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A review by doesemilyread
Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan
2.0
I just didn’t like this. It was split into two parts, and they both felt like entirely different books.
In part one, we meet our main characters where they’re living in Scotland in the 80’s. I didn’t enjoy this part, and didn’t engage with it or connect to any of the characters. There wasn’t enough detail and fleshing out to make me feel anything for these young men. I rather disliked them all and didn’t understand their thoughts and ideas. By the end of part one I was sick of their repetitive conversations about Margaret Thatcher (we get it, you hate her).
Part two was more pleasant to read, but I still didn’t like it. We meet the same characters again, 30 years later, but it was all so hurried. There’s not enough development of plot or characters to pull off such a serious topic. The question of morality explored in this book were interesting but I wasn’t emotionally invested at all. I was eager for the end and even then it wasn’t what I would call a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, this book completely missed the mark for me. I am very glad (but also disappointed) that I used my £10 Waterstones credit for it and therefore didn’t pay full price.
In part one, we meet our main characters where they’re living in Scotland in the 80’s. I didn’t enjoy this part, and didn’t engage with it or connect to any of the characters. There wasn’t enough detail and fleshing out to make me feel anything for these young men. I rather disliked them all and didn’t understand their thoughts and ideas. By the end of part one I was sick of their repetitive conversations about Margaret Thatcher (we get it, you hate her).
Part two was more pleasant to read, but I still didn’t like it. We meet the same characters again, 30 years later, but it was all so hurried. There’s not enough development of plot or characters to pull off such a serious topic. The question of morality explored in this book were interesting but I wasn’t emotionally invested at all. I was eager for the end and even then it wasn’t what I would call a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, this book completely missed the mark for me. I am very glad (but also disappointed) that I used my £10 Waterstones credit for it and therefore didn’t pay full price.