Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Normal People

Rooney's writing reflects the everyday struggles in a time in life when everything seems chaotic set against the backdrop of a traumatic childhood and complex interpersonal relationships. While I couldn't bring myself to like the characters, due to their horrible decision making skills, I found myself completely wrapped up in their story.

The writing is fast paced and I enjoyed the flow of the book. Overall it is a story that leaves you wanting more and complex characters that explore the depths of human emotions.

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sam_hartwig's review against another edition

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challenging sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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hulimoon's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-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

I’m so heartbroken. I thought this book would help me with what I am going through…, but it was quite the opposite.

“I don’t know what is wrong with me … I don’t know why I can’t be like normal people” “I don’t know why I can’t make people love me…” (page 187) The fact that she said that and felt exactly what I’m feeling now just broke me.

Marianne is a wonderful character. Everyone thinks she is weird but she is only misunderstanded. She just doesn’t care (or shows it is so) what people think of her, or worries about plain things. She wants to find love and be surrounded by people who care about her. AND IT’S NOT THAT MUCH.

There is also Connel, a character I didn’t like until I started to understand that he was like Marianne in a different way. He was looking for that safe place like her.

-

I hated every person in Marianna’s life. I hated her mother, her f brother, her dad even tho he wasn’t alive, and her friends. WHAT THE A OF PEOPLE.

I don’t know yet how I feel about Connel and Marianne’s relationship but also I haven’t had in my life a worthy relationship so… I’m not going to say anything bad…

And Sally Rooney knows what she did to people writing that ending. She thought “If the book has to end then also your emotional stability”.

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avaa1000's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

Marianne had so much that could have been explored but it wasn’t

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profkeefe's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad 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

4.0

This book was well written but hard to read.

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ashlurtis's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

2.0

Flew through most of this book, loving it, only to be utterly disappointed by the ending. With a will-they, won't-they type story, you expect there to be a bit of a lack of character development, since the two characters clearly don't outgrow each other.

However, these people were all flatter than a pancake. The only thing that changed from the beginning to the end was how old they were. I felt kind of like a frog in a pot of water that finally boiled over once the female protagonist started getting into some truly horrid abusive situations with various lovers.

Don't let this book fool you. It is awful.

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