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A review by iseefeelings
Normal People by Sally Rooney
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It has been so long since a coming-of-age story captured my heart & stirred a burning sensation in my chest. The bittersweet experience to reach the last pages left me reluctant to let go. I found myself grappling with a book hangover while throwing myself in a deeper well by watching the tv mini series adapted from the book simultaneously. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal delivered exceptional performances as Marianne and Connell, with an on-screen chemistry that is truly unmatched! I was torn between continuing the tv miniseries or taking a moment to pause. I was completely entranced. Isn’t this the magic of reading? It allows you to not only glimpse into someone else’s life but also to immerse yourself in it, tasting it whole.
Some say that the relationship between Connell and Marianne is toxic. I disagree. To genuinely connect with the characters, one must consider the challenges they faced. The effects of capitalism, social class status and abuse are intricately woven into their interactions. Their lives are tangled up and they hurt each other. They engaged in a constant push and pull with the love they share while also forging a deep connection in each other’s arms. Rarely does life offer such intimacy they share. Both Connell and Marianne were learning to come to terms with who they were, and I saw love as a source of comfort amidst the hellish moments of their lives. (Spoiler alert) while this may sound like wishful thinking or a cliché, I found it to resonate as truth: they inevitably will find their back way to one another, as they always have.
Sally Rooney’s writing is both concise and direct; nothing feels mundane or overly elaborate. Each sentence carries weight of emotions—whether it is a quiet gaze or a nonchalant shrug. Her decision to omit the quotation marks seems to be jarring at first, but it gradually grew on me. Rooney is an adept in giving her characters the space to tell their stories while also maintaining a removed and omniscent narrative voice.
I made my time to read this book during a chaotic on-call weekend, then staying up later than intended so I could savour the book a little bit longer, despite my partner’s complaints that I kept the light on too long. I don’t concern myself with the hype of this book, just simply delighted to have come across Connell and Marianne, two extraordinary normies.
Some say that the relationship between Connell and Marianne is toxic. I disagree. To genuinely connect with the characters, one must consider the challenges they faced. The effects of capitalism, social class status and abuse are intricately woven into their interactions. Their lives are tangled up and they hurt each other. They engaged in a constant push and pull with the love they share while also forging a deep connection in each other’s arms. Rarely does life offer such intimacy they share. Both Connell and Marianne were learning to come to terms with who they were, and I saw love as a source of comfort amidst the hellish moments of their lives. (Spoiler alert) while this may sound like wishful thinking or a cliché, I found it to resonate as truth: they inevitably will find their back way to one another, as they always have.
Sally Rooney’s writing is both concise and direct; nothing feels mundane or overly elaborate. Each sentence carries weight of emotions—whether it is a quiet gaze or a nonchalant shrug. Her decision to omit the quotation marks seems to be jarring at first, but it gradually grew on me. Rooney is an adept in giving her characters the space to tell their stories while also maintaining a removed and omniscent narrative voice.
I made my time to read this book during a chaotic on-call weekend, then staying up later than intended so I could savour the book a little bit longer, despite my partner’s complaints that I kept the light on too long. I don’t concern myself with the hype of this book, just simply delighted to have come across Connell and Marianne, two extraordinary normies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Racism