Good Material by Dolly Alderton
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
I had the pleasure of going to the book tour for the release of Good Material by Dolly Alderton before I flew through the novel earlier this week. Here are my thoughts and feelings about both!
Dolly Alderton is and always will be an immediate buy author for me. Since her release of Everything I Know About Love in 2018 and my inevitable admiration for her as a writer (she is everything I want to be professionally (and maybe personally)), I have followed her work on and offline rather consistently. Her other previous books, Ghosts and Dear Dolly, have both been very highly rated for me as her humour and wisdom flows through the pages so effortlessly. My love of her previous work has been consistent throughout my early adulthood with her writing resonating with me in a very rare way. So, when the announcement was made for the release of Good Material, a break-up novel from the perspective of a male protagonist, I could not wait to get my hands on it.
The Book Tour
After getting multiple advertisements for the upcoming book tour on Instagram over a few weeks, I finally caved and booked myself a ticket for the Lowry Theatre show. It was slightly last minute so I did attend the event on my own and I was a little nervous about this, but it ended up being the perfect place for a solo date. What could validate your independence as a woman more, than listening to Dolly Alderton talk for 90 minutes? The night consisted of a Q&A hosted by stand-up comedian Ivo Graham, with Dolly Alderton discussing the themes found within her new novel and some audience questions at the end. It was a perfect insight into the upcoming novel and some of the topics discussed included burger flavoured doritos, the strange nature of bringing things from previous relationships into your new ones, male-baldness and the agonising pain of being heartbroken and how it follows you throughout your life. It was the most accurate potrayal of Dolly Alderton’s ability to talk about anything (truly) and I loved every moment. Ivo Graham was such an incredible comic and it was such an hilarious night for the 1000 women (and the 10 men) in the audience.
Now, the book!!
As always, Alderton’s latest novel is heartfelt, wise and heartbreaking truthful. Following the perspective of our main character, Andy, after the break-up from his long-term girlfriend, we as the reader experience the trials and tribulations of a what it means to be heartbroken in the modern day. The obsession with online social media stalking, the drafting and redrafting of text messages that you’ll never send, the strangeness of navigating friendship groups and much more. It was a brilliantly hilarious portrayal of a modern day break-up and the choice of narration from a man’s perspective was something I really enjoyed about the book.
Throughout we follow Andy as he overcomes his heartbreak, as he curses his inability to look at the sea as it reminds him of his ex and his inability to eat truffle crisps out of fear he’ll cry. You watch Andy grow as he comes to terms with the breakup and as he slowly lets go of his anger and pettiness, you follow a character come to terms with the feelings surrounding what it means to leave someone and how, without knowing so before, how he may have caused this same pain in the past to others throughout his life. At parts he is unbearable, but aren’t we all when we’re heartbroken?
Deeply reflective and an hilarious discussion of dating and modern day relationships, Good Material did not disappoint. This book was probably my most anticipated new release this year and therefore the expectations were high and yet, it still provided everything I wanted it to. Honest, hilarious and everything you’d expect from a book written by Dolly Alderton. A new favourite of 2023, I loved it entirely. 5/5.