A review by jessicagm
Beautiful World, Where Are You, by Sally Rooney
5.0
This was such a beautiful, refreshing, intriguing, and thought-provoking read. I loved the way that it was structured, with an equal focus on both Alice and Eileen. I didn't feel that one character outshone the other, or that either of them dominated the narrative. Having each chapter separated by emails between the two characters also created an intriguing dynamic which I would argue is vital to the storyline.
While the chapters following Alice and Eileen separately delve into family, relationships, love, and sex, the emails explore a wide range of social, political, and philosophical topics. These emails almost feel like conversations between Sally Rooney and herself, and she gives refreshing and insightful perspectives on the meanings and questions surrounding religion, beauty, love, modern society, classism, sexuality, the dissonance of reflecting back on our past selves, and having children in a seemingly doomed society.
I was intrigued by both of the relationships, between Alice and Felix, and Eileen and Simon. The characters were not always likeable, but that is what made them feel real. I found that I related a lot to Alice and Eileen's desires and behavioural tendencies - many of which I think Sally Rooney intended to pose as universal experiences to women. In particular, Alice's defensiveness and need to prove her superiority, as well as Eileen's desire to be reassured and fought for. Eileen's desire to be dominated by Simon was also a topic I found especially interesting. She experiences an almost guilty pleasure of feeling weak and tender and needing to be protected and cared for by Simon - which I believe has a mildly sexist undercurrent - yet it is something that is experienced by so many women. I wish Sally Rooney had explored this idea more.
I was surprised and impressed by the insight Felix and Simon show into Alice and Eileen's behaviours. At times I caught myself feeling angry and defensive when Alice and Eileen were challenged by them, and then I realised that it was because I have acted in many of the same ways myself and for the first time I was discovering why. It is intimidating how insightful and intelligent Sally Rooney is.
Love, sex, and friendship are the core themes of the book. Contrasting Normal People, Sally Rooney showed that relationships can heal and recover from seemingly irreparable damage, and she does so in a way that is somehow simultaneously comforting and uncomfortable. It is challenging yet reassuring.
I cannot recommend this enough. Please don't be put off Sally Rooney and miss out on reading such a masterpiece for something as trivial as quotation marks. This was such a pleasure to read and a book that I know I will revisit time and time again in order to completely digest all of its brilliance.
While the chapters following Alice and Eileen separately delve into family, relationships, love, and sex, the emails explore a wide range of social, political, and philosophical topics. These emails almost feel like conversations between Sally Rooney and herself, and she gives refreshing and insightful perspectives on the meanings and questions surrounding religion, beauty, love, modern society, classism, sexuality, the dissonance of reflecting back on our past selves, and having children in a seemingly doomed society.
I was intrigued by both of the relationships, between Alice and Felix, and Eileen and Simon. The characters were not always likeable, but that is what made them feel real. I found that I related a lot to Alice and Eileen's desires and behavioural tendencies - many of which I think Sally Rooney intended to pose as universal experiences to women. In particular, Alice's defensiveness and need to prove her superiority, as well as Eileen's desire to be reassured and fought for. Eileen's desire to be dominated by Simon was also a topic I found especially interesting. She experiences an almost guilty pleasure of feeling weak and tender and needing to be protected and cared for by Simon - which I believe has a mildly sexist undercurrent - yet it is something that is experienced by so many women. I wish Sally Rooney had explored this idea more.
I was surprised and impressed by the insight Felix and Simon show into Alice and Eileen's behaviours. At times I caught myself feeling angry and defensive when Alice and Eileen were challenged by them, and then I realised that it was because I have acted in many of the same ways myself and for the first time I was discovering why. It is intimidating how insightful and intelligent Sally Rooney is.
Love, sex, and friendship are the core themes of the book. Contrasting Normal People, Sally Rooney showed that relationships can heal and recover from seemingly irreparable damage, and she does so in a way that is somehow simultaneously comforting and uncomfortable. It is challenging yet reassuring.
I cannot recommend this enough. Please don't be put off Sally Rooney and miss out on reading such a masterpiece for something as trivial as quotation marks. This was such a pleasure to read and a book that I know I will revisit time and time again in order to completely digest all of its brilliance.