Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

1562 reviews

autumnnleeaves's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I didn’t find either of the main characters likable. I also really didn’t appreciate how the author conflates bdsm and abuse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

itsaromance's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

Expected a romcom, found a deep and emotional story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

hayleycorrigan's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Minor: Bullying

pookiee's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

The whole time I was thinking, Do some people really talk and act like this?? It all felt uncanny. But I like the idea that people may drift in and out of your life, and it's still worth having known them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming

Minor: Violence and Blood

jessicaludden's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“I'm not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me.”

This is one of those character driven books where not much happens except the same cycle of events these characters are stuck in. Needless to say, I enjoyed it and was intrigued by Marianne and Connell’s relationship. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

moonie's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I need to know if

they are still together after NY please

. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Eating disorder

melusinedln's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Even though this book is not bad, I’m highly disappointed because everyone around me and on social media seems to think that this book is groundbreaking when it isn’t at all. It is a really overrated novel. Nothing happens during 266 pages. The two main characters just hook up with each other sometimes and develop a co-dependent relationship with each other. That’s it, that’s all, that’s the plot. I almost DNFed this book because it was really boring. The things that kept me going were Rooney’s writing style, the topics treated (abusive families and relationships, social class, bullying, sexuality…) and my attachment to some of the side characters.
I think that what icked me the most about this book is how the main characters are handled. The author really wants to show us how special and above anyone else they are, which was a bit upsetting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic relationship

ampeckham's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Blood

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Rooney is such a good writer, and I love her style! I just wish the ending wasn’t so ambiguous and abrupt, and I wish I had gotten to see Marianne blossom at least as much as Connell since the book was supposed to be about the both of them growing up, growing apart, finding each other again, etc. But it was pretty much all about Connell and then sometimes Rooney remembered that Marianne has thoughts and feelings, too.

Marianne and Connell’s relationship is so fascinating though. It is so incredibly toxic, yet they clearly belong together at the same time. I think that their relationship is realistically portrayed, and I could sympathize with one or the other of them at different stages in their lives and their relationship. I think that is a testament to Rooney’s writing: feeling like I want/need to evaluate the characters, to pick a side, and to sympathize and empathize with them and why.

However, I hated the ending. Ambiguous endings infuriate me, especially when the ambiguity suggests what it suggests here. We’re really ending with

Marianne staking her worth on her on-again, off-again boyfriend and putting him above her and “letting him go” so he can, what? Some bullshit about how she’s a springboard from which his life can “truly begin”

?

Before I read the last ⅓ of the book, I was expecting to give it a 4 out of 5, but seeing Marianne’s storyline and the ending get fumbled leads me to give it a 3 out of 5.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

strawbert's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The book is written very well and has many great memorable quotes. As another reviewer wrote, Sally Rooney makes the mundane spectacular. I enjoyed reading this book very much but I’m not sure what I got out of it. It felt like the characters did not grow and that each chapter was the same thing over and over - which seems like the entire point of the book to be honest. Nevertheless, the book kept me interested to the end. I think the hype for this book is based on how relatable certain parts may feel. I am now excited to read other books from Sally Rooney.

Summed up: Attemping to strike a balance between hope/understanding/independence and misery/shame while coming-of-age.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail