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cas_dot_com's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
yourlilkiwi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
adri_enne's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Sb: I must admit that I did watch the show after reading the book & it greatly improved my pov of the book!
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
everythingeatsandiseaten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
much of contemporary romance, especially from the 2000s and onwards feels like a wet dream— on one hand you have dark romance & monster smut, in the middle the absolute disgrace of colleen hoover, and on the other you get esoteric nonsense that fosters individuality through romanticizing mental illness and trauma.
not to say normal people is the extreme fault of the latter at all; i’d say the biggest fault i find is within its predictability, although i wasn’t quite expecting originality from a booktok recommended novel! to give credit where credit is due, i thought rooney did a wonderful job of creating a realistic romance, however idyllic. she has so much capability with dialogue and the natural cadences of body language and movement and conversation, which is beautiful for preserving culture in a time where human nature and behavior has advanced so much and become so complex!
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nicolabest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
th3bookth3if's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Normal People really dives into themes of communication, personal and inter-personal relationships, perception and popularity, and of course, love. In the background there’s this nagging theme of seeking validation and how we as humans try to connect with others and the world around us. The characters are incredibly relatable and well written, and the style of writing is unique and interesting.
Topics of mental health, family dynamics and relationship dynamics are consistently presented in ways that make you feel uncomfortable, yet completely invested in how Marianne and Connell will deal with them. The back and forth between the characters being alone and then surrounded by others is a prime depiction of how humans fall in and out of relationships, and how some end with little impact and others leave lasting wounds.
The way Sally Rooney describes and creates her scenes is truly magical, and I felt as if I was right there in the room with the characters. Her ability to describe the brutality of humanity and still instil the fact that people need one another to survive seems so simple, but she does it in a way that sits with you for longer than expected.
There’s a running theme of deception, and what counts as being truthful and honest to someone else versus yourself, specifically with Marianne. The way she navigates her own mind and what she deems as ‘the truth’ versus what she communicates is fascinating. There’s a sort of unease and disconnect between her and Connell in relation to the idea of truth, and it really impacts how they as characters and their relationship develops.
Overall, I think this book managed to make me go through every emotion known, and I think that’s the point. An absolutely incredible read.
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Grief
voldycat's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Grief, and Pregnancy
hilumin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Racism, and Pregnancy
ldpdl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism
eatingwords's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
I enjoyed reading Marianne's and Connell's story. they felt raw and unpolished and real, but their miscommunication drove me mad and the ending of their story left me rather unsatisfied.
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts