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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
🌶️🌶️🌶️ SPICY BOYS NEAR ESSEX 🌶️🌶️🌶️
2nd reading, this time as an audiobook
5 stars Alexis Hall...chef's kiss
5 stars Nicholas Boulton for the narration
Still love this book after all this time. I had read it years ago, around when it first came out, and I remember not being sure how I felt about it. It took me a long time afterwards and a lot of thinking and rereading certain parts before I eventually decided that I really loved it. Ash is so damaged and Darian is so shiny- but they're so beautiful together.
The narration by Nicholas Boulton was amazing, and made me love this book even more. The voices he did for Ash and Darian were perfect and exactly how I imagined their voices to be.
5 stars Alexis Hall...chef's kiss
5 stars Nicholas Boulton for the narration
Still love this book after all this time. I had read it years ago, around when it first came out, and I remember not being sure how I felt about it. It took me a long time afterwards and a lot of thinking and rereading certain parts before I eventually decided that I really loved it. Ash is so damaged and Darian is so shiny- but they're so beautiful together.
The narration by Nicholas Boulton was amazing, and made me love this book even more. The voices he did for Ash and Darian were perfect and exactly how I imagined their voices to be.
Spoiler
I'm not sure how I feel about the extra bit at the end with Nial and Max. Nial is so angry and so hurt and so so angry, it was hard to listen to.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've given this an A+ for narration and an A for content at AudioGals.
Glitterland is a book that’s been on my radar for a while as a result of the many great reviews I’ve seen which have praised its emotional depth, humour and the intelligence and beauty of the writing, but I haven’t yet found the time to read it. I often end up listening to audio versions of books I can’t get round to reading, so when this came up for review – as another of the titles Laura Kinsale has chosen to produce with Nicholas Boulton narrating – I immediately said “yes, please!”
And once I’d clicked “start”, I couldn’t stop. I listened to the whole thing almost non-stop, because I was so very quickly caught up in the story of “posh” Ash and “Essex boy” Darian, which made me laugh very loudly, wince in pain and tear up on several occasions, sometimes all at once.
Ash Winters is firmly middle-class; a graduate of Cambridge University, he’s well-off, a successful author, has a nice flat in London, dresses understatedly in designer clothes… but he also suffers from Bi-Polar disorder, depression and extreme anxiety, conditions which have hospitalised him in the past, most recently following a suicide attempt. Ash has been struggling with his illness for so long that it’s taken over his life, and, to an extent, that of his friends, many of whom he has pushed away because of his belief that, deep down, he doesn’t deserve them.
When he attends a stag-do that he has been unable to get out of, he spies a man on the dance floor who is decked out in spangly, sparkly clothes, his hair styled to within an inch of its life, his tan obviously a fake one – and is surprised to feel the stirrings of genuine attraction. Ash’s recent sexual encounters have had more to do with his need to forget himself and his life for a short while than they have been about physical attraction for his chosen partner, so to find himself actually wanting someone is … odd. And the part of Ash that isn’t surprised is repulsed at the fact that he can possibly find someone who looks like he’ll be appearing in the next series of The Only Way is Essex even remotely attractive. But he does, and soon the pair is heading off to the flat “Essex” is sharing with friends, Ash’s preconceptions based on the guy’s looks and flamboyant nature marking him out as perfect fodder for casual, anonymous sex.
Darian Taylor is an aspiring model who lives with his nan – whom he adores – and while he might not be the sharpest pin in the box, he’s incredibly sweet and down-to-earth, the sort of person without a bad word to say about anyone, and comes into Ash’s life like a breath of badly needed fresh air. After their one-night-stand, Ash hadn’t expected to see Darian ever again, until at a book signing;
“Who should I make it out to?” I asked, not quite managing to look up.
“Oh, I dunno,” said a far too familiar voice, “`ow about maybe `To the geeza what I slept wif and then done a runner on in the middle of the night, making `im feel like a right slapper’?”
Ash and Darian pair up again, this time at Ash’s place where Darian makes himself at home, going so far as to cook his nan’s awesome Cottage Pie, (while Ash freaks out about shopping for and making a salad!) and generally brightening up Ash’s life, reminding him what it’s like to have someone around him who doesn’t define him by his illness, or by what he has or what he does. Darian likes Ash for himself, and only wants to be with him and make him happy.
With Darian, Ash gradually comes to see that perhaps his life doesn’t have to be dominated by darkness and loneliness, and to realise that he’s allowed to be happy and feel positive emotions as well as all the bad ones that have caged him so effectively. Darian is never going to cure him, of course, and the author is very clear about that, but I love how we’re shown that he’s going to be there for Ash and help him to climb out of the pit. Something else I also appreciated about the story is that when Ash acts like a complete dickhead and hurts Darian really badly, his eventual grovel is spectacular and no less than Darian deserves. Conversely, though, the one negative thing I can find to say about the novel is that Darian is perhaps rather too accepting and forgiving – but on the whole, it’s a minor point in what is a hugely enjoyable story.
The characterisation of both leads is superb, and the writing is wonderful – whether it’s in the many, many laugh out loud moments, the descriptions of Ash’s mental hell, or of Darian’s innate kindness and sensitivity. As someone whose birth certificate says “Essex” (and who now lives there) I had no trouble at all with the lingo, and frequently found myself laughing along with Mr Hall’s brilliantly observed humour and “orange” jokes! I have, however, seen a number of reviews of the book – in which Darian’s speech is written as spoken – that have indicated that some readers had problems following it. Of course, that isn’t an issue with the audiobook – and for anyone who worries that perhaps a Shakespearean actor of Nicholas Boulton’s calibre might have trouble sounding like an Essex boy – all I can say is “think again”, because he’s utterly brilliant, and – for good or ill – his Estuary English accent is perfect.
Actually, the idea of listening to him read something so completely different from every other audiobook of his I’ve heard was a little daunting at first. So far, he’s recorded historical male/female romances without any really explicit sex scenes, and here he is in a contemporary, male/male romance with lots (well, a fair amount) of shagging. Even though he’s the bees’ knees of audiobook narration, everyone has their limits, don’t they?
Obviously not.
Once again, I’m awed by Mr Boulton’s vocal characterisations and his ability to hit all the right emotional notes. His portrayal of both principals is outstanding and completely spot on for each of their characters; sharp-tongued, witty and often emotionally raw Ash is dry-toned and deadpan, but there is always the underlying sense that this is a guy that could snap at any moment. He’s wonderfully open in the moments when Ash breaks down, allowing the listener to hear all his fears and insecurities in his voice, and equally good at manifesting Ash’s clever humour and his genuine affection for Darian. And his performance of “Essex” is every bit as good – Darian’s genuinely open-hearted, unaffected nature coming through in every sentence.
The book has a small number of secondary characters who, though they don’t appear often, are all perfectly formed little gems – Darian’s nan and his lifelong friend Chloe, Ash’s agent Amy and his ex-lover and friend Niall – all are fully realised both in print and by Mr Boulton in his performance, which is, simply, flawless.
Glitterland manages to be both dark and light at once, with just the right balance of angst, humour and romance. It’s an absolutely delightful audio experience from start to finish, and is highly recommended.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
Glitterland is a book that’s been on my radar for a while as a result of the many great reviews I’ve seen which have praised its emotional depth, humour and the intelligence and beauty of the writing, but I haven’t yet found the time to read it. I often end up listening to audio versions of books I can’t get round to reading, so when this came up for review – as another of the titles Laura Kinsale has chosen to produce with Nicholas Boulton narrating – I immediately said “yes, please!”
And once I’d clicked “start”, I couldn’t stop. I listened to the whole thing almost non-stop, because I was so very quickly caught up in the story of “posh” Ash and “Essex boy” Darian, which made me laugh very loudly, wince in pain and tear up on several occasions, sometimes all at once.
Ash Winters is firmly middle-class; a graduate of Cambridge University, he’s well-off, a successful author, has a nice flat in London, dresses understatedly in designer clothes… but he also suffers from Bi-Polar disorder, depression and extreme anxiety, conditions which have hospitalised him in the past, most recently following a suicide attempt. Ash has been struggling with his illness for so long that it’s taken over his life, and, to an extent, that of his friends, many of whom he has pushed away because of his belief that, deep down, he doesn’t deserve them.
When he attends a stag-do that he has been unable to get out of, he spies a man on the dance floor who is decked out in spangly, sparkly clothes, his hair styled to within an inch of its life, his tan obviously a fake one – and is surprised to feel the stirrings of genuine attraction. Ash’s recent sexual encounters have had more to do with his need to forget himself and his life for a short while than they have been about physical attraction for his chosen partner, so to find himself actually wanting someone is … odd. And the part of Ash that isn’t surprised is repulsed at the fact that he can possibly find someone who looks like he’ll be appearing in the next series of The Only Way is Essex even remotely attractive. But he does, and soon the pair is heading off to the flat “Essex” is sharing with friends, Ash’s preconceptions based on the guy’s looks and flamboyant nature marking him out as perfect fodder for casual, anonymous sex.
Darian Taylor is an aspiring model who lives with his nan – whom he adores – and while he might not be the sharpest pin in the box, he’s incredibly sweet and down-to-earth, the sort of person without a bad word to say about anyone, and comes into Ash’s life like a breath of badly needed fresh air. After their one-night-stand, Ash hadn’t expected to see Darian ever again, until at a book signing;
“Who should I make it out to?” I asked, not quite managing to look up.
“Oh, I dunno,” said a far too familiar voice, “`ow about maybe `To the geeza what I slept wif and then done a runner on in the middle of the night, making `im feel like a right slapper’?”
Ash and Darian pair up again, this time at Ash’s place where Darian makes himself at home, going so far as to cook his nan’s awesome Cottage Pie, (while Ash freaks out about shopping for and making a salad!) and generally brightening up Ash’s life, reminding him what it’s like to have someone around him who doesn’t define him by his illness, or by what he has or what he does. Darian likes Ash for himself, and only wants to be with him and make him happy.
With Darian, Ash gradually comes to see that perhaps his life doesn’t have to be dominated by darkness and loneliness, and to realise that he’s allowed to be happy and feel positive emotions as well as all the bad ones that have caged him so effectively. Darian is never going to cure him, of course, and the author is very clear about that, but I love how we’re shown that he’s going to be there for Ash and help him to climb out of the pit. Something else I also appreciated about the story is that when Ash acts like a complete dickhead and hurts Darian really badly, his eventual grovel is spectacular and no less than Darian deserves. Conversely, though, the one negative thing I can find to say about the novel is that Darian is perhaps rather too accepting and forgiving – but on the whole, it’s a minor point in what is a hugely enjoyable story.
The characterisation of both leads is superb, and the writing is wonderful – whether it’s in the many, many laugh out loud moments, the descriptions of Ash’s mental hell, or of Darian’s innate kindness and sensitivity. As someone whose birth certificate says “Essex” (and who now lives there) I had no trouble at all with the lingo, and frequently found myself laughing along with Mr Hall’s brilliantly observed humour and “orange” jokes! I have, however, seen a number of reviews of the book – in which Darian’s speech is written as spoken – that have indicated that some readers had problems following it. Of course, that isn’t an issue with the audiobook – and for anyone who worries that perhaps a Shakespearean actor of Nicholas Boulton’s calibre might have trouble sounding like an Essex boy – all I can say is “think again”, because he’s utterly brilliant, and – for good or ill – his Estuary English accent is perfect.
Actually, the idea of listening to him read something so completely different from every other audiobook of his I’ve heard was a little daunting at first. So far, he’s recorded historical male/female romances without any really explicit sex scenes, and here he is in a contemporary, male/male romance with lots (well, a fair amount) of shagging. Even though he’s the bees’ knees of audiobook narration, everyone has their limits, don’t they?
Obviously not.
Once again, I’m awed by Mr Boulton’s vocal characterisations and his ability to hit all the right emotional notes. His portrayal of both principals is outstanding and completely spot on for each of their characters; sharp-tongued, witty and often emotionally raw Ash is dry-toned and deadpan, but there is always the underlying sense that this is a guy that could snap at any moment. He’s wonderfully open in the moments when Ash breaks down, allowing the listener to hear all his fears and insecurities in his voice, and equally good at manifesting Ash’s clever humour and his genuine affection for Darian. And his performance of “Essex” is every bit as good – Darian’s genuinely open-hearted, unaffected nature coming through in every sentence.
The book has a small number of secondary characters who, though they don’t appear often, are all perfectly formed little gems – Darian’s nan and his lifelong friend Chloe, Ash’s agent Amy and his ex-lover and friend Niall – all are fully realised both in print and by Mr Boulton in his performance, which is, simply, flawless.
Glitterland manages to be both dark and light at once, with just the right balance of angst, humour and romance. It’s an absolutely delightful audio experience from start to finish, and is highly recommended.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
This is the story of a bunch of absolutely terrible assholes from London, and the woman (Amy) and bloke (Darian) who deserved better.
And yet, despite this collection of horrible, cruel, selfish men, I LOVED this book. The emotion was so raw and real, and I would have gone through even more emotional pain to see Darian happy.
And yet, despite this collection of horrible, cruel, selfish men, I LOVED this book. The emotion was so raw and real, and I would have gone through even more emotional pain to see Darian happy.
Alexis hall is officially my favorite writer like I own so many of their books and I typically don’t like a single perspective but god damn they do it so well. This book had me crying and laughing and cheering for an asshole I grew to love
REREAD
this book continues to win over my heart sweet ash and his glitter pirate
This is third time I read this book so I am fully aware of the ending and when exactly I’m going to cry but I just can’t help the uncontrollable sobbing it hits like the first read. Alexis Hall knows how to write romcoms. This is probably my favorite book in the entire world like top 3 for sure I love the complexity of ash and Darian and how ash’s selfishness makes us ignore how complex Darian really is. Halls writes brilliantly that we are able to be in engrossed in Ash’s pov that we don’t really ask who is Darian. I love that at the end we see that Ash will work his hardest to never be that selfish prick who only thinks of his happiness and sadness for that matter
I don’t even know what number I’m on but I read this with my best friend we took turn reading each persons lines and I gave this to her as her first book to read of the year and she love it!!!! Thank you Alexis Hall for helping my friend fall in love with reading
REREAD
this book continues to win over my heart sweet ash and his glitter pirate
This is third time I read this book so I am fully aware of the ending and when exactly I’m going to cry but I just can’t help the uncontrollable sobbing it hits like the first read. Alexis Hall knows how to write romcoms. This is probably my favorite book in the entire world like top 3 for sure I love the complexity of ash and Darian and how ash’s selfishness makes us ignore how complex Darian really is. Halls writes brilliantly that we are able to be in engrossed in Ash’s pov that we don’t really ask who is Darian. I love that at the end we see that Ash will work his hardest to never be that selfish prick who only thinks of his happiness and sadness for that matter
I don’t even know what number I’m on but I read this with my best friend we took turn reading each persons lines and I gave this to her as her first book to read of the year and she love it!!!! Thank you Alexis Hall for helping my friend fall in love with reading
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
OMG this book is awesome! It really is! I don't even know how to express with words what I felt. I liked reading Ash thoughts. The way he expressed himself was simply beautiful, if I can say it like that.
The only thing I found annoying was the accent. I don't like when authors want to "write" people's accents. I had to pause every time Darian was speaking to figure out the words. Now, I know what Essex is though.
The only thing I found annoying was the accent. I don't like when authors want to "write" people's accents. I had to pause every time Darian was speaking to figure out the words. Now, I know what Essex is though.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced