Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

7 reviews

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Rooney is such a good writer, and I love her style! I just wish the ending wasn’t so ambiguous and abrupt, and I wish I had gotten to see Marianne blossom at least as much as Connell since the book was supposed to be about the both of them growing up, growing apart, finding each other again, etc. But it was pretty much all about Connell and then sometimes Rooney remembered that Marianne has thoughts and feelings, too.

Marianne and Connell’s relationship is so fascinating though. It is so incredibly toxic, yet they clearly belong together at the same time. I think that their relationship is realistically portrayed, and I could sympathize with one or the other of them at different stages in their lives and their relationship. I think that is a testament to Rooney’s writing: feeling like I want/need to evaluate the characters, to pick a side, and to sympathize and empathize with them and why.

However, I hated the ending. Ambiguous endings infuriate me, especially when the ambiguity suggests what it suggests here. We’re really ending with

Marianne staking her worth on her on-again, off-again boyfriend and putting him above her and “letting him go” so he can, what? Some bullshit about how she’s a springboard from which his life can “truly begin”

?

Before I read the last ⅓ of the book, I was expecting to give it a 4 out of 5, but seeing Marianne’s storyline and the ending get fumbled leads me to give it a 3 out of 5.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kkrebo's review against another edition

challenging slow-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

1.75

I can’t get over Sally Rooney’s writing style when it comes to dialogue and also just how unloveable she makes her characters. I feel like this book lowkey glorifies anorexia and glamorizes depression (but i could completely have a wrong take). 
Just wasn’t for me!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Grief

eliya's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is written so beautifully. The narration is so heartbreakingly aware of minute details that make interactions meaningful. There were so many times listening to this book that I thought “yes!! that!!” at something that i’ve experienced interpersonally and wasn’t able to verbalize myself before. 

The chapters are written not like a story, but like a painful memory that the author is recounting for us as we try to understand what went wrong, where. This felt so real to me. 

Listening to the audiobook was a treat, the vocal performance was as stunning and empathetic. I plan on obtaining a copy of this book for myself and rereading it in a few years, just long enough so that I can forget enough of it to love it a second time. I loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Fatphobia, Suicide, and War

packedjam's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

😵‍💫

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, and Classism

stupidforcupid's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Eating disorder and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Fatphobia, Abortion, and Pregnancy

maia_cat's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

beauvisseau's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

5.0

This book blew me away, the complex characters, the underlying currents of socio-economic inequality, the exploration of all types of relationships and the personal thoughts of realistic characters that are easy to relate to. The writing is phenomenal, simplistic but so eerily thought-provoking that I feel as if I see the world differently now. It made me question my own experiences and brought me insights that made me feel seen. I've never read anything like it, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Fatphobia