Reviews

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Only show reviews with written explanations

dilppa_lukulaku's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.75

bookswithrebeccaxx's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely reccomend this.I absolutely loved the main characters and their growth throughout the book.

Also the writing style used was beautiful.

I will definitely be reading more sally rooney in the future.

poppyreadcorner's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

Absolutely not for me the most boring ever flat flat everything felt flat I got nothing from this

ravina_b's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Reading this book gave me that uncomfortable, squirming feeling you get when you touch an open wound. I uncontrollably bawled my eyes out the evening I started reading it, only a few chapters in, and say there for about an hour trying to convince myself that it wasn’t the trigger. It is so intensely raw and genuinely felt like Sally Rooney had read my innermost thoughts and feelings, things I won’t even journal about. Somehow, this book drew on so many different parts of my life and it overwhelmed me with a patchwork of my experiences, it made me feel understood. It’s now been a week since I finished it and I still can’t properly articulate exactly how this book made me feel.

In the main, NORMAL PEOPLE is a 266-page slice into the ordinary, everyday lives of - quite frankly - normal people. It is not plot-driven, there isn’t a great deal of character development, but that is what makes it so real. It is an observation, and is not a book for those that need something to happen. This very essence, alongside Rooney’s astounding writing injecting real, raw life into Marianne and Connell, is what made me love it so much.

Some final remarks to convey how I feel about NORMAL PEOPLE: firstly, I got this from the library and now I am combing through charity shops to get my own copy. If anyone wants to gift me a copy, please be my guest. Secondly, I started it with some apprehension because (a) it is an Instagram favourite, (b) I thought it was a romance (it’s not), and (c) the choice to not use quotation marks always really bugs me - but it won me over in literally ten pages.

mais's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

completely one of the most captivating books i had read in a long time, while i was hesitant to read at first i could not be happier that i did read it because it really changed my life for a while.

the romance is something so rare between two young people, who care for and love each other unconditionally and want to see each other grow and do everything they are destined to do while dealing with their own baggage at the same time

connell waldron was one of the most brilliantly written characters, his obvious shyness was captivating and the peer pressure he felt during school years was felt through the pages for me