Evenings and Weekends by Oisin McKenna offers an ambitious glimpse into the interconnected lives of multiple characters over one intense London weekend in 2019. While the novel attempts to capture the messy complexities of relationships and personal struggles, the sheer number of perspectives can be overwhelming, making it challenging to form deep connections with individual characters.

McKenna's writing shows promise, particularly in its portrayal of London's atmosphere and the characters' internal conflicts, but the pacing and structure may leave some readers feeling disconnected or bored at times. Despite its flaws, the book does provide some poignant moments and explores relevant themes of love, sexuality, and personal growth. For fans of character-driven narratives and British fiction, "Evenings and Weekends" might be worth a read, but it may not fully live up to the high praise it has received from some critics.

Really wanted to love this, but unfortunately couldn’t get into it until around the last 1/3 of the book, which I really loved! The way all the different stories come together and intertwine leading up to the end was really beautiful.

"Evenings and Weekends" by Oisín McKenna is a sharp, witty, and deeply relatable exploration of modern life, capturing the complexities of balancing work, relationships, and self-discovery. McKenna's clever dialogue and authentic characters bring a refreshing, contemporary voice to the page. It's a compelling read that resonates with anyone navigating the challenges of today's fast-paced world.

As someone who dislikes summer, the book's heatwave setting initially filled me with anxiety and climate dread. This discomfort made it challenging for me to connect with the characters introduced early on. However, by the time I reached the halfway mark, I found myself invested in the storylines of some characters and genuinely rooting for these complex, flawed individuals. Despite my initial unease, the strong writing and character development compelled me to continue reading. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone seeking an authentic, unvarnished portrayal of summer in London, featuring a rich ensemble of characters who undergo significant growth throughout the story.

this is about what happens when you spend a random weekend in the company of like 7-12 people who vaguely know each other and have 100,000 secrets.
some of these people are fully developed and make you feel things alongside them, and some of them are annoying and you can tell from page 1 how their secrets will be dramatically declared and play out accordingly.
still, while this had its strengths and its weaknesses, overall i liked it!

I was drawn into a vividly rendered narrative that unfolds during a sweltering weekend in London, exploring the intricacies of relationships amid the backdrop of a heatwave. McKenna's character development is commendable; each protagonist, from Ed and Maggie to Phil and Rosaleen, feels authentic and layered, with their struggles and secrets laid bare in a way that engages both the heart and the mind. The dialogue sparkles with realism, making their interactions feel relatable and poignant.
However, at times, the pacing dragged, particularly in sections that focused on character introspection, which occasionally disrupted the narrative’s momentum. While the thematic depth regarding modern urban life and queer identity is compelling, some plot twists felt somewhat predictable, diminishing their impact.
Despite these minor flaws, McKenna's evocative writing and insightful exploration of human connections make it a rewarding read that lingers long after the final page.

I understand the accolades this book has received. The author is ambitious in their undertaking and the writing is at once entirely readable but profound, capturing the meaning in the mundane. But it's just too long, to the point where the plot spends a lot of time going absolutely nowhere and the characters' thoughts and actions become repetitive. And while this is clearly a strong queer novel (which I celebrate!) I did find it a little hard to believe that every single character both main and secondary would be having the exact same problems (i.e. struggling with/hiding/and/or embracing queer identities and/or relationships) at the exact same time and it took me out of atmosphere a bit. I'm glad I read this, though, and will watch this author in the future.

A good book with some characters and story arcs more interesting than others - a bit unbalanced. The stories and characters that worked worked really well and elicited a lot of empathy.

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. After reading the synopsis I was excited about the idea of this book, especially having read it just after traveling in London! Unfortunately for me it fell a bit short, like a few others I found the characters and their interweaving lives hard to follow even by the end of the book. There were a few moments in the writing style that stood out to me but overall I was left wanting more. All in all, I didn’t love but I also didn’t hate this one.

In London, three people find themselves at a crossroads. Maggie and Ed have been together for years. Maggie is pregnant, and she and Ed are preparing to leave London for their hometown. But Maggie is increasingly wrestling with whether she is ready to give up her life in London. Ed, however, is eager to start a family with Maggie. But he too is struggling with aspects of his past, including a secret history he shares with Maggie's best friend, Phil. For his part, Phil hates his job and most looks forward to the time he spends with his housemate, Keith. But Keith already had a boyfriend, and Phil is constantly struggling with his place in Keith's life.

Over the course of a weekend, Maggie, Ed, and Keith are each forced to finally address aspects of their past they had thought they had long ago put behind them and decide what it means for their futures, individually and together.

This is a thoughtful, well-written novel. Through the interconnected stories of the three main characters, the author captures the joy, challenges, and heartbreak that so often characterize people's lives as they move deeper into adulthood.

Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed reading about this cast of characters and the very real/relatable problems and introspections. I was both close to tears and laughing out loud one on page after another. At its core, this book is all about the interpersonal relationships between a group of friends, which is something that I think all readers could at one way or another relate to. At times, I do feel like this book was trying to do too much in terms of going so deep into the characterizations of every single person mentioned, but all the characters were interesting to me so I didn't really mind.

Highly recommend this book for people who don't require a fast-moving plot and love deep dives into characters!

“Love isn’t a feeling. It’s not the butterflies in your tummy you get in the giddy early days of a relationship. The butterflies don’t last. Love is something you deliberately decide to do through repeated actions of care. Love is something you make.”

What a beautiful, messy, vulnerable story. I honestly love a plot with characters that all intertwine in a really lovely way. I want to give each character a veryyyy long hug and tell them it’s going to be ok. This was emotional and raw and really showed what it means to be a human. What incredible and gorgeous writing and storytelling Oisín shared as a debut! Definitely for fans of Sally Rooney or Coco Mellors {and also Chapell Roan🫶🏼} loved it!

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC!

Evenings and Weekends was, on paper, everything I usually look for in a book, and it was so close to being a home run read for me. Unfortunately, the execution fell a little flat, and I'm not sure this is one that I would return to. McKenna penned a story that was very much a character study of several individuals who were all connected in various ways (childhood friends, mother and son, lovers, acquaintances). Typically I enjoy this type of story, but I felt there were simply *too many* characters. I found myself constantly losing track of which story belonged to whom. In fact, I spent so much time trying to piece together the characters' back stories that I was often distracted from what was happening in the actual story.

There was one aspect of the writing that I felt was executed perfectly, which is why I am ultimately giving this book four stars. McKenna does a phenomenal job of showing how little miscommunications and hesitations can create significant divides and misunderstandings between people. This was perhaps best illustrated in a truly heartbreaking scene between an adult character and his terminally ill mother, as they both fail to communicate to one another what they really want to say. This scene could have stood alone as a five-star short story, and it is the reason I would return to Oisin McKenna's writing again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

This is a perfect summer book, with almost the whole plot taking place over the course of one hot hot summer day you can’t help but feel immersed in the characters’ world and lives when reading it. I loved the way the narration slipped between characters and how we were able to get deep and rich backstories all without feeling like we’d deviated from the actual plot. I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're Sally Rooney fan and a complicated gay with straight friends this is for you. I enjoyed it, solid 4/5.

Really loving all of the Irish LitFic we've been blessed with over the last few years. Oisin McKenna is an excellent addition. This was such a pleasure to read, I can't believe it's her debut novel.

Devoured this over a beach weekend. Had tones of sexuality linking to Just Kids by Patti Smith, and Good Material by Dolly Alderton. Modern love, polyamory, and fluid sexuality will lead to so many unique narratives of values. I hope all audiences queer, or straight read this. Wonderful.

If you enjoy "bottle episodes" of great TV--think shows like The Bear or The Leftovers where you spend one whole episode focusing on one short person or period of time, you are in for an absolute pleasure. The lack of breadth of time is balanced by incredibly thoughtful and intricate character studies. If you're interested in people over plot (not to say this one is boring! but no silly reveals at the end!), you will enjoy spending time with this unique cadre of people. You very well may see yourself or someone you once knew in the cast of characters.

Oisin McKenna’s debut novel, Evenings and Weekends, is packed with a remarkable cast of characters. Early on, I found myself scribbling out a kind of family tree to keep track of everyone, and it was well worth the effort. The characters are incredibly vivid and multi-dimensional, and what’s striking is that there are no villains here—just people trying to figure out who they are and what they need from life.

London plays a big role in the story, almost like another character. The city’s energy and excitement are palpable, and it feeds into the story’s intensity, especially with the unusual event of a whale stranded in the Thames, which brings many of the characters into focus.

The novel delves into the messiness of relationships and personal struggles. Maggie, who’s pregnant with Ed’s child, is planning to leave London to raise the baby. Ed is worried Maggie will uncover secrets from his past, particularly since Phil, Maggie’s close friend, has had a fling with him and might spill the beans. Phil is also in love with his housemate Keith, who has his own boyfriend, Louis—who might have feelings for Phil too!

With so many characters and interwoven storylines, it can be a bit tricky to follow at first. However, McKenna keeps things moving smoothly, and I found myself quickly drawn into each character’s journey and their search for the future. This novel is an impressive debut from a fresh new voice.

3.5 stars. Evenings and Weekends takes place over one sweltering June weekend in London. We meet Maggie, Ed and Phil and explore how their lives fall apart and come together. We also hear the perspectives of their various family members and love interests.
This book is a little hard to review. The characters and sense of place are very vivid. The book is interesting and easy to read. There is, however, really no plot at all. If you enjoy an intense character study with minimal plot this may be the book for you.
Thank you to Mariner Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.