Our Evenings

by Alan Hollinghurst
Our Evenings cover
Good Books rating 4.24
Literary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 446
  • Added: 2025-09-11
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9781039000476
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2025-08-19
  • Formats: 12
  • Reviews: 4
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £22.00

Our Evenings traces the life of Dave Win, the son of a British dressmaker and a Burmese man he never met, who wins a scholarship to an elite English boarding school in the 1960s. As Dave navigates the complexities of class and race within a predominantly white institution, he experiences the challenges of envy and exclusion, while also discovering queer culture and his first love affairs. The novel explores his evolution from a working-class brown child to a talented but overlooked actor, and eventually to an older Londoner finding unexpected happiness in marriage. Against the backdrop of modern England, the story also follows Giles Hadlow, Dave’s wealthy and brutish classmate turned right-wing politician, whose reactionary views threaten Dave’s stability. Alan Hollinghurst’s sweeping narrative captures the beauty, pain, and joy of one man’s life across decades, offering a piercing look at privilege, prejudice, art, sexuality, and violence. Praised as the finest work yet from one of the great writers of our time, Our Evenings is a richly detailed, emotionally resonant portrait of identity and society.

Reviews
Harvard Review · Gideon Leek · 2025-09-12
insightful 4.25

The novel marks a new direction for Hollinghurst by telling a first-person story across racial lines, blending his familiar themes with fresh perspectives on identity.

Gideon Leek emphasizes how 'Our Evenings' continues Hollinghurst's exploration of race, class, and gay life in England but distinguishes itself by featuring a protagonist who is half Burmese, an aspect that broadens the thematic scope. The narrator’s journey from a modest upbringing to elite schooling and eventually acting illustrates a complex navigation of identity and social boundaries. Leek notes the novel’s detailed character development and the subtlety with which it addresses issues of race and belonging, highlighting Hollinghurst’s skill in evolving his literary themes.

Quick quotes

    Dave Win, the narrator of Our Evenings, is in many ways a typical Hollinghurst hero.

    He has written a 500-page first-person novel across racial lines.

    Of his time in the university, Dave recalls, 'It was a useful education, for the actor, in the language of disdain.'

On The Prize · 2025-09-11
insightful 4.00

The novel offers a challenging and insightful narrative on race and identity handled with empathy and success. Its unconventional structure encourages rereading and reassessment, with well-developed characters and light, occasionally amusing historical commentary.

This review appreciates Hollinghurst's attempt to tell a complex story of race and identity through the character of David Win, acknowledging the challenge of the perspective and praising the significant success and empathy with which it is handled. The reviewer finds the novel's structural shifts between time periods intriguing and a highlight, noting that the lack of clear temporal markers encourages readers to engage deeply and reconsider the narrative after the conclusion. The characters are described as three-dimensional and relatable, while the historical interactions are treated with lightness and occasional humor, adding to the book's appeal.

Quick quotes

    I had some initial doubts about Hollinghurst being the right person to write David Win’s story, given the central importance of race, but to my (white male) eyes he has handled a challenging perspective with significant success.

    The book’s central characters are typically three dimensional, vulnerable and relatable.

    Its interactions with history are lightly handled and occasionally amusing.

Adventures in reading, running and working from home · 2025-09-11
masterful 4.20

The novel is beautifully and sparingly written with a perfect plot and subtle surprises, reflecting the work of a master. The writing style is clear and slightly distanced, with thematic echoes of other great English authors, especially in its treatment of history and social issues.

This review praises Alan Hollinghurst for his masterful writing style in Our Evenings, describing it as beautifully crafted yet slightly spare, with a perfectly structured plot that includes unexpected moments. The reviewer situates Hollinghurst between notable authors like Jonathan Coe and Anthony Powell for his sweep of history and social commentary, noting also a touch of Iris Murdoch in the recurring motifs and thematic concerns about philanthropy and morality. This perspective appreciates the novel’s literary qualities and its thoughtful engagement with broader social and historical themes.

Quick quotes

    It's beautifully if slightly sparely written, perfectly plotted and done, with little surprises along the way: the work of a master.

    Hollinghurst sits between Jonathan Coe and Anthony Powell in his state-of-the-nation and sweep-of-history subject matter as well as his clear and slightly distanced language.

    There’s a touch of Iris Murdoch, too, in the big moist eyes and repeating motifs.

Goodreads · Daniel Archer · 2025-09-11
elegant 4.50

The novel is beautifully written with elegant prose and vivid character portrayals, exploring themes of race, class, and sexuality with subtlety. However, the narrative sometimes lacks momentum, making it a book to appreciate more for its style and thematic depth than for plot engagement.

Daniel Archer highlights Alan Hollinghurst's skillful and beautiful writing style in Our Evenings, emphasizing the subtle exploration of complex themes such as race, class, and sexuality woven throughout the story. While he appreciates the thematic richness and the author's mastery, Archer notes that the pacing and overall narrative momentum occasionally fall short of fully engaging the reader, suggesting the book is more rewarding for its literary qualities than for its plot drive. Despite this, he affirms Hollinghurst's continued excellence as a writer whose works are not to be missed.

Quick quotes

    Our Evenings is beautifully written, with elegant prose and vivid character portrayals.

    Hollinghurst thoughtfully explores themes of race, class, and sexuality, weaving them into the narrative with subtlety.

    I found it a book to appreciate for its style and thematic depth, but occasionally wondered what it all added up to.

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