A review by zoelcllnt
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I liked it better than Normal People, the writing felt more mature (but maybe that’s because the characters written about are older?). There were actually quotes that I underlined because I thought they were well written or they struck me in some way (which wasn’t the case with Normal People). However, I found the characters quite unloveable as in no one’s straightforward with anyone, their relationships/friendships all felt very co-dependent and toxic... Also, I don’t think I like the way Sally Rooney writes females characters, they just felt as though they could have been written by a man, and when they seem to stand up for themselves, they just fall back into the dynamic of seeking a man’s love and approval about everything. But the end was quite lovely and the last few chapters were actually a good conclusion where stuff needed to happen after all the miscommunication and hypocrisy. 
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