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Exile
Leaving home was hard. Returning is impossible.
Fiadh's life is turned completely upside down on a night out in Belfast. Pretty soon everyone has heard about what happened; it is impossible to keep the rumours from spreading, the gossip from spiralling out of control. And just as she was beginning to finally figure everything out: she was feeling positive about her move to Liverpool, she was starting to get on top of her uni work and had made some new friends. Now her life is in freefall and Fiadh is helpless to do anything about it.
She starts missing assignment deadlines, stops turning up to class and doesn't respond to any of her friends' messages. Her nights revolve around random hook ups, fuelled by drink and drugs. Without the tightknit group of friends she left behind at home or the support of the new friends she has made in Liverpool, Fiadh's life quickly descends into chaos, a chaos that nearly costs her everything.
Fiadh's life is turned completely upside down on a night out in Belfast. Pretty soon everyone has heard about what happened; it is impossible to keep the rumours from spreading, the gossip from spiralling out of control. And just as she was beginning to finally figure everything out: she was feeling positive about her move to Liverpool, she was starting to get on top of her uni work and had made some new friends. Now her life is in freefall and Fiadh is helpless to do anything about it.
She starts missing assignment deadlines, stops turning up to class and doesn't respond to any of her friends' messages. Her nights revolve around random hook ups, fuelled by drink and drugs. Without the tightknit group of friends she left behind at home or the support of the new friends she has made in Liverpool, Fiadh's life quickly descends into chaos, a chaos that nearly costs her everything.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2024
21 people are currently reading
1026 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 28, 2024
my love affair with irish literature continues
February 22, 2024
Now this was a hard hitting read. This is gritty and very raw. The style of writting is brutally honest in parts and the language itself is saddening with it being so rough around the edges. A joke and a drink may make up a lot of peoples younger years and these girls seems to be enjoying what they can.
We are taken on a whirlwind journey of a young girl and her friends as they are just about to go off to college .We go between their life at home and new adventures to them. The struggles here are heartbreaking to read and the dangers we can feel about to happen. Its all taken in their stride until a terrible night turns out for the worst.
This story takes us down the path of the girls struggle to understand or cope with whats happened. Ending up in disastrous consequences . I did not expect the ending.
Many thanks to the Author and publisher through Netgalley for an ARC. Expected publication date 23/5/24
Review written 22/2/24
We are taken on a whirlwind journey of a young girl and her friends as they are just about to go off to college .We go between their life at home and new adventures to them. The struggles here are heartbreaking to read and the dangers we can feel about to happen. Its all taken in their stride until a terrible night turns out for the worst.
This story takes us down the path of the girls struggle to understand or cope with whats happened. Ending up in disastrous consequences . I did not expect the ending.
Many thanks to the Author and publisher through Netgalley for an ARC. Expected publication date 23/5/24
Review written 22/2/24
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June 1, 2024Fucking hell (affectionate) will take me a while to gather my thoughts but this was sensational.
June 7, 2024
Exile is the debut novel from Belfast writer Aimée Walsh and it’s a coming-of-age-but-make-it-car-crash tale that I found very compelling, if tough to read at times.
Fiadh is a young woman on the cusp of adult life. She loves a good messy night out (or in) with her best friends in her home town of Belfast. When her final school exam results don’t go exactly to plan, and with something niggling at her, she decides to move to Liverpool to study English there. It’s difficult settling in there, not least with a comically miserly landlady like Mrs Cooper, but things are beginning to look up for Fiadh until a night at home in Belfast halfway through the first term changes everything for her.
This book takes off like a rocket around the halfway mark and becomes very hard to put down. The ending is Shakespearean, I thought it was magnificently done.
There are a lot of messy, drunken nights out to contend with along the way, and some scenes that make for difficult reading (cw: sexual assault). You really want someone to swoop in and rescue Fiadh and just give her the help she needs.
It’s an emotionally fraught tale set in the 00s, of wild youth, friendship, betrayal and loneliness, and it explores the tumultuous period in life where you transition from school to university, which can be lonely and traumatic for some. If you enjoyed Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation, or Michael Magee’s Close to Home, then I think you will love this. 4/5⭐️
*Many thanks to @johnmurrays for the lovely #gifted hardback copy. An honest review as always.
Fiadh is a young woman on the cusp of adult life. She loves a good messy night out (or in) with her best friends in her home town of Belfast. When her final school exam results don’t go exactly to plan, and with something niggling at her, she decides to move to Liverpool to study English there. It’s difficult settling in there, not least with a comically miserly landlady like Mrs Cooper, but things are beginning to look up for Fiadh until a night at home in Belfast halfway through the first term changes everything for her.
This book takes off like a rocket around the halfway mark and becomes very hard to put down. The ending is Shakespearean, I thought it was magnificently done.
There are a lot of messy, drunken nights out to contend with along the way, and some scenes that make for difficult reading (cw: sexual assault). You really want someone to swoop in and rescue Fiadh and just give her the help she needs.
It’s an emotionally fraught tale set in the 00s, of wild youth, friendship, betrayal and loneliness, and it explores the tumultuous period in life where you transition from school to university, which can be lonely and traumatic for some. If you enjoyed Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation, or Michael Magee’s Close to Home, then I think you will love this. 4/5⭐️
*Many thanks to @johnmurrays for the lovely #gifted hardback copy. An honest review as always.
July 21, 2024
Visceral, in-your-face, teenage angst, frustration, nail-biting, raw, fearless. We follow the journey of Fidah and her tight-knitted group of girlie friends in Belfast where they finishing exams and leaving school. Their endless wild night outs. Fidah’s exam results leads her moving to Liverpool. The navigation of being in a new city and friendship group. The constant disconnection with the present, the city, the course, the people in Liverpool. The economical struggles from a working class background studying an arts and humanity degree in an English university. Walsh really makes Fidah comes alive. You feel like you are in the same room with her and witness the drama unfolds right in front of you. The pacing of the novel gets quicker when Fidah moves to Liverpool and constantly keeps you on your toes. Mrs Cooper, the landlord in Liverpool really is a pain in the arse…
The intrusive thoughts / internal dialogues short interlude chapters remind me of “Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies” by Maddie Mortimer - the sense of abruptly breaking the narrative and the formatting of the text.
The intrusive thoughts / internal dialogues short interlude chapters remind me of “Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies” by Maddie Mortimer - the sense of abruptly breaking the narrative and the formatting of the text.
March 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this provocative, raw and sometimes dark book. I wasn't sure how it was going to end but certainly wasn't expecting the turn of events. Well written, great pacing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.
July 21, 2024
Need to think on it. What a ride
July 16, 2024
The writing and creation of atmosphere was brilliant. The story was original and held my interest the whole way through although it became very depressing and frustrating. I found the characters were believable but shallow. And I was unable to connect with any of them except for the narrator. And (not that this actually substracted from the story overall,) but she was pretty awful. Because of this, I felt the friendships, relationships and some of fall outs didn't quite ring true, especially the narrators main friend group. This weakened the impact for me. But the ending was gritty enough to redeem it.
June 29, 2025
the sad irish girlies know how to get to me
May 15, 2024
yup this was a banger and that ending ATE ! gotta love irish fiction
November 11, 2024
3.5 stars
Gritty, nostalgic and hard hitting. Beautiful writing but thought it just went a wee bit off at the end.
Gritty, nostalgic and hard hitting. Beautiful writing but thought it just went a wee bit off at the end.
December 8, 2023
Aimée Walsh's debut novel, Exile, introduces to Fiadh, a Belfast girl on the cusp of adulthood - school exams are done, the summer ahead is long, and then it will be off to university. She and her friends enjoy city life, the sense that they could rule the world. And then Fiadh's life is overturned and nothing will be the same again.
I found this a very enjoyable debut, I read it in one sitting, swept up in its narrative. Walsh does a very good job in creating a rounded character with Fiadh. You can feel her breathing on the page. By keeping the narrative locked in on her, you get less sense of the other characters here, though this not to the detriment of the novel.
Walsh has some very good lines here, a great way with words, and this feels like it could launch a great career. For fans of writers like Sally Rooney or Gwendoline Riley, this is a must.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
I found this a very enjoyable debut, I read it in one sitting, swept up in its narrative. Walsh does a very good job in creating a rounded character with Fiadh. You can feel her breathing on the page. By keeping the narrative locked in on her, you get less sense of the other characters here, though this not to the detriment of the novel.
Walsh has some very good lines here, a great way with words, and this feels like it could launch a great career. For fans of writers like Sally Rooney or Gwendoline Riley, this is a must.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
January 5, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!
3.5 stars! Rounded up
I loved how this was written, despite the lack of speech marks which I wasn't a fan of, how Fiadh was written was fantastic. The story really made her human with how she dealt with what had happened. You can't help but feel for her and want better for her. It also feels like a story about not losing yourself or not feeling like you fit in anywhere, needing to find your place etc.
Really great debut book which I'm glad I took a chance on and excited to see what else Aimée Walsh will write.
3.5 stars! Rounded up
I loved how this was written, despite the lack of speech marks which I wasn't a fan of, how Fiadh was written was fantastic. The story really made her human with how she dealt with what had happened. You can't help but feel for her and want better for her. It also feels like a story about not losing yourself or not feeling like you fit in anywhere, needing to find your place etc.
Really great debut book which I'm glad I took a chance on and excited to see what else Aimée Walsh will write.
March 2, 2025
This is fine. Nothing spectacular. The descriptive writing is very bland at times, sometimes quite monotonous and circuitous.
The main fulcrum in the plot is predictable and tired, and really there is very little in this novel that is new. I could find few reasons in this book to keep reading, and ultimately that means that the author has failed in her quest.
The main fulcrum in the plot is predictable and tired, and really there is very little in this novel that is new. I could find few reasons in this book to keep reading, and ultimately that means that the author has failed in her quest.
November 16, 2025
Sorry but that was pure shite. Main character was just horrible for no reason, then she had a reason to be horrible, but genuinely never had a decent thought in her brain. Writing style repetitive, ending hardly made up for anything, mostly just lots of words about going out and getting shitfaced.
January 8, 2025
4.5 stars more likely. Very good image of Irish society particularly around sexual assault. Very sad but created a vivid main character.
May 26, 2025
Phenomenal and brutal. I couldn't stop reading, despite sometimes wanting to.
December 15, 2025
an incredible book about friendship, consent, and taking matters into your own hands. filled with humorous lines and belfast mannerisms. 100% must read.
March 12, 2024
If I’m being completely transparent this book was just very average to me. It is a perfectly fine novel in its genre, but really nothing more than that.
Exile is a character study of Fiadh and her trials and tribulations into adulthood. Something really traumatic happens to her, she spirals, the clichè lives on. I do think this book was interesting enough to keep my attention, but I did feel like it was lacking in a lot of areas.
I do think the depiction of SA and its aftermath was done well in this book, so I will commend the author on that as that is no light topic to handle.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the way it was written. Sort of in this nonsensical prose where it took you ages to figure out what on earth she was talking about. Jumping from topic to topic place to place but not in a way that felt complete. It also used no speech marks, but not in a sally rooney way, more in a doesn’t make sense way. I also thought the overuse of slang was just not my cup of tea at all.
The side characters felt really one dimensional, especially her uni friends. I would’ve loved to have seen these characters be a bit more fleshed out.
I did quite like the turn the plot took at the end, but it still left me unsatisfied and with questions.
Ultimately, I think if you like literary fiction you will probably like this. It’s not amazing by any means, but it’s not terrible either.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for gifting me this ARC🤍
Exile is a character study of Fiadh and her trials and tribulations into adulthood. Something really traumatic happens to her, she spirals, the clichè lives on. I do think this book was interesting enough to keep my attention, but I did feel like it was lacking in a lot of areas.
I do think the depiction of SA and its aftermath was done well in this book, so I will commend the author on that as that is no light topic to handle.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the way it was written. Sort of in this nonsensical prose where it took you ages to figure out what on earth she was talking about. Jumping from topic to topic place to place but not in a way that felt complete. It also used no speech marks, but not in a sally rooney way, more in a doesn’t make sense way. I also thought the overuse of slang was just not my cup of tea at all.
The side characters felt really one dimensional, especially her uni friends. I would’ve loved to have seen these characters be a bit more fleshed out.
I did quite like the turn the plot took at the end, but it still left me unsatisfied and with questions.
Ultimately, I think if you like literary fiction you will probably like this. It’s not amazing by any means, but it’s not terrible either.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for gifting me this ARC🤍
June 9, 2024
My Rating ~ 4.5*
Exile by Aimée Walsh published with John Murray May 23rd and is described as ‘taut and tender… a devastating exploration of the repercussions of one half-remembered night from a major new voice in Northern Irish fiction’.
Set in the 2000s, Exile is a very raw coming-of-age tale about a young woman, with dreams and ambitions, whose life is upturned forever on a night out. Fiadh was born and bred in Belfast. She had a great bunch of friends, and the craic was mighty. These were young women who dreamed of bright futures and exciting days ahead. Hanging out in the pubs and clubs and partying hard were second nature and, as their final school exams loomed, they all considered their options.
With an idea to study English Literature, Fiadh gets a place at a university in Liverpool, whereas all her friends go to Queens. She is nervous but excited at the prospect of this grown-up adventure that awaits her. Against her parents’ wishes she catches the flight with a lump in her throat but also with a sense of new beginnings. As her decision to accept this place was very last minute, Fiadh was unable to secure student accommodation, so she was booked in as a lodger with a strict landlady, Mrs Cooper.
Fiadh struggles to fit in at the beginning of term. Her Northern Irish accent sets her apart but in time she slowly finds her tribe. On a return trip to Belfast, a traumatic incident takes place, one that causes Fiadh to question herself and what she has become. She returns to Liverpool but is unable to process what happened. Her new friends are concerned for her, but none of them know her well enough to raise too many red flags. When she meets up with her old friends, doubt is cast over her and she no longer feels like she belongs.
Fiadh is in trouble. Her mental health and self-worth are in free-all and there is no one to soften the blow. Fiadh’s story is heartbreakingly depicted. She was a young woman with a life of wonder ahead of her. She had a great relationship with her friends. They had the chats and were always there making sure that everyone was safe and taken care of. One night, one scant memory, one devastating moment was enough to destroy a young woman.
The dialect in Exile is very much in the local vernacular, really adding that authentic layer to the novel. When Fiadh and her buddies are having the laughs, the jokes and the manner of speech are all very local, all very real. The divisions that exist in Northern Ireland are highlighted and handled excellently as Fiadh has friends from across the divide and, as a young woman, religion really doesn’t bother her. Her life up to her college years was one of enjoyment and getting the most out of every minute, but now everything has changed.
Exile is not an easy read as Fiadh’s story progresses. Early in the novel the banter is very funny and the antics of the girls is pure entertainment but when the story takes a darker turn, there is a sense of discomfort and heartbreak. Aimée Walsh raises multiple relevant issues, primarily that of the importance of consent, the importance of friendship and the importance of home. Fiadh’s story is one of tragedy and regret. It’s realistic depiction of the pain and damage caused is very vivid and is remarkably written, with nothing wasted. A challenging coming-of-age story that will pull at every heartstring, Exile is a stunning portrayal of a shattered dream and of a life that was suddenly splintered, a very powerful debut.
Exile by Aimée Walsh published with John Murray May 23rd and is described as ‘taut and tender… a devastating exploration of the repercussions of one half-remembered night from a major new voice in Northern Irish fiction’.
Set in the 2000s, Exile is a very raw coming-of-age tale about a young woman, with dreams and ambitions, whose life is upturned forever on a night out. Fiadh was born and bred in Belfast. She had a great bunch of friends, and the craic was mighty. These were young women who dreamed of bright futures and exciting days ahead. Hanging out in the pubs and clubs and partying hard were second nature and, as their final school exams loomed, they all considered their options.
With an idea to study English Literature, Fiadh gets a place at a university in Liverpool, whereas all her friends go to Queens. She is nervous but excited at the prospect of this grown-up adventure that awaits her. Against her parents’ wishes she catches the flight with a lump in her throat but also with a sense of new beginnings. As her decision to accept this place was very last minute, Fiadh was unable to secure student accommodation, so she was booked in as a lodger with a strict landlady, Mrs Cooper.
Fiadh struggles to fit in at the beginning of term. Her Northern Irish accent sets her apart but in time she slowly finds her tribe. On a return trip to Belfast, a traumatic incident takes place, one that causes Fiadh to question herself and what she has become. She returns to Liverpool but is unable to process what happened. Her new friends are concerned for her, but none of them know her well enough to raise too many red flags. When she meets up with her old friends, doubt is cast over her and she no longer feels like she belongs.
Fiadh is in trouble. Her mental health and self-worth are in free-all and there is no one to soften the blow. Fiadh’s story is heartbreakingly depicted. She was a young woman with a life of wonder ahead of her. She had a great relationship with her friends. They had the chats and were always there making sure that everyone was safe and taken care of. One night, one scant memory, one devastating moment was enough to destroy a young woman.
The dialect in Exile is very much in the local vernacular, really adding that authentic layer to the novel. When Fiadh and her buddies are having the laughs, the jokes and the manner of speech are all very local, all very real. The divisions that exist in Northern Ireland are highlighted and handled excellently as Fiadh has friends from across the divide and, as a young woman, religion really doesn’t bother her. Her life up to her college years was one of enjoyment and getting the most out of every minute, but now everything has changed.
Exile is not an easy read as Fiadh’s story progresses. Early in the novel the banter is very funny and the antics of the girls is pure entertainment but when the story takes a darker turn, there is a sense of discomfort and heartbreak. Aimée Walsh raises multiple relevant issues, primarily that of the importance of consent, the importance of friendship and the importance of home. Fiadh’s story is one of tragedy and regret. It’s realistic depiction of the pain and damage caused is very vivid and is remarkably written, with nothing wasted. A challenging coming-of-age story that will pull at every heartstring, Exile is a stunning portrayal of a shattered dream and of a life that was suddenly splintered, a very powerful debut.
January 30, 2024
Exile • Aimée Walsh took some time to win me over.
It was slow building, with an excellent description of Belfast and Liverpool seen through the eyes of a young, female adult.
“The streets are grey, reminiscent of sludge pulled from the drain or skies before a downpour.”
Fiadh; our main character - is the only one in her friendship group moving away for uni. She doesn’t get much support for her choice of taking a leap at something different.
Money is tight and she rents a room in Liverpool with Mrs Cooper - who is cold and stingy - her house offering no comfort.
Fiadh makes some new friends and things are looking quite good; she’s settling in - finding her place.
Returning home to Belfast for Christmas is life-changing. A drunken night and a blackout hides a horrible event - reality slowly float to the surface.
Fiad’s life is spiralling out of control.
“Resting is for the dead. I’m not sure if I mumbled this aloud to myself. My eyes are half-closed as I intimate a seductive gaze at a boy across the room. Words become slippery in my mouth; a delicious greasiness my tongue cannot shake free from.”
The atmosphere in this story is fuelled by heavy drinking, substance abuse, self harm and such sad loneliness.
It was a punch in the stomach to read this short novel - it was so gritty and dark - so beautiful in its sadness.
As a mother all you want is for someone to scoop Fiadh up and save her as she’s loosing her sense of self.
Aimée Walsh wrapped up this novel in a unique and satisfying way, it’s painfully realistic in its depiction. For literary fiction lovers I highly recommend.
-
4/5
An honest review given for an advance copy from NetGalley. Thank you
It was slow building, with an excellent description of Belfast and Liverpool seen through the eyes of a young, female adult.
“The streets are grey, reminiscent of sludge pulled from the drain or skies before a downpour.”
Fiadh; our main character - is the only one in her friendship group moving away for uni. She doesn’t get much support for her choice of taking a leap at something different.
Money is tight and she rents a room in Liverpool with Mrs Cooper - who is cold and stingy - her house offering no comfort.
Fiadh makes some new friends and things are looking quite good; she’s settling in - finding her place.
Returning home to Belfast for Christmas is life-changing. A drunken night and a blackout hides a horrible event - reality slowly float to the surface.
Fiad’s life is spiralling out of control.
“Resting is for the dead. I’m not sure if I mumbled this aloud to myself. My eyes are half-closed as I intimate a seductive gaze at a boy across the room. Words become slippery in my mouth; a delicious greasiness my tongue cannot shake free from.”
The atmosphere in this story is fuelled by heavy drinking, substance abuse, self harm and such sad loneliness.
It was a punch in the stomach to read this short novel - it was so gritty and dark - so beautiful in its sadness.
As a mother all you want is for someone to scoop Fiadh up and save her as she’s loosing her sense of self.
Aimée Walsh wrapped up this novel in a unique and satisfying way, it’s painfully realistic in its depiction. For literary fiction lovers I highly recommend.
-
4/5
An honest review given for an advance copy from NetGalley. Thank you
January 20, 2024
I am firmly in my coming of age Irish lit era so this debut novel was right up my street.
The story starts with Fiadh in her last few months of school, with hope and dreams for the months and years beyond. You get insight into her relationship with her close friendship group and in particular her friendship with Andy which is strictly platonic but everyone else seems to think there is more to.
The novel follows Fiadh as her plans for her future dont quite go to plan and she chooses to follow a different path. Struggling in a new city, whilst her close friends stay in their tight-knit group at home. Fiadh travels home for Christmas for what should be the perfect reunion.
After a life changing event the second half of the book follows Fiadh as she struggles to cope with what has happened to her, as her behaviour and actions become increasingly erratic.
Potential Spoiler.
This book is gritty and dark and won't be for everyone. The author handles the aftermath of sexual assault with realism and honesty. It has been well researched by Aimee Walsh. She also captures the feeling of being 18 and lost extremely well, the nostalgic time where you are leaving the safe environment of your childhood and teen friendship group to go out into the world.
I would recommend this book for readers who have enjoyed Sally Rooney but want something with more grit and realism. Fans of Closer To Home by Michael McGee may also enjoy it.
Many Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.
The story starts with Fiadh in her last few months of school, with hope and dreams for the months and years beyond. You get insight into her relationship with her close friendship group and in particular her friendship with Andy which is strictly platonic but everyone else seems to think there is more to.
The novel follows Fiadh as her plans for her future dont quite go to plan and she chooses to follow a different path. Struggling in a new city, whilst her close friends stay in their tight-knit group at home. Fiadh travels home for Christmas for what should be the perfect reunion.
After a life changing event the second half of the book follows Fiadh as she struggles to cope with what has happened to her, as her behaviour and actions become increasingly erratic.
Potential Spoiler.
This book is gritty and dark and won't be for everyone. The author handles the aftermath of sexual assault with realism and honesty. It has been well researched by Aimee Walsh. She also captures the feeling of being 18 and lost extremely well, the nostalgic time where you are leaving the safe environment of your childhood and teen friendship group to go out into the world.
I would recommend this book for readers who have enjoyed Sally Rooney but want something with more grit and realism. Fans of Closer To Home by Michael McGee may also enjoy it.
Many Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2024
I read this book like I was drowning, I read a lot but rarely a book in one sitting. Exile by Aimée Walsh was one I could not put down. It tells the story of Fiadh navigating the change from school to university and from Belfast to Liverpool, set in the region of 2004-2007 (ish) And Fiadh is one of these rare characters who are a little hard to like, but you are almost stressed reading their story because you want them to be okay. I don't think my shoulders dropped below ear height nor did I coherently breathe the whole novel. It explores isolation, loneliness and the fall out from a traumatic event in a way that was so visceral and so accurate and so very, heartbreakingly true. I'm not exaggerating or doing that thing when everything is my favourite, this novel is unimpeachable. And Walsh managed to do it, to show us exactly what happened without going near the word you'd use for it. I've read 900 books looking for this one. It also does a nice line in Belfast slang, the differences that remain between the communities over here, even without the animosity, and a nuanced, not overbearing, not didactic demonstration of the colonialism that England has been known to partake in. I loved the ending, I loved the start, I loved every page of this book. All the stars. Sally Rooney will be going some to top this. ALSO. Chewing gum as the Eucharist to avoid smudging lipgloss - never a better description. A book of words that you can see clearer than any film. Couldn't love it more. Honestly.
January 1, 2025
A bit boring. I enjoy the Northern Irish voice, as someone from outside of Ireland, it’s interesting to read such a different voice and it’s fun to learn abt and decipher it.
It feels like a good way to learn about the average Irish girl and the average Irish lifestyle, but there was nothing particularly attention grabbing.
Even though it’s written in the first person, it has a very impersonal feel, an almost grey quality to everything. It kinda just feels like watching a person talk about themselves than living it with them which is what I feel a first person story should do.
I never felt particularly lost in the book and it honestly felt like a chore to read smtms.
Some good moments of humour but overall quite boring tbh. It’s overly detailed in some places but not detailed enough in others. And the overly detailed aspects are in all the wrong places. It makes it a bit confusing to read and kinda makes you lose interest every time it starts to get good.
The ending was better than most of the story. The mini revenge arch type thing made it interesting and soothed the annoyance of the earlier boringness.
Quite an interesting piece of writing in the sense that no one, not even the narrator, was a redeemable character. It felt like an overly negative take on humanity, a bit fatalistic.
I really liked the revenge arch. It could have been built up a little more and been more sinister, but it felt like a really worthy ending.
It feels like a good way to learn about the average Irish girl and the average Irish lifestyle, but there was nothing particularly attention grabbing.
Even though it’s written in the first person, it has a very impersonal feel, an almost grey quality to everything. It kinda just feels like watching a person talk about themselves than living it with them which is what I feel a first person story should do.
I never felt particularly lost in the book and it honestly felt like a chore to read smtms.
Some good moments of humour but overall quite boring tbh. It’s overly detailed in some places but not detailed enough in others. And the overly detailed aspects are in all the wrong places. It makes it a bit confusing to read and kinda makes you lose interest every time it starts to get good.
The ending was better than most of the story. The mini revenge arch type thing made it interesting and soothed the annoyance of the earlier boringness.
Quite an interesting piece of writing in the sense that no one, not even the narrator, was a redeemable character. It felt like an overly negative take on humanity, a bit fatalistic.
I really liked the revenge arch. It could have been built up a little more and been more sinister, but it felt like a really worthy ending.
June 1, 2024
Fiadh’s life is in freefall after the unimaginable happens to her, by one of her best friends. As her life turns to chaos, those around her try to understand or help her, but to no avail.
WOW. I went into this book completely blind and it honestly blew me away. It is hard-hitting, gritty, and raw. Set around 2007-2009 (I estimate by the music choices and pop culture references) this book gave me so much nostalgia to being a teenager in the noughties. Pretty much every band/song mentioned were those that filled my mp3 player growing up.
The protagonist starts off as a very relatable, average teenager who is leaving school, and goes on nights out with their friends on the weekends. But one disastrous night out results in Fiadh experiencing the most traumatic event of her life. The rest of the novel follows her trying to deal with/run away from her trauma, until she resigns to live with the pain of what has happened.
This was a fantastic debut for author Aimee Walsh, and I will 100% be looking out for her next book. She brought the cities of Belfast and Liverpool to life in this book, and her analysis of female friendships was spot on. Immaculate, I give this 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW. I went into this book completely blind and it honestly blew me away. It is hard-hitting, gritty, and raw. Set around 2007-2009 (I estimate by the music choices and pop culture references) this book gave me so much nostalgia to being a teenager in the noughties. Pretty much every band/song mentioned were those that filled my mp3 player growing up.
The protagonist starts off as a very relatable, average teenager who is leaving school, and goes on nights out with their friends on the weekends. But one disastrous night out results in Fiadh experiencing the most traumatic event of her life. The rest of the novel follows her trying to deal with/run away from her trauma, until she resigns to live with the pain of what has happened.
This was a fantastic debut for author Aimee Walsh, and I will 100% be looking out for her next book. She brought the cities of Belfast and Liverpool to life in this book, and her analysis of female friendships was spot on. Immaculate, I give this 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 5, 2024
Exile / Aimée Walsh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~ A haze of solitude shadows everywhere I go. Loneliness gives off a high-pitched frequency; it's a sound that blisters the ears of anybody too close to me… ~
And now onwards, to Belfast and to Liverpool.
Fiadh. Fiadh, Fiadh, FIADH! This was rough. Placed in a time when finishing school and starting uni, a time where life changes for all. She makes the most strides to do things right, but something huge happens and it goes way, way off the deep end.
This is sad. Watching Fiadh free fall while trying to cope is heartbreaking. As she falls, her support is completely gone on all ends. Her English mates though seem cool though.
At the end of it, Andy is awful. His comeuppance was deadly. The end though, I just hope Fiadh finds her solace.
Belfast though is portrayed in a lovely light, giving many memories of time spent there visiting one of my besties (shoutout Kelly!). Makes me want to revisit, but also to visit Liverpool!
Great debut. Looking forward to more.
Picked up from the TBR Pile - Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny.
Bought from @dubraybooks, Waterford - 22/07/24
Read: 05/09/24 - 05/09/24
Release Date: 23/05/24
ISBN: 9781399815864
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~ A haze of solitude shadows everywhere I go. Loneliness gives off a high-pitched frequency; it's a sound that blisters the ears of anybody too close to me… ~
And now onwards, to Belfast and to Liverpool.
Fiadh. Fiadh, Fiadh, FIADH! This was rough. Placed in a time when finishing school and starting uni, a time where life changes for all. She makes the most strides to do things right, but something huge happens and it goes way, way off the deep end.
This is sad. Watching Fiadh free fall while trying to cope is heartbreaking. As she falls, her support is completely gone on all ends. Her English mates though seem cool though.
At the end of it, Andy is awful. His comeuppance was deadly. The end though, I just hope Fiadh finds her solace.
Belfast though is portrayed in a lovely light, giving many memories of time spent there visiting one of my besties (shoutout Kelly!). Makes me want to revisit, but also to visit Liverpool!
Great debut. Looking forward to more.
Picked up from the TBR Pile - Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny.
Bought from @dubraybooks, Waterford - 22/07/24
Read: 05/09/24 - 05/09/24
Release Date: 23/05/24
ISBN: 9781399815864
December 29, 2025
I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed reading this. The main character is not necessarily likable and makes rogue decisions but maybe that’s why I found her real and therefore, I was able to connect with her. As someone who has also moved countries for college, I found surprising similarities between Fiadh and myself in the way that navigating life, college and relationships in a completely new setting requires a lot of mistakes to be made. Her character felt very real and raw, and I think showing her many blips and the constant search for a high to deal with homesickness, wondering if she made the right decision, growing up and the constant struggle to navigate between living a little or saving the last bits of money made her easy to connect with. Showing life as is without sugar coating I feel is much more powerful than portraying the perfect young woman making the perfect decisions and living the perfect life.
This book feels like a warm hug to my younger self to say everything will be okay.
This book feels like a warm hug to my younger self to say everything will be okay.
April 7, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Thank you to John Murray Press and NetGalley UK for the eARC of Exile in exchange for an honest review. I found this debut dark and impactful, with the character of Fiadh being the star of the show of this book. The way she was written was intimate, like I was reading about a friend, and that made me want the best for her, especially because of what she was going through. Also, Exile deals with tough themes in a very thoughtful and sensitive way, and for this reason it's an important read albeit probably a heavy one for most. This book was a bit repetitive, which is why it didn't get a higher rating, but this doesn't take away from the fact that I recommend it to anyone who finds the blurb interesting and who usually likes literary coming-of-age novels dealing with darker themes. I look forward to reading more by Aimée Walsh.
Please check the content warnings before reading.
Thank you to John Murray Press and NetGalley UK for the eARC of Exile in exchange for an honest review. I found this debut dark and impactful, with the character of Fiadh being the star of the show of this book. The way she was written was intimate, like I was reading about a friend, and that made me want the best for her, especially because of what she was going through. Also, Exile deals with tough themes in a very thoughtful and sensitive way, and for this reason it's an important read albeit probably a heavy one for most. This book was a bit repetitive, which is why it didn't get a higher rating, but this doesn't take away from the fact that I recommend it to anyone who finds the blurb interesting and who usually likes literary coming-of-age novels dealing with darker themes. I look forward to reading more by Aimée Walsh.
Please check the content warnings before reading.
May 27, 2024
i mean jesus christ
i feel like i need a month to take this in. an absolutely unflinching and extremely raw depiction of the before and after of when one of the worst things that can happen to you happens.
as someone who has also had this happen to me reading it back honestly felt somewhat cathartic; it’s incredible writing to get into the mind of a survivor like that. i am genuinely dumbfounded.
a story of a group of friends going off to university and the aftermath of an event that changes the trajectory of their entire relationship, i found it difficult to read at times but that was honestly because the writing was so real to me that i felt uncomfortable in the best way possible.
i will read everything aimee walsh ever writes in the future. one of the most exceptional things i’ve ever read.
thank you to net galley and the publishers for the ARC
i feel like i need a month to take this in. an absolutely unflinching and extremely raw depiction of the before and after of when one of the worst things that can happen to you happens.
as someone who has also had this happen to me reading it back honestly felt somewhat cathartic; it’s incredible writing to get into the mind of a survivor like that. i am genuinely dumbfounded.
a story of a group of friends going off to university and the aftermath of an event that changes the trajectory of their entire relationship, i found it difficult to read at times but that was honestly because the writing was so real to me that i felt uncomfortable in the best way possible.
i will read everything aimee walsh ever writes in the future. one of the most exceptional things i’ve ever read.
thank you to net galley and the publishers for the ARC
March 1, 2024
“𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒚, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆.”
Fiadh is in her first year at university, having moved from Belfast to Liverpool. When she returns for a few weeks at Christmas, feeling good about her move and the new friends she has made, her whole life is turned upside down on a night out. As she grapples with what has happened, her coursework starts slipping, her friendships take a battering and she feels like her entire world is in free fall.
Exile is an impressive debut from Northern Irish writer Aimée Walsh. It’s gritty and raw, written with such profound honesty and authenticity. I will admit it took me a little while to get into the story, and I didn’t feel compelled to pick it up until about 25% of the way in, but once I hit that mark I couldn’t put it down. The plot made for uncomfortable reading at several points but this only added to how gripping it was.
The depictions of both Belfast and Liverpool were vivid and those late teen friendships were written with such candour, my heart ached 💔.
The ending floored me, I didn’t see it coming at all 😮. Highly recommend this one and will definitely pick up more from this author.
Fiadh is in her first year at university, having moved from Belfast to Liverpool. When she returns for a few weeks at Christmas, feeling good about her move and the new friends she has made, her whole life is turned upside down on a night out. As she grapples with what has happened, her coursework starts slipping, her friendships take a battering and she feels like her entire world is in free fall.
Exile is an impressive debut from Northern Irish writer Aimée Walsh. It’s gritty and raw, written with such profound honesty and authenticity. I will admit it took me a little while to get into the story, and I didn’t feel compelled to pick it up until about 25% of the way in, but once I hit that mark I couldn’t put it down. The plot made for uncomfortable reading at several points but this only added to how gripping it was.
The depictions of both Belfast and Liverpool were vivid and those late teen friendships were written with such candour, my heart ached 💔.
The ending floored me, I didn’t see it coming at all 😮. Highly recommend this one and will definitely pick up more from this author.
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