Normal People is a book by New York Times bestselling author Sally Rooney, published in 2018.
Normal People was hugely successful. It appeared on multiple ‘best books of the year’ lists and was even selected as one of the ‘ten best novels of the decade’ by Entertainment Weekly.
Normal People is now an Emmy-nominated Hulu original series.
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Plot
The story revolves around Connell and Marianne, two Irish teenagers from very different backgrounds who form an unlikely connection.
Connell is popular and well-liked, while Marianne is seen as an outsider, marked by her intelligence and sharp wit. However when the two strike up an awkward yet exciting conversation something life changing begins.
A year later, Marianne and Connell are students at Trinity College in Dublin, with Marianne flourishing socially. Connell meanwhile becomes reserved and uncertain in his new surroundings.
Over their university years, they orbit each other, exploring other relationships and opportunities but are always drawn back together. As Marianne faces self-destructive tendencies and Connell searches for purpose, they must confront the lengths they’ll go to save one another.
Normal People Book Review
I really enjoyed my first Sally Rooney book. I picked up this novel with high expectations, given the acclaim it had received, and it didn’t disappoint.
The characters of Marianne and Connell both have a myriad of flaws that makes them feel authentic and believable. Their inability to communicate openly and honestly had me yelling at the book a few times. However, that’s what makes them feel so real. Haven’t we all, at some point, made questionable choices? That’s the beauty of Rooney’s writing—it’s so relatable.
Sally Rooney seems to have a knack for nailing down the inner workings of her characters’ minds. You get to witness their personal growth, their insecurities, and their struggles with vulnerability. When you get to know a character so intimately, it’s hard not to root for them. Even when they’re being annoying!
The writing style is minimalist and the author says so much with so little. She doesn’t need flowery language to pack an emotional punch. The lack of speech punctuation caught me of guard a little at the beginning but I soon began to appreciate the writing style. The lack of speech marks makes the dialogue feel like an extension of the characters’ thoughts, blurring the distinction between what is spoken aloud and what remains unsaid.
I actually really liked the ambiguity of the ending. It leaves Marianne and Connell’s future open to interpretation and allows readers to imagine various scenarios for their relationship. Again, it added to the authenticity of the story as real-life relationships often don’t neatly fit into clear-cut endings.
Normal People is a raw, unfiltered look at love, vulnerability and the messiness of human connection. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be reading more Sally Rooney books.
What should I read after Normal People by Sally Rooney?
If you enjoyed reading Normal People, I’d definitely recommend reading Sally Rooney’s other books.
I’d also recommend reading the following books that I felt had a similar theme to Normal People:
This book is featured on the following lists:
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