Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

982 reviews

venetiana's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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 such a beautiful book. Very human, very realistic, melancholy.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aileen_macalister's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicide, Death of parent, and Classism

sam_hartwig's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide

ineedsomemoretea's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death of parent

drjoannehill's review against another edition

funny sad 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

3.75

Picked up because it is hyped and famous. 

I'm not sure how I feel about this book right now - the abrupt ending has frustrated me.

It's both funny and sad at different times. We hear a micro level of detail about the ins and outs of the relationship between two people, Marianne and Connell, who are variously good for each other, bad for other, horrible, caring, loved, abused, unsure of themselves. Micro level detail about what they say and how they say it (gestures, paused, intonation) that is meant to convey a meaning and then is received potentially in a different way. So it's well observed.

I did not like how Marianne is represented in romantic relationships and in her relationship with her brother. And really Marianne and Connell are so incompetent at loving each other and the same with dealing with other people ... There should be some kind of opportunity for Marianne to come out of the experiences she's having - this is not a feminist book ... Ok it doesn't have to be, but I hope she is not a model for younger women readers.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship

slimejules's review against another edition

emotional

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

3.5

i'm starting to think i'm not mature enough for adult lit LOL

i don't like books where the characters end up exactly the same as when the story started, and that's exactly what we have here with marianne. while connell shows a level of emotional growth, marianne ends the story exactly as she began.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

ashlurtis's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide

kylasmv15's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Self harm, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

peonierose's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

sydlexi's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Infidelity, Racism, Grief, and Mass/school shootings

i fear i relate too much to Marianne