A review by alaskanbullbookworm
Normal People by Sally Rooney

3.5

For a few seconds they just stood there in stillness, his arms around her, his breath on her ear. Most people go through their whole lives, Marianne thought, without ever really feeling that close with anyone

i really liked this for its mundanity and the way it encapsulates two young people navigating relationships. i don’t think it was anything groundbreaking, and sure the protagonists are unlikeable + frustrating at times - not a crime - but Rooney’s way of portraying the closeness between Connell and Marianne + their compatibility through different phases of their relationship felt very authentic to me. i can’t say I wasn’t hooked!