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lprin's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse and Suicide
errie's review against another edition
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishevy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.25
Once again, a really popular book that has Goodreads reviewers divided. I had to see for myself.
In secondary school, Connell is the popular star of the school soccer team, while Marianna struggles to make friends because she's intense and opinionated. But they end up connecting when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, and they agree to keep their relationship secret.
At Trinity College in Dublin, a year later, Marianne adjusts well to her new surroundings while Connell can't find his footing. Marianne and Connell continue to circle one another. Although they stray toward other people, they are always drawn back together like magnets.
I had to put on my social work hat to understand Marianne. She suffered a lot of trauma growing up, and it's made her numb, so she allows men to have their way with her. She's steadily gravitating towards jerks. It's self-destructive.
Connell feels out of his league in Dublin. He's around people from a higher social class who are different from Marianne, and it's affecting his confidence. He keeps going back to Marianne because she's the only one he can be himself around. Even though her aloofness frustrates him, he trusts her. They have history. She represents home. 🥺
Marianne feels safe with Connell, but she didn't grow up in a loving home like he did, so she doesn't think real love is possible. She doesn't take men seriously. So, despite their history, she doesn't believe Connell really loves her because she doesn't feel worthy of love. While Connell works on himself, Marianne is unaware of how her childhood trauma affects her relationship with him, the only man who's handled her with care.
These two intelligent people must figure out how to make it work, and I rooted for them every time they spun the block. They need each other.
And I needed this read to be longer, but I understand why Marianne remains a work in progress. We all are. I love that it ends on a promise. I wouldn't mind a ten-year follow-up with these two.
I enjoyed it, but I can see why this read is so polarizing.
In secondary school, Connell is the popular star of the school soccer team, while Marianna struggles to make friends because she's intense and opinionated. But they end up connecting when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, and they agree to keep their relationship secret.
At Trinity College in Dublin, a year later, Marianne adjusts well to her new surroundings while Connell can't find his footing. Marianne and Connell continue to circle one another. Although they stray toward other people, they are always drawn back together like magnets.
I had to put on my social work hat to understand Marianne. She suffered a lot of trauma growing up, and it's made her numb, so she allows men to have their way with her. She's steadily gravitating towards jerks. It's self-destructive.
Connell feels out of his league in Dublin. He's around people from a higher social class who are different from Marianne, and it's affecting his confidence. He keeps going back to Marianne because she's the only one he can be himself around. Even though her aloofness frustrates him, he trusts her. They have history. She represents home. 🥺
Marianne feels safe with Connell, but she didn't grow up in a loving home like he did, so she doesn't think real love is possible. She doesn't take men seriously. So, despite their history, she doesn't believe Connell really loves her because she doesn't feel worthy of love. While Connell works on himself, Marianne is unaware of how her childhood trauma affects her relationship with him, the only man who's handled her with care.
These two intelligent people must figure out how to make it work, and I rooted for them every time they spun the block. They need each other.
And I needed this read to be longer, but I understand why Marianne remains a work in progress. We all are. I love that it ends on a promise. I wouldn't mind a ten-year follow-up with these two.
I enjoyed it, but I can see why this read is so polarizing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
sam_reading_now's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death and Eating disorder
cindylikestoread's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I wish I could forget this book after every time I read it just so I could newly experience it all over again every single time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
wyabook234's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
- 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
4.75
Normal People by Sally Rooney is as close to depicting a relationship that feels humane and realistic. While the prose describes what characters do and say without quotations, it's a style that can take some time to adjust. Nonetheless, the writing doesn't degenerate how these characters are authored as being breathable people within Rooney's novel. Conell and Marianne have moments where you hate them due to their class-related prejudice, selfishness, or pettiness. However, it can make you consider how young they are while making mistakes. Their mistakes can make it seem like their relationship is believable, and when it improves, it isn't just about improving upon them as a couple but as individuals in how they spend time and think about each other. This story isn't Romeo and Juliet. However, it's a love story that makes you feel that Conell and Marianne could be good for each other.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Suicide, Mental Illness.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Suicide, Mental Illness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Eating disorder and Toxic friendship
katesant's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Violence
georgiasophia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Suicide
abassard's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
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
3.5
This is a hard one for me to come to a set rating for. I’d say there are moments in the book where Rooney makes her characters really shine - although I felt those were rare moments. For me, my main problem was that there is a lot of “tell, not show”. This is especially true for the elements of class differences between Connell and Marianne, where it would have been really powerful to let those power differences be subtle in their actions and mannerisms. Additionally, while set during the Financial Crisis, which was very destabilizing in Ireland, it didn’t feel like those events really impact the characters that much, which was disappointing. I liked Connell’s arc but I was disappointingly and disparately rooting for similar development of Marianne. Overall, it’s a good character driven novel, but I felt Rooney missed some opportunities throughout where the novel could have been really strong
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Classism
saretta02's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment