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emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Dejadme sufrir, por favor. Por amar aunque solo sea a estas personas, por saber que soy capaz de hacerlo, sufriría todos los días de mi vida.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent
Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Alcohol
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Trots att det ofta var mörkt, ville jag hänga länge i Ivans och Peters Dublin. Tur då att boken är lång och låter oss göra det! Jag uppskattar karaktärernas komplexitet och att alla tydligt har bra och dåliga sidor. Margarets perspektiv var behövligt, om inte annat för att hon är en kvinna och inte är lika självcentrerad.
Jag vet inte helt vad jag tycker om stream of consciousness-stilen; ibland var jag lite förvirrad över om det jag läste var en del av en dialog eller monolog, men det gjorde också de vardagliga händelserna och tankarna mer relaterbara.
Jag vet inte helt vad jag tycker om stream of consciousness-stilen; ibland var jag lite förvirrad över om det jag läste var en del av en dialog eller monolog, men det gjorde också de vardagliga händelserna och tankarna mer relaterbara.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Religious bigotry, Pandemic/Epidemic
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sally Rooney’s writing style choices feel more extreme and unconventional here. I almost put it back on the library shelf after the first chapter. I would have really missed out. It is a wonderful novel about characters navigating grief (mainly, the death of a parent; but also, the loss the life they almost had; and the loss of a marriage) while struggling between their desires and what society deems appropriate. Each POV felt very distinct to me, and contributed largely to understanding Peter, Ivan and Margaret.
The stream of consciousness writing is unleashed compared to her other work that I’ve read (Normal People). Combining a rationing of paragraph breaks with her consistent boycott on quotation marks, the narrating voice is a distinct experience. There are many sections that are a first hand account of a character experiencing a memory. The details all blurred together but the feelings, especially uncomfortable ones, coming through in sharp pangs. Absolutely anxiety inducing at times, particularly when following Peter in third-person POV.
Let's talk about the characters. Peter. I hate him and also find him the most relatable. I wanted to scream into the void reading about him continuously walk down self-destructive paths. Two eyes wide open, but blinded by grief. Grief exacerbated by anxiety, self-loathing, depression. Completely hypocritical in the judgements he makes of others, but slightly redeemed by judging and hating himself the most. It was always Peter that had me putting down the book to go touch some grass.
Ivan. Intensely awkward but also hyper-aware of social norms as though he has studied them as a non-participant. Ivan is not the only character steadfastly aware of social norms, but does seem the character least concerned with them. Peter, on the other hand, ties himself up in knots according to what is socially accepted. I only recall four scenes where Peter and Ivan directly interact, yet the characters are so intertwined.
Then the women characters. Naomi, Sylvia, Margaret. We only ever see the POV of one, Margaret, but they are all beautifully fleshed out. There are beautiful snapshots of all of them, in different ways, reckoning with how to survive, and attempt to thrive, within patriarchal conditioning, despite being people who lead very dissimilar lives.
This is in the running for my favorite read this year. Rooney did not give me the character events, ending, or number of paragraph breaks that I wanted. If she had, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much.
The stream of consciousness writing is unleashed compared to her other work that I’ve read (Normal People). Combining a rationing of paragraph breaks with her consistent boycott on quotation marks, the narrating voice is a distinct experience. There are many sections that are a first hand account of a character experiencing a memory. The details all blurred together but the feelings, especially uncomfortable ones, coming through in sharp pangs. Absolutely anxiety inducing at times, particularly when following Peter in third-person POV.
Let's talk about the characters. Peter. I hate him and also find him the most relatable. I wanted to scream into the void reading about him continuously walk down self-destructive paths. Two eyes wide open, but blinded by grief. Grief exacerbated by anxiety, self-loathing, depression. Completely hypocritical in the judgements he makes of others, but slightly redeemed by judging and hating himself the most. It was always Peter that had me putting down the book to go touch some grass.
Ivan. Intensely awkward but also hyper-aware of social norms as though he has studied them as a non-participant. Ivan is not the only character steadfastly aware of social norms, but does seem the character least concerned with them. Peter, on the other hand, ties himself up in knots according to what is socially accepted. I only recall four scenes where Peter and Ivan directly interact, yet the characters are so intertwined.
Then the women characters. Naomi, Sylvia, Margaret. We only ever see the POV of one, Margaret, but they are all beautifully fleshed out. There are beautiful snapshots of all of them, in different ways, reckoning with how to survive, and attempt to thrive, within patriarchal conditioning, despite being people who lead very dissimilar lives.
This is in the running for my favorite read this year. Rooney did not give me the character events, ending, or number of paragraph breaks that I wanted. If she had, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual violence
regarding suicidal thoughts one of the main characters makes up their mind to kill themselves and describes a deep sense of relief associated with this decision. suicide does not occur though
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A captivating, realistic must-read. Absolutely a rollercoaster of emotions in the best possible way. Beautifully written with many sensible pieces in every single page. I loved this book and the chaotic plot, it exceeded all my expectations ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Too long. I enjoyed reading about 2/3rds of the book, and couldn’t care less about the characters with 100 pages left. I WAS rooting for Peter and Ivan, but the more I read, I find at the end of the day they’re both men, and these men were using women as objects of desire and to help them with their grief. Realized men like them exist IRL, got angry. Leave women alone!!!!
I think the reader’s birth order matters too. I wonder what younger siblings think of this book. But as an eldest daughter, I felt more for Peter. Not that I’m taking sides or anything (because idgaf), but I just empathized with the non-explicitly imposed heavier responsibility Peter holds on his brother, his parents, and himself. I just can’t stomach the way he thinks of Naomi. Disgusting
I think the reader’s birth order matters too. I wonder what younger siblings think of this book. But as an eldest daughter, I felt more for Peter. Not that I’m taking sides or anything (because idgaf), but I just empathized with the non-explicitly imposed heavier responsibility Peter holds on his brother, his parents, and himself. I just can’t stomach the way he thinks of Naomi. Disgusting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug use, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcohol
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Drug use
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide attempt
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is embarrassing to admit but before this, I had been actively avoiding any and ALL of Sally Rooney’s works because of her well-known no use of quotation marks + hit or miss writing style and I feel really stupid for that now.
In Peter’s POV, I thought it was absolutely horrendous. I was genuinely shocked and thought the rest of the book would be that way. In the span of only 16 or so pages, I debated on sending it through the sky or just giving it away. When I got to Ivan’s POV, however, things began to make more sense. This author writes and you’re suddenly immersed and you don’t remember when that happened.
I’m trying to say is that this book has got good qualifies. Flawed and realistic characters in a realistic setting, and writing that feels unique and immersive!
There is a lot of sexual content though, so… probably not best to read in a public setting unless you wanna read through a half-closed book or a barely visible screen whilst also looking over your shoulder every second…
In Peter’s POV, I thought it was absolutely horrendous. I was genuinely shocked and thought the rest of the book would be that way. In the span of only 16 or so pages, I debated on sending it through the sky or just giving it away. When I got to Ivan’s POV, however, things began to make more sense. This author writes and you’re suddenly immersed and you don’t remember when that happened.
I’m trying to say is that this book has got good qualifies. Flawed and realistic characters in a realistic setting, and writing that feels unique and immersive!
There is a lot of sexual content though, so… probably not best to read in a public setting unless you wanna read through a half-closed book or a barely visible screen whilst also looking over your shoulder every second…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Car accident
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Car accident, Abandonment