Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Pessoas normais

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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strawbert's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

The book is written very well and has many great memorable quotes. As another reviewer wrote, Sally Rooney makes the mundane spectacular. I enjoyed reading this book very much but I’m not sure what I got out of it. It felt like the characters did not grow and that each chapter was the same thing over and over - which seems like the entire point of the book to be honest. Nevertheless, the book kept me interested to the end. I think the hype for this book is based on how relatable certain parts may feel. I am now excited to read other books from Sally Rooney.

Summed up: Attemping to strike a balance between hope/understanding/independence and misery/shame while coming-of-age.

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rhubarbpi3's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

2.0

I thought this was well executed and everything I just thought it would be happy but it just made me really sad.

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thisreadingcorner's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

Normal People is not a romance but it is about a romantic relationship between Connell and Marianne, two teenagers turned university students in Ireland. Connell’s mother Lorraine worked for Marianne’s mother as a cleaner and the two have known each other since at least 11/12 although the narrative kicks off in their high school years.

The narration style of this book is unique and reminds me of a few books I’ve read that have been contentious in terms of reviews. Like the previous books, I loved it.

The giddy awkwardness, the passing smirks, “that’s really weird but I think I understand it”, “it’s not like this with other people” of it all is so good.

The frantic miscommunication is made tolerable by the long moments we spend inside both of their heads dissecting the origins of their particular quirks. Rooney manages to seal them to each other and ages them up somehow more dynamic (and dysfunctional).

The Hulu adaptation wimps out on Marianne’s home life and Connell’s very intense inner dialogue which takes away from the potency of their attraction to each other in my opinion. It was still incredibly acted and I would call it a successful interpretation, just not as good as the book. For me that potency combined with the journey they take over their friendship and relationship makes the ending okay, if a little painful. The romantic in me sees a bright future regardless.

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milkschank's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.25

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komiification's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Completely devastating how people can love each other so much yet can continue to hurt each other. Can never really talk to each other. Alongside this theme, as well as other points relating to genocide (which is still, upsettingly, relevant to today), and the way people now engage with literature without this political edge, this is, easily a modern classic.

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