A review by sierrabaldwin85
Normal People by Sally Rooney

reflective 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

4.0

While taking the form of an intense, microscopic character study, I still felt like the themes touched on were too broad in scope. The narrative touched on social stratification, abuse, gender roles, and more, yet the broad nature of these topics and the concise nature of the book meant that some themes were neglected. Nevertheless, the ability to interweave a breadth of topics delicately was still impressive despite leaving some to be desired. I found the discussion of Marianne’s relationship to violence particularly astute and unique. The writing style was well suited to approach the topic, and I would have loved to see that expanded upon further.