The Happy Couple

this was fun

i didn't know anything about the author beforehand and was pleasantly surprised to be picking up some queer literature. the tone has that droll irish humour at times which i found enjoyable. it's also a pretty short read which i picked up over a sunday afternoon

the story follows the lives and perspectives of a couple who have a lot of shit going on between them unexpectedly getting married interwoven with the perspectives of their friends / wedding guests. i found all the characters pretty interesting with the exception of the best man archie. i found myself really disliking him and found his characterization both inconsistent and a little unfleshed. we don't learn anything deep about his motivations and he's just a bit of a dickhead who can't get over the groom

i'd recommend this if you enjoy reading stories about the same situation from multiple perspectives. i would've liked this a lot more if it were an exploration about the situation itself (i.e. the couple getting married) as opposed to the personal histories and relationships behind the characters. i would've preferred more action around the engagement party itself like more infidelity or more secrets being spilled but i'm not disappointed by what we got. will definitely be checking out more of Naoise Dolan's works in the future

After an Irish girl living [b:Exciting Times 50175419 Exciting Times Naoise Dolan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572990447l/50175419.SY75.jpg 73236926] in Hong Kong, we now have a British man in Ireland about to marry an Irish girl in London. Everyone's a millennial, queer, and the usual kind of messed up that makes for that laconic Dolan love-drama style. We start with the Happy Couple - Celine and Luke - and might not end up with a wedding. Examining along the way all the reasons why the couple makes or doesn't make sense. By the end, the only happy couple ending I wanted, was Celine and her piano! Sally Rooney and Naoise Dolan character would definitely hang out.

Quickly went through it in about 3 hours give or take. Didn't really chew through her sentences in detail this time, more skimming as I wasn't too familiar with the geographic or cultural settings of Dublin and London.

The style is consistent with Exciting Times in that it explores the emotional frustration that comes with being in your twenties, exploring your sexuality and navigating adulthood. Also the need to stomach the character's flaws in failing to expressing their feelings outward and suffering the consequences of that — except this time we actually get it from their perspectives in first-person inner monologue.

If you like beautiful people where are you (I do), then this is similar but pales in comparison.