The Happy Couple Longlisted for the 2024 Polari Book Prize

This book was really good and reminded me a lot of Sally Rooneys books. Messy, dysfunctional relationships, characters that don’t seem to know what they’re feeling or should be doing and many opportunities to compare your life to theirs. „The happy couple“ was a really fast read for me and I liked how the story was divided into the different characters & their point of view‘s. This made it really hard to dislike any of them even though their flaws were very visible.

Naoise Dolan's new novel »The Happy Couple« is a very refreshing exploration of modern relationships and the institution of marriage in the 21st century. After her strong debut »Exciting Times«, the Irish author once again delves into the world of people who are in their late twenties: At the center of the story are pianist Celine and her partner Luke, who are both queer and planning to get married. Right from the start the question arises whether the two will really become a married couple. Although: Why should these people, who are so zeitgeisty and non-conformist, get married at all? Why is it so important to maintain conventions? Dolan is undoubtedly a master at exploring the complex dynamics of modern relationships in a humorous-ironic, yet sensitive way. If Jane Austen had lived in our time, her novels would exactly be like this. A very entertaining read.