Glitterland

## Novel by Alexis Hall

***Glitterland*** is the first book in the *Spires* series, written by Alexis Hall. It was first published on 15 May 2013 by Riptide Publishing. The novel follows bipolar depressive, cynical and best-selling crime novelist, Ash Winters, who is drawn to flamboyant and cheerful Essex-born aspiring model, Darian Taylor. Ash forms his own assumptions about Darian, viewing "Essex" as simply, an idiot, though overcomes their differences in class and background, where they form a strong connection that both exhilarates and terrifies him.

An audiobook version was released on 22 January 2016, narrated by Nicholas Boulton through Hedgehog Inc Productions over Audible. The second edition was published on 18 March 2018, and included both a recipe of Nanny Dot's cottage pie and the short story *Glitterland: Aftermath* that acts as an epilogue straight after the first book. The latest edition, both revised and expanded, was released on 17 January 2023 by Sourcebooks Casablanca with a brand-new cover. The artwork was done by Elizabeth Turner Stokes. Exclusive bonus content of the latter edition included its second edition additions, author annotations, a scene between Niall and Max, an in-universe look at Ash's Rik Glass novel, and a letter from the author.

*Glitterland* was a 2014 Lambda Literary Award Finalist.

## Synopsis

* Novel
* Audiobook

*In the past, the universe is a glitterball I hold in the palm of my hand.*

*In the past, I am brilliant and I am happy and my every tomorrow is madness.*

*In the past, I am soaring, and falling, and breaking, and lost.*

*And now, there is only this.*

Once the golden boy of the English literary scene, now a clinically depressed writer of pulp crime fiction, Ash Winters has given up on hope, happiness, and―most of all―himself. He lives his life between the cycles of his illness, haunted by the ghosts of other people's expectations.

Then a chance encounter throws him into the path of Essex-born Darian Taylor. Flashy and loud, radiant and full of life, Darian couldn't be more different… and yet he makes Ash laugh, reminding him of what it's like to step beyond the boundaries of his anxiety. But Ash has been living in his own shadow for so long that he can no longer see a way out. Can a man who doesn't trust himself ever trust in happiness? And how can someone who doesn't believe in happiness ever fight for his own?

Ash Winters is barely holding on, near drowning in his own darkness and fear. He lives a gray shadow of a life, sullen and cynical, unable to remember hope or happiness―much less the distant, fading glitterball of love. It has to be a sick joke of the universe that he finds himself hooked up with good-humored Essex boy Darian Taylor, a wannabe model in a sparkly jacket and a fake tan. Darian may not be an intellectual giant, but he's hysterically funny, and he's got the courage to challenge Ash to live again.

Just being able to laugh is extraordinary enough to Ash. Loving may be a gift he can't bear to accept, even if his denial breaks the biggest heart he's ever known.

## Background

### Trigger warnings

* Depression
* Drug use
* Parent neglect
* Panic attack
* Outing of mental health
* Self-harm
* Suicidal ideation

### Behind the scenes

Hall named *Glitterland* to be the third book he wrote and the first one ever published. He named Ash to "still [be] one of my favourite narrative voices just because he's such an arse. I try to write all my stories in the way the protagonists would want them told but there's something really damn liberating in letting your inner pretentious arse out to play". While it was "originally published by a boutique press", he turned to self-publishing to keep it available, which ran into logistic issues, having limited reach in audiences. He elaborated, "bookshops had to buy hard copies from Amazon which is a complex thing to have to ask them to do and I had absolutely no idea how to make the book available to libraries".

The concept for the story began with Darian, the idea of a "glitter pirate", which was inspired by UK *X Factor* contestant Rylan Clark. He added, "There was quite a lot of backlash against him, both of the homophobic variety and the, in some ways more problematic, wrong sort of gay variety. So although I wasn't trying to write about Rylan Clark, I wanted to write a book about someone who had the same sort of qualities that I felt Rylan Clark was being condemned for displaying". He expanded on this in another interview, "He was a sparkly Essex boy who couldn't really sing all that well, but so charming and enthusiastic and outrageously dressed that it didn't really matter. [...] I decided I wanted to write a book in which the hero was somebody like that—the sort of person who normally would be portrayed as a comedy diversion. And since I wanted readers to be able to take him seriously, that led me to Ash, a bipolar depressive crime writer, very much in need of someone like that". With class differences being part of the problem, this was "to provide a source of conflict and growing connection that wasn't solely based on Ash being mentally ill".

One of the most difficult challenges for Hall was writing the conclusion of *Glitterland*, where Ash attempts to win Darian back. It took several revisions and an emotional break. He clarified, "I think I remained true to this through the many, many revisions that followed—that I didn't want Ash to 'win' Darian. Love isn't a goldfish you get for knocking over three coconuts. So I wanted it, ultimately, to be Darian's choice. In early drafts, this involved a lot of Ash explaining why his mental illness made him act like a dickhead, and a few slightly vague commitments to try and be less of a dickhead in the future. And I could tell it wasn't quite right, there was something I wasn't quite getting but, for the life of me, I couldn't work out what it was. Sarah kept trying to gently get emotion out of me, but it just wasn't happening. I'm English. I don't really do emotion".

Hall embarked on a blog tour from 26-30 August 2013, where he discussed the novel's background and answered questions.

In a 2022 interview with *The Nerd Daily*, editor Mary Altman explained of the exclusive bonus content, "When I approached Alexis about bringing *Spires* back into wider distribution, it was with the idea that we'd be doing something a bit different from a traditional reissue. [...] Alexis and I talk about the bonus content almost like those old DVD special features (was anyone else obsessed with the *LotR* bonus menu?) and wanted to kind of recreate that vibe. Not to get too nerdy about it, but I love when books are a full experience—whether that's maps or bonus scenes or annotations or art or playlists or recipes or *whatever*. When I love a book, I want to live in that world in every possible way, and this was a really cool chance to make that happen". In the same interview, Hall recalled of *Glitterland*Template:'s initial reception, where many were "very confused". He continued, "I hesitate to say a lot of people didn't get it, because that sounds like I'm attributing people's distaste for my work to a failure on their part, but a lot of people, like, literally said they didn't get what I thought I was doing here. [...] it did find a small audience of people who really appreciated what it was trying to do, and felt spoken to by that (although, as always, not everyone did—and that's totally fine). And over time, this audience has sort of grown organically into the medium-sized group of people who like the book it is today."

### Themes

His premise was "about a very specific experience of depression: so being about my age, with my educational background, and how that all intersects to create one person's narrative. And, of course, it's also about regionality and the British class system, which again is very specific".

## Critical reception

*Kirkus Reviews* penned of its latest edition, "Hall's command of tropes and ability to consistently deliver fantastically explicit writing remain top-notch, though fans will notice that while this book is solid, the writing is a bit clumsy compared to recent releases, with some confusing dialogue formatting that can detract from the story. Still, there's a reason this book, which is the first in the cult favorite *Spires* series, has had avid readers for years, and it's because it has the heady combination of red-hot sex scenes with genuine emotional connection that Hall does so well. The clear content guidance at the start of the book is a grace note that underscores the blunt but sensitive treatment of Ash's mental health and shouldn't be skipped. A shimmery and sexy start to the reissuing of a beloved m/m contemporary romance series".

*Library Journey* opined, "Think *Savile Row* meets *Jersey Shore*. Hall's debut novel captures the roller-coaster ride of bipolar disorder through Ash, a man not always easy to like but one readers can understand. Writing short, focused paragraphs denoting depression and disinterest and longer, disjointed paragraphs denoting mania and obsession, Hall provides a view of bipolar disorder from the inside. In addition, Darian's character is a joy, with his simple albeit humorously shallow outlook on life. By turns laugh-out-loud funny and tragically sad, Hall's novel draws readers into this wonderful glitter-ball of a world. Highly recommended". *The Nerd Daily* wrote, "Hard-hitting but ultimately uplifting, *Glitterland* is a complex, emotionally resonant exploration of mental illness, the tenacity it takes to endure life and most of all, a reminder to let people in".

## Plot

Ash Winters struggles with mental health and spirals in self-destructive behaviors. Having regular casual sex with strangers and being dependent on alcohol and drugs, his friend Niall usually bails him out of trouble. Having recently suffered an episode of psychosis and attempted suicide, Ash has Niall concerned about his capability to be alone. Niall has his own problems, being in love with Max, who is engaged to Ash's literary agent, Amy.

When Max invites them to his stag party at a gay bar in Brighton, Ash is forced to attend. He meets a man around his age named Hugh Hastings, a fellow collegemate of Max's. Hugh openly flirts with him, though Ash is moreso interested in the ecstasy pill Hugh offers. Fortunately, Niall arrives at the right time to make Ash drop the pill. Afterwards, Ash watches the crowd of people on the dance floor from above. He suddenly spots a man who he describes as a "glittering pirate" with jewellery and a fake tan. The stranger catches his eye and goes beneath the balcony. They introduce themselves, though Ash doesn't bother to remember Darian Taylor's name, designating the nickname "Essex" instead. They have a one-night stand at Darian's flat, though in a moment of panic, Ash leaves by calling Niall to pick him up.

Days later, Ash meets Amy at the pub, Three Crowns, where they catch up on life events. Afterwards, he attends his book signing event in promotion of his latest novel, *Through a Glass Darkly*. Eventually Darian shows up in the queue and confronts Ash for leaving in the middle of the night. Once the event finishes, Ash heads out to Piccadilly and spots Darian at the bus stop, who still holds a copy of his book. Darian accuses Ash of not being a nice person and he agrees, inviting Darian to his flat for another round of sex. While they spend several days together, Ash is terrified at the prospect of being happy. Darian asks Ash to see him in the Essex Fashion Week Show. After some deliberation, Ash asks Niall to come along with an excuse, saying it would be research for his upcoming book, *The Glass of Fashion*. Upon arrival, Darian enthusiastically greets Ash, exposing the lie made to Niall for reason of visitation. Niall is skeptical of their relationship, especially since Ash hasn't yet revealed his mental diagnostic. When one of Chloe's models gets sick with laryngitis, Darian pleads with Ash to be the replacement, though Ash initially refuses. Niall continues to criticise Ash, making him annoyed enough to participate on the runway. In the afterparty, Niall publicly reveals to Darian and company that Ash has type 1 bipolar and anxiety disorder, causing Ash to run away in despair. After having a panic attack and finding his way home by train, Ash meets Niall outside of his flat, who apologises. Ash tells Niall that he doesn't need to be fixed. At midnight, Darian goes to his flat and comforts him. Ash shows Darian his scars from self-harm, which happened during his manic episode and suicide attempt, though Darian doesn't turn away.

After spending time together in bed, Ash invites Darian as his date to Amy and Max's wedding rehearsal dinner at Old Hall, Cambridge. Ash runs into Hugh again, who cruelly remarks about his "psychotic break". The crowd gathering around makes Ash feel judged, and wants to escape their pity. In efforts to avoid this, when the subject of Darian is brought up, Ash claims he was using Darian, which the Essex man overhears. Instead of apologising, Ash avoids the conversation. Niall advises him to go after, but Ash remains dejected. Despite this newfound issue, Niall becomes his friend again.

Months later, Ash walks into a tattoo parlor shop and gets the tattoo 'Darian' on his forearm. On another occasion, he spots Darian at a clothing store, though looks away. In a bar, he reads *100% Essex: Doing It the Essex Way* on his Kindle and a man named David offers to buy him a drink. Despite David being good-looking, Ash does not feel any attraction. Niall barges in the scene, taking the seat on Ash's other side, and begins sharing to David about Ash's breakup. Ash ends up as the third wheel, so he leaves them be.

One day Ash tracks down Chloe's boutique 'Bedazzled' in Brentwood, and requests for Darian's address so he can properly make amends. Around ten minutes later, he arrives at Darian's grandmother's address. Darian remains civil, and admits of waiting all night that day in Cambridge, though Ash never came. Ash apologises and professes his feelings, stating Darian's "the best thing that's ever happened to" him, and that he loves Darian. They attempt to make their relationship work again.

### *Glitterland: Aftermath*

It depicts the couple staying for tea at Nanny Dot's home, before heading to Ash's flat in London. They proceed to have sex, and Darian notices Ash's tattoo of his name, saying it was the "second most romantic" thing anyone's done for him, right after Ash's declaration of love.

## Characters

* Alasdair Ashley "Ash" Winters – 28 years old; a best-selling crime novelist who is too cynical and sarcastic for his own good. He comes from an academic background, studying at Oxford
* Darian Taylor – 23 years old; a flamboyant aspiring model who cares for Ash
* Niall – a friend who looks after Ash, and harbours an unrequited crush on Max
* Max Moreton-Smith – a bisexual man engaged to Amy; formerly had a fling with Niall
* Amy Miller – Ash's literary agent and Max's wife-to-be
* Hugh Hastings – a collegemate of Max's who attends the stag party, and gives Ash ecstasy
* Gary – a model at Essex Fashion Week who resembles David Beckham
* Chloe – the best friend of Darian, who Ash describes as resembling Jessica Rabbit
* David – a freelance web designer who has OCD and offers Ash a drink at the bar. He hits off with Niall, the two arranging a "consultation date"
* Nanny Dot – Darian's grandmother whom Darian lives with, since both of his parents left

## Editions

First editionThird editionAudiobookFrench editionItalian editionChinese edition

## References

1. ↑ "26th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists Announced". *Lambda Literary*. 6 March 2014.
2. ↑ "*Glitterland* by Alexis Hall". *Goodreads*. 13 June 2015.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Glitterland: In Conversation with Author Alexis Hall and Editor Mary Altman". *The Nerd Daily*. 16 January 2023.
4. ↑ Grinnan, Dabney (28 August 2013). "An Interview with Alexis Hall". *AAR*.
5. ↑ Love, Sid (29 August 2013). "Author (& Characters) Interview: Glitterland by Alexis Hall". *Sid Love*.
6. ↑ "Author Interview: Connect Four w/ Alexis Hall". 23 August 2013.
7. ↑ Knox, Ruthie (29 August 2013). "A Wonkomance Interview with Alexis Hall". *Wonk-o-Mance*.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Author Interview by Jodi with Alexis Hall for the Sand and Ruin and Gold Tour with Give Away". 16 June 2014.
9. ↑ "Guest Post & Giveaway: Glitterland by Alexis Hall (Blog Tour)". *Pants Off Reviews*. 27 August 2013.
10. ↑ "Guest Post & Giveaway with Alexis Hall". *The Book Pushers*. 26 August 2013.
11. ↑ "Glitterland". *Kirkus Reviews*. 28 November 2022.
12. ↑ Duncan, Melanie (7 June 2013). "Glitterland". *Library Journal*.

## External links

* *Glitterland* Extras
* Pinterest

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