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A review by raindropxox
Normal People by Sally Rooney
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
4.0
Now: 4 stars. I loved this book when I first read it, and I do think it’s a great book, and everything I wrote below about the writing still stands. Maybe I shouldn’t change my rating, I don’t know… I just think that I love it less now probably because of the ending, not that there’s anything wrong with it specifically but it just didn’t satisfy me. I think that miscommunication novels are realistic and interesting and a good cautionary tale, but I find it frustrating when the book ends with them still not communicating, which this one didn’t. I would have been okay with them not ending up together, had they not been compatible, but the lack of miscommunication at the end was just annoying to me. Though of course that’s an interesting ending in itself… I don’t know. The ending just wasn’t it for me. But I absolutely loved this book when I first read it :))
Originally: 5 stars. I loved this book. I wasn't expecting to like it that much, but it blew me away. I didn't think the prose would be that spectacular but I really liked it, and there were a few moments of lovely metaphors but they were dripped in and woven in beautifully so they didn't feel forced. The lack of speech marks at first I found odd but quickly started to like it, as it felt more personal, like it was a diary, or someone telling me their story out loud. The characters, particularly Connell, I connected to. I found that lots of his feelings were ones I feel myself but never really realised or was afraid to feel them. My only qualm with the book was the ending, but in some ways perhaps it was refreshing, and quite in keeping maybe with the characters. I have seen some people criticising the characters for their lack of communication, but I felt that Rooney captured what it is like to feel young and vulnerable and afraid of doing and saying the wrong things. Anyways, I loved this book, and I am not afraid to rate it 5 stars like I am with many books!
Originally: 5 stars. I loved this book. I wasn't expecting to like it that much, but it blew me away. I didn't think the prose would be that spectacular but I really liked it, and there were a few moments of lovely metaphors but they were dripped in and woven in beautifully so they didn't feel forced. The lack of speech marks at first I found odd but quickly started to like it, as it felt more personal, like it was a diary, or someone telling me their story out loud. The characters, particularly Connell, I connected to. I found that lots of his feelings were ones I feel myself but never really realised or was afraid to feel them. My only qualm with the book was the ending, but in some ways perhaps it was refreshing, and quite in keeping maybe with the characters. I have seen some people criticising the characters for their lack of communication, but I felt that Rooney captured what it is like to feel young and vulnerable and afraid of doing and saying the wrong things. Anyways, I loved this book, and I am not afraid to rate it 5 stars like I am with many books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicide