A review by antiintellectual
Normal People by Sally Rooney

sad medium-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

0.5

The only redeeming part for me was the occasional portrayal of mental illnesses. I love stories about people just living their lives, I don't need a lot of plot points or adventure, but this was disappointing. I found the topics I was interested in, such as socioeconomic status and institutions, were met with no depth or emotion. Just basic statements about their existence. The implausiblity of the character's lovestory combined with the surface level depiction of what I think of as "fan fiction romance" (the type I would swoon over and wish was real as a preteen) were hard to see past. I'm glad others enjoyed it! I just felt dissapointed.