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glittery_witch's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Mayflies follows the story of two working class men from Glasgow: James, the slightly nerdy narrator, and his best friend Tully, who is always the witty, charismatic life of the party.
Through their friendship Mayflies tells a moving tale about growing up, about people and society changing over time, about rebellion, about the importance of the music we love, the books that we read, the films that we watch, and about the precious nature of life. I absolutely adored the first half of the novel that takes place mostly during a weekend of gigs and partying in Manchester in 1986. These pages are bursting with life, the most vibrant moments of youth and friendship. The second half, set 30 years later, is sombre and reflective, and stands silently next to the first. O’Hagan truly achieved a wonderful contrast in style that perfectly underlines the development of James and Tully from hopeful young men into their middle-aged selves who are forced to confront the reality of aging, of fading into normality, and, most importantly, horrible loss. I preferred the first half to the second, but I suppose that is the point, since the story takes a tragic turn and is surely supposed to be somewhat uncomfortable and not too enjoyable, whereas the first one focuses on fun and adventure, and is extremely entertaining to read.
I saw a few reviews which criticised Mayflies for its excessive use of pop culture references, and I can imagine that if you don’t understand these references, it might be a frustrating read. Personally, I loved the references, especially the musical ones, since they are mostly about music I listen to and love myself. (However, I will not stand for the Prince slander in this book – that is unacceptable!)
I would highly recommend Mayflies to readers who enjoy (kind of) contemporary realistic fiction, to those of you who like a good friendship-focused storyline, and to everyone who wants to have their heart ripped out from time to time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
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