Exciting Times

Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan is a sharp, introspective contemporary novel about youth, ambition, and the uneasy politics of love. The story follows Ava, a young Irish teacher living in Hong Kong, as she navigates an emotionally charged triangle between Julian, an English banker, and Edith, a passionate Hong Kong lawyer. Through these relationships, Ava examines her identity and class position in a world that constantly pushes her to define herself through others.

Dolan writes with wit, precision, and psychological insight, capturing the restless contradictions of millennial life. Her prose combines biting humor with emotional restraint, exposing the tensions that simmer beneath everyday conversation. The result is both cerebral and deeply human—a story about how intellect and vulnerability coexist in modern relationships.

At its heart, Exciting Times explores the complexity of connection in an age of uncertainty. Ava’s candid observations about love, privilege, and communication reveal a voice that is as self-aware as it is searching. The novel’s setting—a city of luxury, disconnection, and reinvention—serves as the perfect backdrop for its themes of belonging and detachment.

Naoise Dolan’s debut is a brilliant blend of social commentary and romantic introspection. Thought-provoking and elegantly written, it captures the quiet turbulence of early adulthood and the cost of keeping one’s emotions at arm’s length.