Exile is set around a group of Belfast friends in their school years,and as their paths diverge as they head to University. Exile is told from Fiadh's point of view as she struggles with the aftermath of a night out. Something which could destroy her friendship group. An impulsive decision leads her to Liverpool for university and on a path of destruction as she tries to escape the truth of what happened that night.
Exile is a raw and gritty story that at times is difficult to read

🚬 REVIEW 🚬

Exile by Aimée Walsh
Release date: 23rd May

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

📝 - Fiadh is on the line between being a child and an adult. As she finishes school in Belfast and heads off to university, she’s left grappling with her identity, feeling outcast and unsure of herself. Just as she thinks things might be settling into place, the things she can’t quite remember from a night out back home send her into a spiral, causing destruction across her whole life.

💭 - This was a very captivating read, I think I got through it 3 sittings. Fiadh encapsulates the anxious, insecure teenager starting university where she knows no-one, and shows just how a single awful event can bring down your life. While I did definitely enjoy this one, I feel there was even more scope for diving into Fiadh’s character, giving some more understanding to her personality and previous experiences. Nonetheless, definitely an enjoyable one and I’d recommend picking it up! Will keep an eye out for any future works from Aimee Walsh…

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Heartbreaking, tender, and very familiar in the literary fiction trope I think the litfic girls are going to love this.

Ugh I did not enjoy this one. I gave it three stars on NetGalley cause it wasn't badly written or anything, but I just was not into it: I felt like I never really knew Fiadh as a character, it kept going off into tangents, and it ultimately became a bit of a slog. A shame because I would absolutely love to find more millennial female-orientated fiction set in other parts of the UK than London but this did not work for me at all!

“Exile” by Aimée Walsh is a captivating journey into the tumultuous world of Fiadh, a Belfast girl grappling with the complexities of youth and the relentless pull of home. Walsh’s narrative grips you from the start, immersing you in Fiadh’s raw and unfiltered reality as she navigates the turbulent transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Through Walsh’s vivid prose, Fiadh’s struggles and triumphs come to life, painting a poignant portrait of resilience in the face of adversity. From the haunting aftermath of a life-altering event to the fragile bonds of friendship, “Exile” delves deep into the intricacies of human emotion, leaving a lasting impact on readers long after the final page.

Walsh’s masterful storytelling and keen insight into the human condition make “Exile” a compelling and unforgettable read. With its authentic characters and heartfelt exploration of themes like loss, resilience, and the search for belonging, this debut novel is a testament to Walsh’s talent as a writer.

“Exile” is not just a book; it’s an experience—a journey that will linger in your thoughts and stir your emotions. A must-read for anyone seeking a gripping and thought-provoking tale that speaks to the complexities of the human spirit.

I did enjoy this book. At times raw, passionate and compelling.

The only part I struggled with was the language at times. I love books from my native Scotland and love books written in that Scottish dialect and I'm sure that's how other readers will have enjoyed this

All in all a difficult story, well told

I absolutely loved this.

I’d not loved the last few books I’d read and this was a perfect palette cleanser for me.

As someone who went to university in the late 00s the depiction of the period was vividly nostalgic. I could feel it and I could smell it in such a visceral way.

It’s also a dark and gritty little novel with lots to say about what it’s like to be a young woman and the perception of truth and lies.

I love a messy young woman story and this was a great one. I’ll never get sick of this kind of story, especially in its darkness.

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.

Exile by Aimée Walsh is set in Belfast and Liverpool and follows a group of friends as they begin their first year at university. Fiadh cannot remember what happened on a recent night out. That doesn't stop everyone else from talking about it. No matter how hard she tries, Fiadh can only remember snippets. Does she even want to know the full details?

I loved the use of Belfast dialect throughout; it really added to the sense of place. My heart was racing the deeper Fiadh descends into alcohol and drug use (this is mentioned in the blurb) as I felt more and more uncomfortable. I can't imagine I am the only reader who will feel this way, which is a testament to Walsh's writing and character development. At times, I had less of a grasp on Aisling, Danielle, and Andy's actions. Them being less fleshed out characters is in keeping with the narrative, though, as Fiadh feels her friendships slip away from her.

To discuss how Exile ends risk giving too much away, but it is skilfully done. Exile is dark, yet also humorous. Aimée Walsh has written an assured debut. I look forward to reading whatever she publishs next!

Raw and gritty storytelling at its best and worst. Exile tells of a bunch of Belfast girls between school and adulthood. They meet up for a last hurrah following their final exams. Told from the main character Fiadh's POV, the reader learns she is the only one of her peers going away to university. In Liverpool, struggling to find herself, her life spirals out of control in a round drink, drugs and self-harming because she feels lonely and isolated from all she's known before. Inevitably her university days end in calamity and she's forced to crawl back home to Belfast to try and make something of herself or perhaps she needs to go somewhere else to do that .....

Many thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for the ARC.

I seem to recall at some point seeing this book compared to the TV series ‘I May Destroy You’ and I think, on the whole, it’s a pretty apt comparison. As with the show, it’s largely a succession of scenes of people getting drunk or high - or them experiencing the next-day effects of their partying - in a decidedly repetitive, and somewhat pointless and uninteresting way (at least for this reader). Flat cardboard characters (I struggled to tell the protagonist’s female friends apart), insufficient depth, a rather bland writing style and a promising, albeit not exactly original, premise which unfortunately wasn’t well executed. Maybe I've read too much recent Belfast literature; both Rachel Connolly's Lazy City and. Michael Magee's Close to Home tread extremely similar ground in part, both literally and more figuratively. The ending of Exile is skilfully done, I’ll give it that, but had I not committed to writing a review of the book I might very well not have got there in the first place. Under different circumstances, I'm not sure I'd have persisted - looking back, there seems quite a lot of unnecessary, inconsequential waffle in the first half of the book. I suppose one could argue it's all 'setting the scene' for later events but it didn't really work for me. I would have been pleased to gain fresh insight into and new perspectives on what ends up revolving around a relevant and important topic, but unfortunately this book didn’t provide that for me.

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.

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 access to this arc!

An impressive debut from Northern Irish writer Aimee Walsh. Exile is gritty and raw, written with such profound 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 ending floored me, I didn’t see it coming at all. Highly recommend this one and will definitely pick up more from this author.

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

Exile revolves around Fiadh, a young woman from Belfast, whose life is turned completely upside down after she is assaulted on a night out in the city. She struggles to cope with the aftermath whilst also struggling with the challenges of university life in Liverpool and the feeling of not fitting in anymore at home or in uni. You just want to scoop her up and protect her from the horrors of the world.
A great debut but a difficult read at times, as a result of the themes it covers.

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

This was dark and funny and sad and relatable. The writing is exquisite and the story is bleak and twisted while also being fun and exciting. Fiadh's progression from lonely but excited to find herself to more lonely, hurt and resigned to a life of pain is captivating and emotional. A fantastic debut.

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 floats to the surface as 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.
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4/5

An honest review given for an advance copy from NetGalley. Thank you

Set in Belfast, the story follows Fiadh as she navigates a traumatic event that nearly destroys everything in her path. It starts with Fiadh and her two best friends in their last year at school before going separate ways to University. I really enjoyed this, pretty much read it in one sitting. The dialogue was excellent, it read visually - something I really like in books, this one especially as I am from Belfast too, and the ending was perfect. Sometimes its hard to get the ending right but this one was a good one. Definitely keeping my eye on this author for future reads.