Naoise Dolan explodes onto the scene with Exciting Times, a slyly humorous and scorchingly smart modern love story
When you leave Ireland aged 22 to spend your parents' money, it's called a gap year, When Ava leaves Ireland aged 22 to make her own money, she's not sure what to call it, but it involves:
- a badly-paid job in Hong Kong, teaching English grammar to rich children;
- Julian, who likes to spend money on Ava and lets her move into his guest room;
- Edith, who Ava meets while Julian is out of town and actually listens to her when she talks;
- money, love, cynicism, unspoken feelings and unlikely connections,
Exciting times ensue,
Withering, stylish prose that is at times deceptively simple but always flush with caustic wit, I savoured every shrewd line.
