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Ill update in the comments if I ever figure it out. Ava, a 22-year-old Dubliner living in Hong Kong, describes herself as good at men. ROMANCE | "Exciting Timesfollows 22-year-old Ava as she leaves Ireland to teach in Hong Kong. Politics, class, and race anxiously hover over the entire novel. Trouble signing in? Exciting Times: A Novel - Naoise Dolan - Google Books In stylish, uncluttered prose, Naoise Dolan dissects the personal and financial transactions that make up a lifeand announces herself as a singular new voice. Naoise Dolan, the Queer New Prodigy of Irish Literature Por supuesto que la historia de esta joven irlandesa buscndose la vida como profesora de ingls en Hong Kong y tratando de sobrevivir a dos amores casi opuestos (aunque no tan diferentes) es maravillosa, sexy, extica y fascinante, pero es que ese personaje protagonista est tan bien construido que el libro sera igual de interesante si no le pasase nada de todo lo extraordinario que le sucede. Im sorry. This information about Exciting Times was first featured (How can you tell whether you like someone? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Edith is a local, sophisticated, and enthusiastic lawyer who falls in love with Ava and isnt afraid to say so. Naoise Dolan is in her late 20s and has often been compared to Sally Rooney. Let the BookTokking Begin, New Colleen Hoover Book Sells 800K Copies, Colleen Hoover Dominated Book Sales in 2022. "Overall, this surprising novel is believable and piercingly written, with many hilarious linesFor fans of Rachel Khong's Goodbye, Vitamin." 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. 'There was something Shakespearean about imperious men going down on you: the mighty have fallen.'. HarperCollins. . She's instructing the dispassionate topic of grammar to youngsters in Hong Kong. When Naoise Dolan 's debut novel Exciting Times was released last year, she was swiftly earmarked as the " next Sally Rooney ". I know everyone says this, but there are so many similarities I saw between this andNormal 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. Ava is positioned for a quarter life crisis. GENERAL FICTION, by About the author (2020) Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. That doesnt make for a worthy heroineor it might make me 'too old' to empathize. Exciting Times (Dolan) Summary Guide - LitLovers Some will declare Ava sharp and wise and funny, a hyper-relatable protagonist. Read an excerpt from Danielle Prescod's new memoir, here, then dive in with us throughout the month. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the sites day-to-day editorial operations. Welcome to Hong Kong, where Julian (English) is a banker and Ava (Irish) is a leech. 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. Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. 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 Its unusual and contemplative and just very different. Regardless, I encourage you to seek outExciting Timesfor yourself because I know so many of you are hungry for reading experiences that capture the complexities of love, personal politics, and the precariousness that comes with being young and lost and in love. Publisher: Ecco, 256 pages, $27.99. Colleen Hoover. Read an excerpt from Emiko Jean's new novel, here, then dive in with us throughout the month. Do you take delight in words like "gormless"? 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. Julian, her posh banker boyfriend, has such an apartment which is just as well, since he also has an arrogance to match his salary. , 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. Exciting Times? Dolan seasons the novel with insights about class, gender, race, colonialism, and language, though the result does not always bring depth of flavour. 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. I worried this might endanger our friendship, but so far it seemed to be facilitating it., Their friendship eventually moves through phases of awkward flirtation into a romantic affair, taking place mostly in Julians apartment, and in secret, as Edith is not out to her parents. Publication Information. Despite the chip on her shoulder, she falls in with Julian, an Eton-educated English banker who she enjoys being with because they (supposedly) arent that interested in each other: It wasnt like normal friendships where I worried if the other person still liked me. She moves into his swanky apartment, rent-free, and they have sex. At some point, the millennial-ness of it all became too much for me and I felt my eyes glaze over a bit. I 'm sorry. "Gaydars . Only 2 left. 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. Im not sure how many of you will actually love this novel. 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. 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. GENERAL FICTION, by "[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." Categories: Fiercely intelligent, brutally funny and written with such heart, Exciting Times announces an impressive new voice in literature. "I have to say I really liked this debut novel by Naoise Dolan. 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. Dolan has a great eye and I was poised over my Kindle highlighting witty dialogue and observations more than a few times. I think these were used as great insights. I hope youll give her debut a tryit was exceedingly worth it!" Exciting Times is an acerbic tale of sex and love, set in the social media age.' - The Herald Scotland. Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times to be adapted for TV Millennials floundering in the realms of the heart. . It finds her teaching English while abroad and indecisive about two lovers. @booktrax. 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. In June, we're reading author Naoise Dolan's debut book, Exciting Times a novel about an Irish millennial expat in Hong Kong who finds herself in a love triangle with a male banker and a female . 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. 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 herself would give much the same impression, which is a sign the book is successful even if it doesn't make it universally appealing. And damn I wish I could figure out why exactly. For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for theMarie Clairenewsletter. Buy Exciting Times: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2020 By Naoise Dolan. . Search String: Summary | - Exciting Times [ Book Description ] When you leave Ireland aged 22 to spend your parents' money, it's called a gap year. The book is fast-paced, but with finely-wrought moments of stillness. This novel is a tedious account of one girls romantic flings during a year of living abroad in Hong Kong. Reviews: Trustpilot. Unfortunately, I cant give this book the raving review I want to because not only is Ava aimless, but shes SO passive-aggressive within her relationships." Exciting Times PDF Details. Her relationships are dysfunctional and we see her repeatedly make choices that we know (or think we know) are wrong for her. 3. Edith is curious and enthusiastic, and Ava can no longer maintain her detached, ironical approach to life feelings flower all over the place. Youre not easily pleased with how other people put sentences together, Julian accuses, but when it comes to money, youve got no taste. However, this isnt anotherNormal Peopleand dont expect it to be. So while the storyline and characters didn't do it for me, I'm interested to see what Dolan puts out next. The actual experiences of local people her age have no effect whatsoever on Ava, the details of their lives mentioned, by the author, only in passing. Her elegantly simple writing allows her ideas and musings to shine. 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. Aperus are withering. Though the novel had mixed reviews, one thing readers did agree on is that Dolan is a unique and smart writer who they'll continue to support throughout her career. I found this an invigorating respite from how people usually assessed women.. She is highly attuned both to the power dynamics at play (do you want me to depend on you? she asks him) and to her moral predicament, as she adds up how much money she is saving on rent, as well as on the clothes and meals Julian pays for with the funds he doesnt know what to do with. She obtained an English degree from Trinity College Dublin in 2016 and later a Master's Degree in Victorian Literature from Oxford University. She studied at Trinity College, followed by a master's in Victorian literature at Oxford. The answer Exciting Times seems to offer is yes, in this case they are just as shallow and myopic as one would assume. More from Star Tribune. The book centres on Ava (Dynevor), an Irish woman who moves to Hong Kong . Omnipresent yet subtle, Hong Kong doesn't overshadow the characters and their struggles in trying to figure out life. And yet its so original. GENERAL ROMANCE | Sentences are short. She spends so much time telling us how lacking she is that I started to believe her. "Droll, shrewd and unafraida winning debut." Sigh. Ava wants to be herand wants her. If youre looking for likable and well-rounded characters, a happy love story, and everything packaged up in a neat box, this isnt it. Exciting Times. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan - Audiobook - Audible.com 256 pages DAS APASIONANTES es una novela social (casi generacional) disfrazada de historia de amor. Though this model of relationship-as-power-struggle is hardly new, Dolan brings a fresh 21st-century sensibility to it. Naoise Dolan - Wikipedia You liked the writing style ofNormal People. There are intimate moments here, even if they do occur at one remove. 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. 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 . Visit our corporate site. Perhaps because Ava's first love interest, Julian, uncomfortably reminded me of someone from my past! I wasnt good at most things but I was good at men, Ava confides in the reader, and Julian was the richest man Id ever been good at.. ), 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. 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. Categories: She studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin and Oxford University. Ava makes it her mission to get him to admit some feelings for her, purely because it would give her the upper hand. Read if you like Animals by Emma Jane Unsworth, Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - Sunday Times Style. @thereaderignites. East and West collide in a timely and bittersweet novel of loyalty, love, and the siren call of freedom. Very . The dark and light sides of friendship breathlessly explored in a novel best saved for summer beachside reading. You like an unreliable narrator (thinkEleanor Oliphant) as you read. 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. 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. This is the kind of book that people are going to have vastly different opinions on. It would definitely have been helpful to have a general idea of the geopolitics between Ireland/Britain/Hong Kong. Eek! Autism and LGBT identities - Wikipedia Es un libro en el que la protagonista est tan bien retratada y es tan cruda y llena de aristas que, realmente, casi da igual lo que le pase a ella personalmente, porque lo que te interesa como lector es su voz, su forma de ver el mundo y su forma de verse a s misma. Article "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. 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? 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. 256 pp. If in part one, Ava feels held at a frustrating distance why is she so hard on herself? 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. 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. Its a Euro-centric story, despite its Asian setting." Dolan's debut novel, Exciting Times, is a smart, funny, . Eileen was six years older than me. In her first months as an expat, she meets Juliana 28-year-old English bankerwho seems aloof about everything except his job. 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. The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother. I know its frustrating that any new young female writer must find themselves compared to Sally Rooney. Naoise Dolan. She is known for her debut novel Exciting Times . In November we went for brunch on Aberdeen Street with Ralph, pronounced 'Rafe', who'd gone to Balliol with Julian, now worked at . 5.79. How High We Go in the Dark - HarperCollins Exciting Times, Naoise Dolan - Review - Besos, Betty Ava admires how Julian handles his advantages, how he could calmly note where he benefited from unfairness not self-indulgently like I often did, but factually. As their undefined relationship goes on, she begins to develop her own brand of romantic longing, which begins with a desire for his life of privilege. , Something small I enjoyed was the depiction of Ava's queerness. I really am. Colleen Hoover Politically alert, heartbreakingly raw, and dryly funny, Exciting Times is thrillingly attuned to the great freedoms and greater uncertainties of modern love. So lucky us, really. What does she see in this man? . Search: Exciting Times is her first novel, an excerpt from which was published in The Stinging Fly by Sally Rooney. But even though shes divorced, Lily isnt exactly free. She dissects language and her humor is so deadpan I sometimes read sentences twice. Naoise Dolan captures perfectly the nauseating insecurity of growing up today. Genre: Literary Fiction Exciting Times on the way with Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor set for new As they fall into a quasi-relationship, Ava moves into his apartment, where Julian allows her to live rent-free. Naoise Dolan - Wikiwand - Book Riot I'm highly anticipating another Naoise Dolan book, I wonder if there could be another instalment of Ava going by Exciting Times book ending. They trip her up and get in the way. I love books about disaster women and unlike many of my bookish friends do not seem to tire of them at all. A young millennial finds herself in a love triangle with a man and woman. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Some will find Ava absolutely intolerable and insufferable and won't be able to finish the first 25 pages. Exciting Times Book Rating. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. Figures such as Victoria serve to generate much of the books caustic wit. I found her style of writing very unusual and can see why people would compare her to Sally Rooney based on that. Multiple friends of mine whove read Sally Rooneys phenomenally popular novel. As I started reading this novel, I realized I had to take my time with it. 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. But real life is messy and people are messy, and this book dramatizes that in a way that rings profoundly true. I enjoyed his money and he enjoyed how easily impressed I was by it.. I wanted her life, Ava thinks. 40+ in stock. Current research indicates that autistic people have higher rates of LGBT identities and feelings than the general population. Judy Blume, edited by 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.