Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

97 reviews

ryanbada's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

aegireads's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

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

4.0

i liked this but it's like a perfectly usual book. idk why people are so weird. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, and Classism

shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

challenging 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

witcheslovingwitches's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

jja_b's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

3.5

Ok, while I don’t deny that Rooney is a very talented writer, I think this might have been a mismatch between me and her. I didn’t really know what to expect when going into it, but I probably should have guessed by the title that this would be a “normal” story. I don’t mean that in a critical way, and I’m not implying that it’s uninspired. “Normal” was obviously what Rooney was going for. I could look at a group of people I know and find a similar tale, This just wasn’t for me.

Don’t get me wrong. I did enjoy the book at times. I found Connell quite a compelling character and I think the book can be described as a page-turner, but most of the characters were unlikeable and the miscommunication between Connell and Marianne just became too frustrating.

The ending infuriated me. I get the point, but it was still infuriating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Racism, and Blood

juliamakena's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Blood and Pregnancy

queanh's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

abioneil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.25

This book is quite complex. The relationship that Connel and Marianne have is painful to read about. Don’t go into this thinking it will end with sunshine and rainbows. It is obvious that both characters needed serious help. Other than that, I would say that the narrating style was a bit odd, the narrator was third person and at times seemed to be limited and other times omniscient. I didn’t quite enjoy the book, the idea that relationships between people can change their overal character and personality is explored wonderfully, however, it does feel like some of the scenes central ideas are repeated (even though this may have advanced the plot, it was hard to read). I think that the character growth felt sudden instead of gradual buildup.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

peachyprarthna's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

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

5.0

i was ready to be disappointed because i had such high hopes for sally rooney. however, it did the opposite. this book is so intimate, it forces the reader to feel their emotions and reflect on the things the characters do -- and what we, as "normal people" have done ourselves.

marianne and connell are widely different, yet incredibly similar. it's a story that follows two people who are so deeply interwoven into each other's lives that when the other is absent, they indulge in the most self destructive behaviours to fill that void. slowly, you also realise the intense hold they have on each other, something that can never truly be erased. they have become a intricate part of the other's essence, never really leaving for good.

 conclusion, this was one of the best books i've read in 2022. i would recommend it until i drop dead. sally rooney's writing intimidated me at first, but it flows very easily and beautifully once you start reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts

brookeharbula's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide