Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

74 reviews

carley's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicide

Minor: Racism

sonygaystation's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

God, this book. Felt like an endless aching in my chest the entire time I was reading it. Sometimes a good aching, mostly a yearning aching. It can be hard to read about damaged people but I feel like this book pulls it off well because it's less about "how miserable two can damaged people be?", and more like "here are all the paths we take to be with the people we love." The audiobook narrator did a really lovely job and made the writing feel almost lyrical. The negative reviews on the content confuse me because Normal People feels so profoundly like an examination of the timing of loneliness and how self-loathing can really destroy your life, and it was done with really impressive introspection. The author did a really good job of examining how abuse can affect your relationships (in not so many words) and how bad we can be at seeing what's good for us even when it's right there for the taking. To me, it feels like one-star reviews just completely and utterly missed the point of this book, like they're judging the book on a macro lens instead of seeing it for the emotional supercut that it is. People paring it down to "rich socialite I can't relate to" or "I love you, I’m seeing someone else, I’m so sad, life is hard, being 20 is tough" just fundamentally lack the ability to be empathetic for others. I don't know. It really crept under my skin and made me feel kind of flayed open - Rooney's writing feels like she's staring directly at you and I liked at times how uncomfortable it made me. Mostly it made me feel a lot and that's all I ever really ask for in a book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, and Drug use

Minor: Blood, Suicide, Sexual violence, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death

leanne's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I dont have much to comment - this was okay but definitely overrated.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

bee94's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Physical abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Violence, and Racism