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georgiealdridge's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm and Mental illness
emilinaballerina's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
Hooray! For once a Sally Rooney novel that didn’t have me in a puddle by the end! In all seriousness, this book was a beautiful coming of age story centered around four people grappling with how to relate to one another and the world they share. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these characters learn and grow from one another and found their journey to be very uplifting and encouraging to read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
theothergrl's review against another edition
reflective
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
4.5
Sally Rooney's characters are nothing if not realistic. I felt I was reading about the people in my own life, about the actual stories of ordinary folk. These aren't love stories that swell the heart with big gestures and serendipitous circumstances that have one believing in the miracles of romance. But they are real. The end game is flawed, the relationships are messy, not in the dramatic sense, but ordinarily so. Sally Rooney writes, with good understanding, about the socio-economic factors that play into our interpersonal lives. How class differences can forge oceans between us, how power dynamics in age gaps can be so easy to fall into and so hard to crawl out of. I found it smart, the way she wrote in third person, as an observer, because it really instated the reality of such things. That most of the time they aren't overcome. That, at the end of the day, these are just the normal people we see at the supermarket or catching a train. I appreciated that the most when I finished the book. I felt like I was being told that it's going to be okay, that even though I can't overcome everything, there is still beauty to be found amongst it all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Drug use, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Bullying, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
cassiefowler's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.25
This book essentially touched on every aspect of my character development from my late teens through present day. It was devastatingly comforting and relatable - the way it was written felt like my inner monologue. Raise your hand if you have ever been personally victimized by Sally Roony’s literary characters emulating your deepest personality defects🖐️🫡😌😎
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Self harm
lovelybubbles's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Self harm, Death of parent, Mental illness, Bullying, Biphobia, Drug use, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, and Classism
ginaajoee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Abortion, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcoholism
laurabunnett's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I found this book pretty boring an uninteresting. Every character had their own set of "issues", but these were largely unexplored. Why did Alice's mother and brother dislike her? What was the cause of her nervous breakdown?
Also, way too much sex scenes, especially as I was listening to the audio reading of this. Listening to an Irish woman describe mediocre sex between two mediocre characters was unnerving and far too often for my liking. I felt these scenes never really contributed to the plot either.
Also, way too much sex scenes, especially as I was listening to the audio reading of this. Listening to an Irish woman describe mediocre sex between two mediocre characters was unnerving and far too often for my liking. I felt these scenes never really contributed to the plot either.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Abortion, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pandemic/Epidemic
plumdustsuns's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
2.0
I like Simon, I believe, but Rooney’s choice with the age gap with him and Eileen made me SO UNCOMFORTABLE. Yes, they’re both older now but it was insinuated that he had these feelings since she was young even though he didn’t act on it.
I’m not sure if I feel the best towards Eileen, though. While I understand her, she also undermined Alice’s work and mental health a lot and I don’t think that was fair or nice of a friend to do. Especially as someone who’s also in the literary field, it’s a little hypocritical.
But I’ve liked reading Rooney’s work so far (just read this and Normal People though). I like how she is able to portray the everyday life and the ‘seemingly mundane’ as dramatically and importantly as it feels. The ending of this felt a lot better and less sterile than that of Normal People’s (the book, at least).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
lucyeanderson's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-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
5.0
it definitely would appear that i give 5 stars out left right and centre, maybe because i honestly get emotionally attached to almost every book i read - but this one was truly a million out of ten. i’m concerned that sally rooney may actually be able to see into my brain, because particularly eileen was one of the most relatable characters i’ve ever experienced. i loved seeing the relationships of the two couples develop - i really rooted for them and the realistic way the progression of their relationships was detailed. felix and simon were also two ends of a spectrum of men that any young woman can relate to - i saw them in my own friends and partners visually and mentally. i also think alice and eileen’s friendship is one of the first time i’ve truly seen a long distance friendship accurately portrayed in a new adult book. it made me think of my own best friend, and sparked a two hour phone call when we hadn’t spoken in weeks. the email chapters were some of my favourites, and their discussion of society, history and religion really furthered the plot while providing an interesting and attention-holding intermission. it made me think on a lot of subjects more deeply, such as what it is to be a young woman in the current times and the priorities i have in my life. it showed me that prioritising loving and spending time with others is not a bad thing, but is rather something to aspire to. this book means a lot to me, and to think of a world without sally rooneys writing is something i’m not prepared to do. as always adore adore adore.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Infidelity
Minor: Death of parent and Drug use
lucielockettreads's review against another edition
challenging
slow-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
1.5
Why did the characters like actually learn lessons SO late into the book. What. I should’ve done my research because tbh I don’t follow a religion and the religious content of this book was too unrelatable and needed more for me
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Drug use, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts