Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

1322 reviews

texanriot's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse and Suicide

mhsieh's review against another edition

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

3.75

This book really emphasizes how much one person can change the life of another’s. 

I liked reading about Marianne and how deeply her

abusive family

ended up affecting her future romantic relationships, showing how people tend to accept only the love they think they deserve. 

Connell’s decisions to hide his relationship with Marianne and his later feelings of isolation in college directly connects to the title of this book and goes to show how much being perceived as “not normal” can affect someone’s life. 

The no quotation marks thing threw me off at first, but it wasn’t too bothersome

It was a sadder book than I anticipated. It got kind of redundant near the middle, with the constant miscommunication between the 2 main characters, but I enjoyed the ending.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense 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? No

3.75

Tbd

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol

kproc381's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.75

This book was so complex that the way I felt by it is also complex. I love it, I hated it, I cared deeply for the characters, but then I hated the characters. It was disturbing sometimes and beautiful the next. It was a very humanizing experience. I think this is my Roman Empire. 

At first I was like… why would the author write it like that (if you know you know) and then when I got to understand the story more I realized that the lack of quotation marks that make you reread the paragraph makes you understand how miscommunication shows up in the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Classism

hello_divine's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I struggled to understand the hype surrounding this book. The main characters are frustratingly passive and lack communication skills, which makes it hard to empathise with them. Rooney’s detached, almost apathetic writing style further distances the reader from a story that ultimately lacks depth. There were numerous opportunities to explore the complex themes of class, power dynamics, abuse, and mental illness, but these were left largely underdeveloped. Instead, the excessive focus on sex overshadowed any real examination of their relationship or personal growth. If this story is meant to reflect a "normal" relationship, it’s a rather dull and discouraging portrayal...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

anneliselikestoread's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

devanisreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

theliteraryhooker's review against another edition

reflective 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

1.5

Navel-gazing trash. This entire novel could have been avoided if these characters could get their heads out of their own asses long enough for an honest conversation. At least Connell gets therapy, they both need it desperately. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual content and Suicide

applebottomjeans's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

fbc_2122's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy