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A review by 17mima
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
5.0
I can easily understand how a lot of people don’t like this book, because they find the main character insufferable. The thing is, I think I’m just insufferable enough to really really enjoy her narration.
I found myself underlining so so many of her thoughts, or just simple sentences in dialogues. (The room was cold. I tugged on a polo neck, and my head got stuck in it. I laughed, then wondered if this was to check I still knew how to.)
To me it definitely reads as the voice of a girl in her early 20s, which suited me perfectly.
It was funny, sad, and very mean. The author was never afraid to write down our darkest thoughts, the ugliest parts of our nature.
The ending is fine imo. I don’t particularly LOVE open endings, but I felt it suited the main character and her relationships. I took it to mean she just said her goodbyes to Edith, and got on a plane to Julian. Probably not the popular choice, but I really enjoyed her and Julian’s relationship, and it’s a fictional book so let me be happy :).
I found myself underlining so so many of her thoughts, or just simple sentences in dialogues. (The room was cold. I tugged on a polo neck, and my head got stuck in it. I laughed, then wondered if this was to check I still knew how to.)
To me it definitely reads as the voice of a girl in her early 20s, which suited me perfectly.
It was funny, sad, and very mean. The author was never afraid to write down our darkest thoughts, the ugliest parts of our nature.