Mayflies opens with a group of young Scottish lads, the first half of the novel revolving around their friendship and difficulties in their late teens. Its set in the era of Post-Punk, all enthusiastic fans, they've got tickets for a weekend festival in Manchester. The novel is written as if seen through the eyes and perspective of Jimmy, he's not a confident lad, in awe of his more extrovert and brazen friend Tully. They have a dysfunctional parental relationship in common, they banter constantly about favourite films and music as they consider the direction of their future life. Tully makes himself the inspiration to them all. Encouraging them to fight for what they want, to not compromise or accept things as they are served up to them.
Its a beautifully drawn portrait of male friendship, their world of shared experiences and enthusiasms which bonds them together. The unspoken love and appreciation for each other, that lies at its heart. O'Hagan writes with a touching familiarity and a real affectionate understanding.The dialogue crackles with well observed details, you could be forgiven for believing it was a verbatim transcription of actual conversations. You have the sense of knowing these types of guys, one of them might even be you. You are drawn into paying close attention to every little verbal tick and humorous twist of their inexperienced young man's viewpoint.
In the second half of the book we move forward over thirty years later. Jimmy is left a message on his answer machine, its Tully, he wants to meet up, there is something he wants to ask Jimmy to do for him. Jimmy and Tully are now middle aged men, with wives or girlfriends, they've done what they set out to do and forged a life they want for themselves, with successful careers. Everything about their relationship still stands upon the long established ground of their friendship, forged in those earlier years and that iconic Manchester weekend. What Tully wants now will, dominate Jimmy's life and test his loyalty to his best friend's wishes.
As Mayflies advances towards its inevitable conclusion the emotional charge of it, slowly cranks up. Without resorting to manipulative sentimentality the novel's outcome deeply moved me, stirring up something in me which was both fundamental and profound. It is so sensitively and gently handled, I was impressed by the well judged finesse of it. Mayflies is that wonderful thing - a book which from the first paragraph to the very last sentence, is compelling to read. Its punchy agile sentences awakening you to what really great writing is. Mayflies is well worth investigating.
Highly recommended
CARROT REVIEW 8/8
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