Reviews

Normal People by Sally Rooney

krysx's review against another edition

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

3.75

wizfizlizzy's review against another edition

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

3.5

aeonidon's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

patiolinguist's review against another edition

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5.0

Equal parts exciting and poignant. I was not expecting to like it this much.

milliemoo77's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

love it so much. marianne has my heart

irxren's review against another edition

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3.0

The book beautifully captures the complexities of modern romantic relationships, showing how our past experiences shape our present selves. The characters, Marianne and Connell, feel incredibly real with all their depth and flaws, making their struggles and obstacles relatable. Although, I couldn't help but wish that they had made more of an effort to overcome their challenges and find a way to make things work. One thing that threw me off a bit was the lack of quotation marks in the writing. It made the dialogue a bit tricky to follow at times. Another thing is the timeline jumps. It felt like we were hopping back and forth a lot, which could be a bit jarring. As for the characters, they're beautifully complex, but I wished they grew more. Marianne and Connell seem stuck in certain patterns, and Connell's behavior felt off at times.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the book and its realistic portrayal of relationships. It's a good read if you're into deep character exploration and don't mind a bit of narrative challenge.

miiirgen's review against another edition

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reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

manderzreadz's review against another edition

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3.0

I can see why this book is popular and widely read, but this type of book is just not my cup of tea. I need a plot with a bit more direction.

booksafterone's review against another edition

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4.0

Hulu made the perfect TV adaptation of this book. Hated the lack of quotes around the dialogue. Had to switch to the audiobook. 

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

“Generally I find men are a lot more concerned with limiting the freedoms of women than exercising personal freedom for themselves.”

“All these years, they’ve been like two little plants sharing the same plot of soil, growing around one another, contorting to make room, taking certain unlikely positions.”

“He has sincerely wanted to die, but he has never sincerely wanted Marianne to forget about him. That’s the only part of himself he wants to protect, the part that exists inside her. ”

brianatamar's review against another edition

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emotional reflective

3.75