lead of Netflix's Bridgerton, is set to star and executive produce Exciting Times. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. . In November we went for brunch on Aberdeen Street with Ralph, pronounced 'Rafe', who'd gone to Balliol with Julian, now worked at . Exciting Times, which was acquired in a seven-way bidding war, more than lives up to the . Youre not easily pleased with how other people put sentences together, Julian accuses, but when it comes to money, youve got no taste. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Offline, shes likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop. Its free and takes less than 10 seconds! Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Membership Advantages. Rooney writes more stream of consciousness and this is more tightly bound, but the emotions and ways of being felt so similar." - Vogue Similarly to her feelings about Julian, Ava becomes obsessed with Edith, to the point where she begins wondering if Edith will be her girlfriend. Reviews: Trustpilot. Dolan explores the uncertainty that can come with queer dating in Exciting Times, Ava spending hours analysing Edith's Instagram for clues about her sexuality when they first meet. EXCITING TIMES. white authors writing books that are set in asia, but have a set of characters that are 98% white with only a few token, stereotypical asian characters . Rushed in some places, dragged out in others. , Dry humor can be hard to execute on the page, but Naoise Dolan does so effortlessly and its evident from the very first pages. However, they did enjoy the political and historical references throughout the novel, albeit having to do a bit of research on the topics themselves. Lots of reviews are making the Rooney 'millennial lit' comparison which is fair but I'd add. You have to understand that this is the kind of story I have very high standards for because the plot is an evergreen plot: young person at loose ends making her way in the world and deciding who to love. Her sentences are sharp and confident, especially for a debut. 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. <style> body { -ms-overflow-style: scrollbar; overflow-y: scroll; overscroll-behavior-y: none; } .errorContainer { background-color: #FFF; color: #0F1419; max-width . This month we are discussing. Unfortunately, Dolans superficial evocation of the island is conjured mostly through Instagram latte art geotagged on fashionable streets. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. When Naoise Dolan 's debut novel Exciting Times was released last year, she was swiftly earmarked as the " next Sally Rooney ". It was as if someone else ironed everything for her her whole life, Ava thinks, and her role was to make new creases. Dolan is also funny about Irishness, pointing out the irony of Ava having to teach her young ESL students how to aspirate the th in things when, as a Dubliner, she has gone 22 years without once pronouncing it herself. EXCITING TIMES, by Naoise Dolan. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan. [3] A college debater, she co-convened the Irish Mace competition in 2015/16. Welcome to Hong Kong, where Julian (English) is a banker and Ava (Irish) is a leech. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. Intermixed with some "politics" about late stage capitalism, marxism and the class systems. Have I compared this book to Sally Rooney enough times yet?? 256 pages Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. "[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." And damn I wish I could figure out why exactly. Ava, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. Her relationships are dysfunctional and we see her repeatedly make choices that we know (or think we know) are wrong for her. Read an excerpt from the bookhere (opens in new tab). I hope youll give her debut a tryit was exceedingly worth it!" Read an excerpt from Emiko Jean's new novel, here, then dive in with us throughout the month. Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. New York, Read an excerpt from Danielle Prescod's new memoir, here, then dive in with us throughout the month. Queer romance. Results for "Exciting Times" "Naoise Dolan" 12,128 results. "This debut novel about an Irish expat millennial teaching English and finding romance in Hong Kong is half Sally Rooney love triangle, half glitzy Crazy Rich Asians high livingand guaranteed to please." 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. But boy, this novel feels so liveless and fake. Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. Judy Blume Edith is a local, sophisticated, and enthusiastic lawyer who falls in love with Ava and isnt afraid to say so. I know its frustrating that any new young female writer must find themselves compared to Sally Rooney. , Something small I enjoyed was the depiction of Ava's queerness. None of them will be wrong, really, it's just one of those books. . Visit our corporate site. Perhaps because Ava's first love interest, Julian, uncomfortably reminded me of someone from my past! In Exciting Times, Naoise Dolan's debut novel, the characters have better problems than most of us do. Very . 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. NY 10036. All rights reserved.Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. DAS APASIONANTES es una novela social (casi generacional) disfrazada de historia de amor. , I think it's easy to dislike this and dismiss it; on the surface, it's a young woman who can't make up her mind while living for free in someone's flat. 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. Colleen Hoover. 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.She lives in Berlin. Reviews: Trustpilot. Exciting Times is a sad, yet hopeful coming of age story set in a Hong Kong immediately recognizable to the many expats like Julian, Ava and globalized locals like Edith who end up there. June 2, 2020. Caitlin, determined never to be ordinary, is always testing the limits, and in adolescence falls hard for Von, an older construction worker, while Vix falls for his friend Bru. Retrieve credentials. I enjoyed his money and he enjoyed how easily impressed I was by it.. A heartbroken scientist searching for a cure finds a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjectsa pigdevelops the capacity for human speech. Straight romance. Politics FBI agents, prosecutors argued over Trump before raid 8:48pm Gophers Scoggins: Give . . East and West collide in a timely and bittersweet novel of loyalty, love, and the siren call of freedom. Its not easy to sustain interest in someone so relentlessly floundering for self-knowledge, and the book flags once Ava and Edith are together. Politics, class, and race anxiously hover over the entire novel. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. $15 at Amazon. evenings that often end in drunken blackouts or in bed with her sort-of boyfriend Julian, who . Though this model of relationship-as-power-struggle is hardly new, Dolan brings a fresh 21st-century sensibility to it.
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