Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

730 reviews

feodora's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • 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

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annasph's review against another edition

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sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Really really good book that I finished faster than anything I tried to read in the past 5 years which have been a reading slump. I could not identify myself in the least bit with either character but it was a really good insight into other people? I cannot stress how much I loathed some of the things both of them (but particularly Marianne) thought and said, not from a moral highground (at least I hope so), but more of a really really exhausted spectators perspective.
What made me really uncomfortable was Mariannes constant need to submit herself to the men she has sex with. I can see how it is part of her characterization in the book, but I would have appreaciated a trigger warning these parts made me want to hurl my guts out. Again this does not make it bad, it is very very well written just very heavy material.
 
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kaylahcc's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective fast-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

3.0

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ahhhhginger's review against another edition

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reflective tense slow-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

4.0

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semporina's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Would only listen bc of the lack of quotation marks in the book. I actually liked normal people more 
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_meganrose's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

I can see why this book can be so polarizing for people. It gave me a similar feel to ‘One Day’ and ‘Alone With You In The Ether,’ which are two of my favorites. It had the potential to be right up there with them, but just fell slightly short. This was very emotional and humanizing. The complexity of the characters and their dynamic had me hooked. My only two major critiques are: 1. I wish there were quotations around the dialogue - it was confusing sometimes and 2. the final chapter was a let down.
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jjmydude's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • 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

4.25

Gives a glimpse into the lives of two individuals leading extraordinary and mundane lives.
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diegor's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

An excellent study of a pair of flawed characters. Not a revolutionary as a lot of people make it out to be but a read worth your while nonetheless.
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isleofwoman's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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gaby_readsss's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • 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

Normal People is not a book you read for enjoyment. Its story will break your heart and frustrate you to no end.

I had wanted to read this book after hearing so many polarizing opinions on it. To be honest, I don’t even know how I feel about this book yet. Part of me wants to love it but I mostly hate it. Like, I get it, but why does it have to be so complicated? If you guys love each other and are miserable without each other why do you keep letting each other go? 😭 I know that this is more than just their relationship but man, I don’t even know if these characters had any personal growth. 
Also, that ending was so frustrating. I get the point but I don’t get it at the same time. 😩

I’ll go watch the show now to try and make sense of what I just read. 

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