Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Normal People

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

791 reviews

wildflowerfieldsforever's review against another edition

This one is... frustrating. I don't really even know how many stars to give Normal People.

On one hand, I liked that the characters were not perfect. The relationships were not perfect. In that way, it was very real-life. This is *not* a rom-com, light and fluffy read. I find those books very annoying and not enjoyable; so on that side of my opinion, I appreciated that aspect very much. I kept listening because, despite my frustration, I was invested and I thought there was going to be an ending that at least hinted at Marianne and Connell getting better and figuring some things out.

However, there are a lot of damaged people in this book. Again, how very real. And, very bold of Sally Rooney to write this book... and, with no real redeeming ending to make it better. Yet again, despite myself, I appreciated that.

Normal People is also disturbing. Marianne's deep emotional issues coupled with how people (including Connell) treat her, is very difficult to watch unfold. I wanted to reach through the pages and tell her to GET HELP, this is *not* okay. Sometimes, I felt like Rooney was letting the writing indicate that Marianne's issues were okay. But, she also leaves the ending very open and while Connell and Marianne are very, very young. I hope that the Connell and Marianne that live within these pages both get the help they deserve.

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tomomia's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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jakepasseri's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I honestly don't know how to think about this book. It's certainly good, but I can't conceptualise my thoughts into words - I guess that's its biggest strength

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sofagris's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

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yourlilkiwi's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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adri_enne's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

I enjoyed this book in the beginning & midway especially the development of Marianne and Connell. I do appreciate how “bland” the characters are, the miscommunication, and the class divide analysis. Unfortunately, the ending for me just fell extremely flat and ambiguous. I wasn’t expecting them to ride off into the sunset of course, but the ending felt unfinished (maybe that’s intention idk).

Sb: I must admit that I did watch the show after reading the book & it greatly improved my pov of the book!

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everythingeatsandiseaten's review against another edition

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emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.25

beautifully written at times but adds really nothing at all to the romance trope. i find that the romanticization of marianne in particular as isolated, traumatized, etc. can come off in quite an ignorant manner. however i do think this is purposeful because we view as she herself (and connell), but if not understood correctly can possibly be interpreted as a glamorization of her suffering.
much of contemporary romance, especially from the 2000s and onwards feels like a wet dream— on one hand you have dark romance & monster smut, in the middle the absolute disgrace of colleen hoover, and on the other you get esoteric nonsense that fosters individuality through romanticizing mental illness and trauma.
not to say normal people is the extreme fault of the latter at all; i’d say the biggest fault i find is within its predictability, although i wasn’t quite expecting originality from a booktok recommended novel! to give credit where credit is due, i thought rooney did a wonderful job of creating a realistic romance, however idyllic. she has so much capability with dialogue and the natural cadences of body language and movement and conversation, which is beautiful for preserving culture in a time where human nature and behavior has advanced so much and become so complex!

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