It's been seven long years since Hollinghurst last novel, The Sparsholt Affair - but it's been worth the wait. In only his seventh novel in 36 years, the author once again redefines the English novel, incorporating all he has seen, felt and learnt in his 70 years (we are roughly the same age; I'm 6 weeks older than he). In telling the story of biracial gay actor David Win, beginning in 1961, when he is 13 and on holiday from Bampton, his boarding school, at Woolpeck, the stately home of his benefactors, the Hadleys, and tracing his ups and down right up through the pandemic year of 2020, Hollinghurst gives us perhaps the finest 'state-of-the nation' novel since his own Booker-winning The Line of Beauty.

Roughly the first half details David's travails as an 'Exhibitioner', a charity student, and his relationship with Giles, the wealthy and sadistic scion of the Hadley family. This not only (consciously?) echoes somewhat Hollinghurst's Booker-winner, but every OTHER boarding school book, somewhat of a Brideshead Revisited Revisited, but with Hollinghurst's exquisite prose and unerring characterizations. Then the second half covers the rest of David's life, from his early days as a struggling actor in an experimental theatre troupe to a seasoner performer and author, and also delineates through his gay relationships the trajectory of the gay rights movement from the time such affairs were illegal, up to marriage equality.

Even though it took me an inordinate time to read the first half, I breezed through the second section in two days - riveting stuff here, and being as theatre is my field, I enjoyed all the references to works known and imagined. Many of the 34 chapters could easily be read as standalone short stories, but the throughline makes them even more impactful. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find this on the 2025 Booker longlist, and perhaps Hollinghurst will join that rare pantheon of double Booker winners.

My sincere and grateful thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in advance of publication, in exchange for this honest and enthusiastic review.

This is a really gorgeous, lyrically written novel that mimics a memoir - following young biracial David Win from his time as a scholarship student at a very posh boarding school, through his career as an actor and into middle age. I wasn't quite sure where the story was going to go from the prologue, but I just turned myself over to the writing and let it take me along with the tide.

The story is sneaky - even in moments where almost nothing substantial is happening, there is an undercurrent of any number of issues and themes. This book explores classism, racism, homophobia, all through the lens of this one specific character and his relationships to "others" within his community. I think as an American, I often think our country is the only place with such blatant bigoted issues, but of course, that's not true.

For me, the spine of the novel is not (as the book jacket may indicate) David's proximity to a far-right politician, but instead the path that he takes on his way to finding love and a healthy relationship. Every pit stop along the way to meeting Richard (this is not a spoiler, it's in the prologue) informs so much of David's story and character, and it really gives a great structure to the novel.

And the epilogue brought me to my knees, but I will say no more as it deserves to be read fresh.

This is a great novel by an incredible writer. 4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A moving and beautifully written story which begins with Dave, a half-British / half-Burmese teen, who has just started boarding school on a funded scholarship. Up until then, he lived with his widowed working-class white mother. He’s never known his father, and doesn’t seem to want to know more about him.

This is the first of this author’s books that I’ve read, and I found this to be such a moving story, which also, unfortunately, felt all too real. The attitude of the majority of his classmates toward him, the fact that he is there on a funded scholarship, seems to make him <i>‘less than’</i> in their eyes. While he does make friends with some, he seems to feel a need to prove that he is more than they seem to see him.

An often heartbreaking story, as the years pass Dave shares the barriers he has had to come to terms with, along with the success he’s had in the theater over the years, as well as sharing the friendships over the years, those he has loved, his commitment to family, and to finding someone to share his life with, someone to love.



Pub Date: 08 Oct 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Random House / Random House

I do love Alan Hollinghurst. His novels all have some similarities but they are all so lovely.

This follows Dave Win from the 1960s to present day. Dave is the son of a single mother British dressmaker and a Burmese man he’s never met (which means he’s not white, which didn’t always make his life easy.). He is awarded a scholarship to Bampton, a top boarding school where he comes into contact with the monied class, particularly Giles Hadlow, as his parents, Cara and Mark; the Hadlow family sponsors his scholarship and he is invited to spend time at their country home during his first year at school. This short visit impacts his life and he keeps up with Cara and Mark for decades.

Throughout his life Giles becomes estranged from his parents as he becomes a conservative politician. The stay closer to Dave, an actor. The two men circle round each other over the years.

Ignore some of the jacket information as it isn’t really what the book is about; it’s more about Dave’s life as he navigates the world as a lower class, gay man pursuing acting in London, as the author examines issues of race, class and sexual orientation in the 1960s-1980s. I enjoyed it very much, the pacing is nice and it’s not flashy, but completely nice.

In this very fascinating and unforgettable tale, Hollinghurst introduces us to David Win. David is the son of a dressmaker in London and half Burmese via his the father he has never known. It's early 1960's when David winds a scholarship to an elite boarding school. It is when he visits the holiday home of the family that sponsors the scholarship that we meet the son of the family, the daunting Giles. A bully at best, Giles is personification of boarding school males. The parents do not seem to know what to do with him but warm to Dave. The weekend is pivotal in Dave's life as it begins his true interest in acting.

Hollinghurst continues to tell the tale of Dave through short vignettes in which Giles and his parents rotate through frequently. We travel through his boarding school life, college times and experimental theater. Via Dave's eyes we get to know his mother - a strong and important character.
It's a chronological life story, but. it is so much more. Hollinghurst has given us a gift! Dave navigates life as a person of color suffering microaggression and outright racism. As a queer man, we accompany him as he deals with homophobia as well as his first love.

In some ways, very little happens and in some ways, absolutely everything happens! There's quite a bit online already on Easter Egg/meta sort of mentions in the story but I will leave that to you to explore. Our Evenings touches on race, class, sex and politics in every vignetter. What Dave accomplishes and how the story ends - just brilliant. #Randomhouse #ourevenings #davewin #alanhollinghurst #alineofbeauty

Surely among a rich man’s
flowering lawns,
Amid the rustle of his
planted hills,
Life overflows without
ambitious pains;
And rains down life until the
basin spills . . .
—W. B. Yeats

Read Alan Hollinghurst’s novel, “Our Evenings”, for the pure enjoyment of his descriptive powers: …..delicious storytelling, epic seventy-five spanning years, experience of a man’s life man’s life in all its shapes and colors, and the people who loved and supported him……
while David-Dave, (a Gay, Half Burmese, Half-British, Bisexual Theatre guy), is growing from his school days into his senior years — the world is changing — [challenges, insights, wisdom, even a few pleasures]: British politics, British racism, colonialism impact, human rights violations, Brexit, the slow growth acceptance of non-heterosexual identities and sexual behavior, the rise of Asian- hate crimes during Covid-19, theater, poetry, writing experiences, love, lovers, and intimate friendship gatherings (“Our Evenings” > are especially saved for the treasures of love & friendship gathering connections).

Alan Hollingurst’s writing is lifelike…. lively…. simply gorgeous!
He writes with an enlightened approach to change and loss, dealing with difficult emotions while uncovering our authentic selves….examining profound upheavals such as political shifts, and massive losses….. and even on a personal level, he exposes the curves of life through the characters we become intimate with.

“You’re very special, David . . . Dave—he laughed softly. I do love you, you know, but just . . . well, not like that”.
“I love you too, as if our being in love was his idea, to which I was responding with my own tack, a mirror form of words. It was the first time I’d said it to him, out loud”.

“In your fifties and sixties your father-figures drop away—the ones who licensed, enabled and witnessed your life—and no one can replace them”.

This is a brilliant story, have extraordinary depth, and beauty.

Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst is a beautifully crafted novel that explores themes of love, desire, and the passage of time. Set in contemporary Britain, the story follows the evolving relationships and personal reflections of its characters, painting a poignant portrait of their inner lives and emotional complexities.

Hollinghurst's prose is elegant and evocative, capturing the subtleties of human connection with remarkable depth. The novel’s rich character development and insightful observations create a compelling and immersive reading experience. Our Evenings is a deeply moving exploration of intimacy and the impact of past choices on the present.

requested and received an eARC of Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst via NetGalley. I’ve always enjoyed Hollinghurst’s work, The Line of Beauty particularly, so when I saw this title I jumped on the opportunity and was so pleased when my request was granted. His latest novel follows the life of protagonist Dave Win over the course of half a century. The novel opens with Dave musing over the political trajectory of former schoolboy chum, Giles Hadlow, a favorite of the conservatives. The narrative then recedes in time and we meet Dave at thirteen as he visits the Hadlows, who sponsor his scholarship at a local boarding school. It is here that he is exposed not only to Giles’ vile behavior, but also the power of acting. The story follows Dave’s growth into maturity, his acting career, the friends and loves who have impacted his life, and his experiences as a gay, biracial man.

What an absolutely wonderful read and insightful character study. Hollinghurst does an admirable job capturing the feeling of what it means to be “other” and to constantly have one’s identity questioned and distrusted in subtle, yet very effective moments. There is a section where Dave experiences the pangs of first love and I was moved by the wonderful mixture of insecurity and certainty he expresses. It felt so real and so familiar. Another element of the novel that was so very touching for me was the relationship between Dave and his mother. Hollinghust captures the love between these characters, the painful moments of adolescent parental embarrassment, and that very specific recognition of our parent’s humanity that we all stumble upon at some point as growing adults.

This book sparked a range of emotions for me. I smiled for Dave, I cried for him. I was so completely drawn into his world, thanks to Hollinghurst’s incredible ability to capture a scene. The prose dissects art, politics, and love in a very clear, assured way that feels masterful. The author is able to craft characters with such perception, cutting down characters like Giles to size, while making others (such as Esme) all the more endearing. This book was quite moving and an immense pleasure to read. It reminded me of Hollingurst’s earlier work, The Line of Beauty, with hints of Anthony Powell’s A Dance to the Music of Time. Our Evenings was one of the most memorable reads I’ve enjoyed this year and I’m confident the protagonist will occupy a corner of my mind for some time to come.

I’m grateful to be approved for this arc. However, upon beginning the first few chapters I felt a disappointment weighing on me. I hadn’t previously heard of the author and I now know he is highly regarded. But I couldn’t gel with the characters, the wording, the story, I very well may be missing out on something here but I want to get swept away and this was just not for me.

Our Evenings is a novel meant to resemble David Win's memoirs. When the novel begins, Win, a half-British/half-Burmese teen, has just started boarding school on a scholarship funded by the Hallows. Up until then, David lived with his widowed working-class white mother.

Throughout his memoirs, David details his challenges and successes. Classism, racism, and homophobia are among the obstacles he must navigate as a child in the 1960s through his elderly years. While the novel does deal with these challenges, it also features his many successes in theater, his friendships and loves, his family, and his will to persevere and find happiness.

This novel also features Giles Hadlow, the son of the parents who sponsored the public school scholarship. While the Hadlows and Win form a lifelong bond, Giles seeks a far right-wing political career. The two boys' backgrounds and career paths only meet in school and quickly diverge, but they provide more context to the political changes taking place at the time and their natural consequences for England’s residents, especially BiPoC and LGBTQIA+ folx.

I recommend this novel. Through this fictional memoir, readers will see how England and the world changed from the 1960s to the 2020s. The character building and relationships are intricately fleshed out, drawing readers in and making them emotionally invested. The pacing is engaging, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

Thank you to Random House and Net Galley for the ARC.

(Side note: I think it is helpful for American readers to have a basic understanding of England’s public school and high education system. You are not required to understand. It is just that terminology and setup differ. For example, public school means something very different in England than in the US.)