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A review by lifeofchrstnlvly
Normal People by Sally Rooney
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
At first I thought it will be a hard read because Rooney is notorious for not using quotation marks. If you're a reader, then you will not have problems. I got used to it quite easily.
I did not think this book will affect me the way it did. I saw myself in Marianne (with the way she interacted with people and how people perceived her, not the family dynamics part). I never felt more seen.
This book was, honestly, plotless. It was a glimpse of Marianne's and Connell's lives. I found myself hating Connell one minute, then quickly understanding him a couple of pages after. I did not find their relationship frustrating - I found it realistic. Don't read this book expecting to read a love story. It's not. It's so much more than that.
Normal people indeed.
P.S. You can also read At The Clinic, a short story by Rooney. Marianne and Connell are 23.
I did not think this book will affect me the way it did. I saw myself in Marianne (with the way she interacted with people and how people perceived her, not the family dynamics part). I never felt more seen.
This book was, honestly, plotless. It was a glimpse of Marianne's and Connell's lives. I found myself hating Connell one minute, then quickly understanding him a couple of pages after. I did not find their relationship frustrating - I found it realistic. Don't read this book expecting to read a love story. It's not. It's so much more than that.
Normal people indeed.
P.S. You can also read At The Clinic, a short story by Rooney. Marianne and Connell are 23.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Bullying, Drug use, and Eating disorder