Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Mayflies

By: Andrew O'Hagan
Narrated by: Andrew O'Hagan
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £18.99

Buy Now for £18.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

'An immensely engaging writer: wry and witty, and insightful.' Sunday Times

'A vivid and meticulous writer.' Observer

From the widely renowned author Andrew O'Hagan, a heartbreaking novel of an extraordinary lifelong friendship.

Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend who defines your life.

In the summer of 1986, in a small Scottish town, James and Tully ignite a brilliant friendship based on music, films and the rebel spirit. With school over and the locked world of their fathers before them, they rush towards the climax of their youth: a magical weekend in Manchester, the epicentre of everything that inspires them in working-class Britain. There, against the greatest soundtrack ever recorded, a vow is made: to go at life differently. Thirty years on, half a life away, the phone rings. Tully has news.

Mayflies is a memorial to youth's euphorias and to everyday tragedy. A tender goodbye to an old union, it discovers the joy and the costs of love.

©2020 Andrew O'Hagan (P)2020 Faber & Faber
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Illuminations cover art
Granta cover art
Boy Parts cover art
The Swimming Pool Library cover art
Things Can Only Get Better cover art
Everyday Kindness cover art

Critic reviews

"An immensely engaging writer: wry and witty, and insightful." (Sunday Times)

"A vivid and meticulous writer." (Observer)

What listeners say about Mayflies

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    615
  • 4 Stars
    224
  • 3 Stars
    78
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    11
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    628
  • 4 Stars
    165
  • 3 Stars
    42
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    8
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    566
  • 4 Stars
    188
  • 3 Stars
    67
  • 2 Stars
    21
  • 1 Stars
    11

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honest and open, funny and sad.

What a wonderful story of youth, emotions and inspirations, enduring friendship and love all so beautiful observed with humour and sadness.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing story

I loved the beginning of this book, the narration, the characters and the story. I struggled with Manchester and would have given up had it not been for the reviews. I’m so pleased I persevered, the last part of the book was just amazing. The story really shows the dilemmas that people face, and particularly for the family around them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Male friendship story tested by death and female loyalties

I wanted to read this after feeling the tv version was thin and cursory. So glad I did as the book conveys the magic of a weekend in 1980s Manchester for the boys becoming men and some of the real challenges of opting for euthanasia when family is against end of life. I loved the details of literature, music, film and even perfume that takes you to the heart of the eras and characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honest and brave

Not my usual read but recommended by my daughter. I feel I have learnt of the enduring depth and srength of friendship from this book: also something of dignity and strength of spirit.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sad but deeply touching

This was a lovely book of two friends, the ups and the downs. Definitely tissues needed but a feel good at the same time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Life

The characters are so easy to build a rapport with. The joy of friendship along with the pain of relationships. Acceptance of dying with dignity. Powerful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant

absolutely brilliant... I heard the name on Graham Nortons book club... a friendship we all hope for is what this is about x

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow 🥹😭

Fantastic book 📖 extremely well written and well read by the author. Make sure you have tissue at the ready.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fellowship of stiring and evocative

Good performance and story structure. Provocative in places, but I loved the 80's and music references.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Just brilliant

Being a thinker, Mayflies defo makes you consider...

Some people are easy to listen to, this makes Mayflies an audible joy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful