Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

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.
 
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‘More than lives up to the hype … Likely to fill the Sally-Rooney-shaped hole in many readers’ lives‘ IRISH TIMES

‘Droll, shrewd and unafraid – a winning debut‘ Hilary Mantel, author of WOLF HALL

‘I’ve been pushing Exciting Times on everyone I know. Some of Dolan’s pithy observations of her characters are the best I’ve read since Edward St Aubyn‘ OBSERVER

‘A frankly sensational book‘ Pandora Sykes on THE HIGH LOW