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vixenreader'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
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Biphobia and Racism
If you are part of the kink community, you should recognize that the masochism in the book is more of an unhealthy pattern in a character’s abusive cycle rather than a prime example of how consensual BDSM is actually practiced.james1star's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After enjoying Rooney’s previous work ‘Conversations With Friends’, my friend said I might not like Normal People as most people apparently don’t like them both and I am so thankful for this revelation. Because I LOVED IT. My expectations were blown away. This book is just so well written with the two main characters - albeit flawed - being very likeable and you do really want what’s best for them… hint it’s for them to be together. The writing style is amazing, vivid depictions of believable situations and so relatable. As a 22 year old, I can totally see the same themes in everyday life and particularly taking the point that we really shouldn’t care/worry about what other people think of us - especially in school - because it means we don’t do what we really wanted to, we miss out, it affects our lives in possibly profound ways.
The book draws on many topics like classism, (toxic) relationships, mental health, sex, and more. I specifically liked how Rooney takes a refreshing approach by swapping the usual experiences for the male and female characters. Connell is shown to deal with mental health, his emotions and feelings are thoroughly explored, he is shown to care deeply about what people are thinking about him, his class and upbringing is discussed, struggles with toxic masculinity and male suicide, adult-minor relationships and sexual assault on men, and yes this is handled extremely well. Additionally, the sex elements are predominantly from Marianne’s point of view as such. I mean that her pleasure and desires are the main reason for the sex acts between them with little discussion on his enjoyment/needs. There are nuances and most of the topics are related to both (and peripheral) characters, so yes, a very refreshing and different take on these topics.
Normal People is such an amazing read, I really really enjoyed it so I wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s an easy read and very accessible to many people. I’d especially recommend it to those around Connell and Marianne’s age (early 20s) as it can seem very relatable but also those younger and I tell you now: take the opportunities that come your way, don’t let them go out of fear of embarrassment or what people think, it’s your life not theirs and go live it x
PS: Connell is so so cute!! Like oh my god I loved him so much, obviously he had flaws (who doesn’t??) but he was just such a lovely character. Put my faith back in straight men to be honest that they can be decent human beings. So well written I could literally write on and on about this book.
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Classism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Death, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Drug use
jacob_longini'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
4.75
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Death
periwinkle000's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Grief, Sexual content, Suicide, Bullying, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Abortion, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Vomit
biab00'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
4.0
All these years they've been like two little plants sharing the same plot of soil, growing around one another, contorting to make room, taking certain unlikely positions.
This book kinda remind me why I love reading tbh.
I understand why some people don't like it, mainly because of the writing, also took me some pages to get the grip of it, but after that I pretty much get used to it and went with the "flow" of the book.
The talks about mental health and the problems each character faced were relatable and was described in a really raw way and probably why I was so fully immersed on their story.
The last chapters were probably my favorite, really like how the book developed through the end.
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault
tayoreads'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
3.0
Graphic: Bullying and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder
gabrielleclarke05's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I related to Connell too much 👩🏻🦯👩🏻🦯.I don’t have one negative thing to say about this book, obviously there’s the whole quotation dialogue thing but I didn’t mind it after the first bit. I love Connell so much. The story is just a deep character study on how relationships are affected through simple communications and the drastic changes it can cause in life. The title is literally the plot like it is just about normal people doing everyday things with a lack of communication due to trauma and how things can end up
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Mental illness, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
vincef'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
3.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Infidelity, Alcohol, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery
Minor: Death, Violence, Alcoholism, and Blood
caitatkinson_'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
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Bullying, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, and Domestic abuse
darbo'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
4.0
When I first started reading this on my own, back at the beginning of January 2022, I felt so strongly about it that I was physically unable to continue it. Some scenes and passages got me so aggravated, frustrated and excited that it was a genuine sensory overload for me; and I can't say whether that's positive or negative. I ended up asking my girlfriend to buddy-read this with me, which we did; and my lord, I don't even know where to begin.
No spoilers, but Lukas is a fucking d*ck - least likeable character, honestly - and so is Jamie and Marianne's brother, Alan; just not as much as Lukas, in my opinion.
The story itself is vividly painted and truly beautiful; such an expressionistic novel that's super relatable and real and just makes me respect Sally Rooney as an author. I do have to say that I did not, as some people did, I imagine, mind the ending. I thought it was very well done and fit the overall story, theme, situation and their relationship.
I will definitely be picking up Conversations with Friends, as that's being made into a show currently, as well, and Beautiful World, Where are You.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Violence, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Mental illness, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Misogyny, Bullying, Sexism, and Alcohol