by Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. "Droll, shrewd and unafraida winning debut." m sorry. 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. Now I know what the phrase razor sharp wit really means. A literary and hilarious tour de force. Buy Exciting Times: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER By Naoise Dolan. @readtotheend. 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 . Blume knows the way kids and teens speak, but her two female leads are less credible as they reach adulthood. Youre not easily pleased with how other people put sentences together, Julian accuses, but when it comes to money, youve got no taste. 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. Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. 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. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan is published by W&N (14.99), Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. - Library Journal Ava feels safer, more shielded from harm with Julian, but happier with Edith. @bookcrazyblogger. va, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. Condition - Like New. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. 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. And no squeamishness about asking for it, discussing it, hoarding it. Ava doesnt flinch. 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. It was ok, but I was disappointed and wanted a little more." 1. Exciting Times | Naoise Dolan | Granta His privilege is the invisible third party in the relationship. As they fall into a quasi-relationship, Ava moves into his apartment, where Julian allows her to live rent-free. Its a layered book because of these factors, and it works in the storys favor. Categories: And damn I wish I could figure out why exactly. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. Though this model of relationship-as-power-struggle is hardly new, Dolan brings a fresh 21st-century sensibility to it. 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. 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. Were glad you found a book that interests you! As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. However, they did enjoy the political and historical references throughout the novel, albeit having to do a bit of research on the topics themselves. Every complaint you've ever read about "millenial fiction"? Visit our corporate site. EXCITING TIMES is a joy from start to finish, and the perfect balm for these times-fresh, funny, sharp. "Gaydars . Naoise Dolan: seasons the novel with insights about class, gender, race and language. Summary. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan was published April 16th with Weidenfeld & Nicolson and is described as 'accessible, acerbic, smart and fun' Skip to content. Sentences are short. At some point, the millennial-ness of it all became too much for me and I felt my eyes glaze over a bit. , 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. When Julian leaves for London on an extended work project, Ava meets Edith, a Hong Kong local and ambitious lawyer. Nolan does a brilliant job of harnessing technology to her story, specifically the phone. - Exciting Times [ Book Description ] When you leave Ireland aged 22 to spend your parents' money, it's called a gap year. However, as a TEFL teacher, Ava struggles with a myriad of contemplative problems and inner issues as she comes to terms with her feelings for both Julian and Edith. Naoise Dolan - Exciting Times - The Bobsphere Read an excerpt from Danielle Prescod's new memoir, here, then dive in with us throughout the month. GENERAL ROMANCE | "When you are craving a loveable story with depth and true character developmentthis should be your next read.". Read an Excerpt From 'Exciting Times' By Naoise Dolan | Marie Claire Search: With Ava still living in Julians apartment, she and Edith fall into a quick friendship that evolves into a relationship. I liked Exciting Times a lot more than the average GR reviewer. 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? I wanted to like it, but the lack of plot and my lack of affection for the main character made it fall short. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan review - a witty, deadpan debut Avas character provides us with biting social commentary. Exciting Times (Dolan) Summary Guide - LitLovers Ava, newly arrived in Hong Kong from Dublin, spends her days teaching English to rich children. She also launched and managed the sites virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Stories so good, you won't need a bookmark. Autism and LGBT identities - Wikipedia CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | A Hong Kongborn lawyer, striking and ambitious, Edith takes Ava to the theater and leaves her tulips in the hallway. 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. Its a brilliantly concise summation of her take on relationships, which she sees as a power game, an ultimately shallow emotional transaction in which the greatest potential benefit might be that you get to move into an apartment better than anything you can afford on your own. She hopes hell be as impressed by her youth and attractiveness as she is by his salary, which she has Googled, thoroughly. Dolan seasons the novel with insights about class, gender, race, colonialism, and language, though the result does not always bring depth of flavour. Welcome to Hong Kong, where Julian (English) is a banker and Ava (Irish) is a leech. I am a huge Sally Rooney fan, ergo, this book was such a treat for me. Ill update in the comments if I ever figure it out. 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. Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. Ava makes it her mission to get him to admit some feelings for her, purely because it would give her the upper hand. . Add to cart. Its not plot-driven and Ava as a character distances herself from people in the book, so shes not intrinsically likeable. 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. 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 . Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan, Paperback | Barnes & Noble Incredibly readable.' - Belfast Telegraph. "Jealousy and obsession, love and late capitalism, sex and the internet all come whirling together in a wry and bracing tale of class . 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. Here goes apologies if this review gets a bit ranty. Button, water, Tuesdayanything with two syllables zipped up then down like a Gothic steeple. Colleen Hoover I personally found that to be utterly fascinating. LITERARY FICTION | The Problem with Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times *a rant* (How can you tell whether you like someone? Trouble signing in? Both intonations feel native to its 22 . Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. Exciting Times is her first novel, an excerpt from which was published in The Stinging Fly by Sally Rooney. Join BookBrowse today to start discovering exceptional books! @compulsivereadersblog. Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Naoise is an author I know Ill follow throughout her writing career, and that excites me. Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. 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." Like New Very Good Good. I found her style of writing very unusual and can see why people would compare her to Sally Rooney based on that. Ava is pulled into the orbit of wealthy, privileged banker Julian who comes from London. Judy Blume 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. Exciting Times Naoise Dolan $27.99 $26.03 in cart add to cart I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and. DAS APASIONANTES es una novela social (casi generacional) disfrazada de historia de amor. D I S C L A I M E RThese are all just my own opinion on the book. Amazon.com: Exciting Times: A Novel: Dolan, Naoise: Books None of them will be wrong, really, it's just one of those books. Founded in 2009, The Rumpus is one of the longest running independent online literary and culture magazines.Our mostly volunteer-run magazine strives to be a platform for risk-taking voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere. The book was first published in April 1st 2020 and the latest edition of the book was published in April 16th . Julian is a banker. Review: 'Exciting Times,' by Naoise Dolan - Star Tribune She's sharing an Airbnb with roomies that don't like her. I am not in my twenties although still full of angst. In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. I think these were used as great insights. Exciting Times was also nominated in the Best Newcomer Category at the An Post Irish Book Awards. About the author (2020) Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. The story explores the freedoms and dangers of modern love and expression through Avas relations with these two people and her teaching of the often non-sensical semantics of the English language to her students. 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. 6 min read. Its free and takes less than 10 seconds! EXCITING TIMES, by Naoise Dolan. Naoise Dolan is in her late 20s and has often been compared to Sally Rooney. Already drawing comparisons to Sally Rooney's work, "Exciting Times," by Naoise Dolan, has many of the familiar tropes of the "millennial . Naoise Dolan captures perfectly the nauseating insecurity of growing up today. Dolan's debut novel, Exciting Times, is a smart, funny, . I love the unconventional, the interpersonal, the relatable *but not talked about,* and this book had all of that and more. [PDF] Exciting Times : A Novel - Download Book Online 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. 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? influencers in the know since 1933. by She is also obsessive and over-analytical in her thoughts about both Julian and Edith. Review | In Naoise Dolan's 'Exciting Times,' an Irish ex-pat in Hong . Ava, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. Exciting Times is the debut novel from Irish writer Naoise Dolan (and one of the Headstuff Picks of 2020 ). Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Now 45% Off. This novel is a tedious account of one girls romantic flings during a year of living abroad in Hong Kong. Ava, the narrator, is an Irish ex-pat living in Hong Kong. I often had to re-read passages, as subtext also plays a huge part in the book. Edith is a local, sophisticated, and enthusiastic lawyer who falls in love with Ava and isnt afraid to say so. Emotions are dealt with baldly, dryly: Anyway, I hated her, says Ava about Victoria, a moneyed friend of Julians. 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. 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. "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 know its frustrating that any new young female writer must find themselves compared to Sally Rooney. Exciting Times Book Rating. Debut novelist Naoise Dolan is no Sally Rooney, for better and worse Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Because truly, if you love her books, dont sleep on this one. A widowed painter and her teenaged . @kelseylovesbooks. Do put it on your TBR and let me know what you think." 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. Her debut novel, Exciting Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for television. This information about Exciting Times was first featured A young millennial finds herself in a love triangle with a man and woman. 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 . However, this isnt anotherNormal Peopleand dont expect it to be. She studied at Trinity College, followed by a master's in Victorian literature at Oxford. Ava makes it her mission to get him to admit some feelings for her, purely because it would give her the upper hand. 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. I wasn't immediately sucked inI think when Edith entered the picture, I became a lot more engaged. Very . Which path does Ava end up taking? 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. 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. Ava has left her life in Ireland behind to teach English to rich children in Hong Kong. $15 at Amazon. Have I compared this book to Sally Rooney enough times yet?? "Volleying dialogue, rich interiority, and perceptive writing on money, politics, and classA clever and deep novel of sex, connection, and the complexities of self expression." This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. Don't the best books teach us something we don't know? Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan | Waterstones <style> body { -ms-overflow-style: scrollbar; overflow-y: scroll; overscroll-behavior-y: none; } .errorContainer { background-color: #FFF; color: #0F1419; max-width . Publisher: Ecco, 256 pages, $27.99. I really am. Naoise Dolan - Exciting Times: A Novel Audiobook. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. This is the kind of book that people are going to have vastly different opinions on. By Naoise Dolan. They trip her up and get in the way. I'm highly anticipating another Naoise Dolan book, I wonder if there could be another instalment of Ava going by Exciting Times book ending. I enjoyed his money and he enjoyed how easily impressed I was by it.. Politics, grammar, and morality are explored with quick jabs and sharp wording. New RRP 14.99. EXCITING TIMES is an acerbic tale of sex and love, set in the social media age * The Herald Scotland * Incredibly readable * Belfast Telegraph * With Naoise Dolan on the literary scene, there are EXCITING TIMES ahead * i-D * The Irish debut novel everyone is talking about * The Gloss * I savoured every shrewd line * Dazed * A sharp, witty and . Rushed in some places, dragged out in others. She is in a constant battle of inner conflicttotal social apathy, whilst silently scathing of her prejudiced workplace. If in part one, Ava feels held at a frustrating distance why is she so hard on herself? Get help and learn more about the design. Available in used condition with free delivery in the UK. GENERAL FICTION, by Our parents had divorced when I was a baby, and now lived in different counties in the west of Ireland. RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022. 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. I laughed out loud at so many parts, especially in conversations with her parents!