Reviews

Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

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sungmemoonstruck's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A sharply self-aware, occasionally funny, emotionally knotty love triangle set against the backdrop of late 2010's Hong Kong. I was especially fascinated by the portrayal of Hong Kong expatriate culture and enjoyed how vividly Dolan evokes the city. Also, this helped me realize that this particular brand of Rooney-esque literary fiction works best for me when there's a relationship I can be genuinely invested in, like Ava and Edith's here.

verity37's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

gabri1048's review against another edition

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1.0

-the writing style tried to be so lyrical but i just found it choppy and odd
-i was bored and skim read the last 70 pages because i don’t care

godofwar's review against another edition

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4.0

though at times it feels dry, I appreciated Ava's unflinching narration, and how Naoise Dolan managed to convey the millennial-specific brand of existential dread in a fresh, new way. it was intriguing to experience Ava's character with Julian vs. Edith, a difference that is monumental; in part one, I felt disconnected from the story and the character surrounding Ava, unable to care for them in any capacity; it's when Edith enters the picture that the setting begins to feel like it actually has life. part three was a drag for me, a bit of a letdown, because I'm tired of lgbt narratives seemingly being unable to exist without angst, but it felt realistic, and it didn't come across as too heavy. if the ending was a bit more polished I would've felt this was a five star book, but as such, it's a 3.5 (rounded up).

* ARC received via netgalley