A review by kcmag1
Normal People by Sally Rooney

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'm not typically a reader of contemporary romantic fiction, but this book almost feels more like a poem or a character study than a novel. What a fascinating portrait of these two characters and their push and pull with one another throughout their lives. I found myself at times struggling to understand each of their feelings and motivations, but their characterizations became clearer as the story went on. This element seemed to bolster the idea that Connell and Marianne were the only two people who really knew each other. It felt true to life that their respective mental states cycled over time and that their inner feelings didn't match the way they were perceived by people from the outside. 
I could hear their voices so clearly in my head, even before watching the TV show, and they felt so real as people that it was almost painful. It felt intrusive to be an observer into their relationship. With Connell in particular, I felt his shyness and loneliness - as well as his desire to make the right choices  - like a knife to the heart. The dynamics of power, class, and intimacy between the two could warrant several dissertations, as I'm sure they already have and will continue to do for a long while. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings