Normal People: A Novel: A Hulu Original Series

5/5 ☆☆☆☆☆ #andreeareviews I have finally read Normal People! I watched the show last year and loved the refreshing portrayal of a relationship that is not black and white; it’s complex, both joyful and painful, and follows the growth of the protagonists. Needless to say, I loved the book. I’ve been putting it off because this is the last Rooney novel that I haven’t read, and I am left with a massive book hungover that only another Rooney novel can fix. It’s impossible not to feel with the characters, from the awkwardness of the relationship to the impact of their personal trauma on it. It feels like Rooney reaches into your soul, turns it inside out and says: “Here, deal with this now.”. The writing is deceptively simple yet cuts straight to the heart. We met Marianne and Connell in high school. On the surface, Marianne is an ostracised, weird girl with no friends and an aloof attitude that puts people off. Connell is a popular guy, having lots of friends and being the object of interest of many girls. Connell’s mother works for Marianne’s household as a housekeeper; thus, Connell meets Marianne outside of school whenever he picks up his mom. Their brief interactions give birth first to a form of hidden friendship that turns into lust and then love as they get closer and more intimate. Their relationship is complicated in the true sense of the word and is deeply influenced by their trauma. Marianne was physically abused by her father; upon his death, the abuse continued with both her mother and brother physically and emotionally abusing her; she was ignored at home and at school, growing up without any friends and without being loved; in school, she was bullied and ostracised, becoming an apparently cold person, incapable of healthy attachment or love. She does not think she deserves to be loved, and I don’t think she knows what being loved really means. On the other hand, Connell has grown up with a single mother, never knowing her father. He felt loved and appreciated at home; however, he is an introverted, quiet person; nevertheless, this doesn’t stop him from making friends in school and being easygoing and attractive. Later on, however, in college (they both go to the same college), connecting with people becomes harder, and he feels burdened by his social background, coming from a working-class family and hanging out in a circle of rich individuals (such as Marianne). Their relationship evolves and devolves like a mesmerising dance from youth to young adulthood. They bring complexities into each other’s lives, driven by personal trauma, comfort, and a sense of having found home in that person who knows you and understands you fully. Connell, the quiet, brooding intellect, and Marianne, the sharp, unapologetic force of nature - their dynamic is a study of contrasts. Connell’s internal struggles, the perpetual feeling of not being “enough”, and Marianne’s journey from isolation to self-discovery and perhaps self-love (I am not certain she reached it by the end of the book, but it does feel like she’s on her way) - Rooney peels back the layers, revealing characters so achingly human. And this is what makes Rooney’s writing stand out for me: the incredibly relatable characters, with awkward moments, misunderstandings, and hardship, to communicate feelings and thoughts. The plot becomes, therefore, a canvas where their insecurities, desires, and mistakes point to a poignant picture of love, friendship, and the quest for identity. I said it before: Rooney is a master of dissecting the nuances of human connection. The themes of power, vulnerability, and societal expectations are woven into the narrative's fabric. The on-again-off-again nature of Marianne and Connell’s relationship isn’t just about love; it’s a mirror reflecting the intricacies of self-worth, societal pressures, and the messiness of growing up. The exploration of intimacy, both emotional and physical, is raw and unapologetic. Rooney does not shy away from the uncomfortable, and that’s where the magic happens. The power dynamics at play, the impact of societal expectations on individual choices - it’s a literary feast for readers hungry for substance. Finally, Normal People is not just a book for me; it’s a mirror reflecting the jagged edges of human relationships. Rooney doesn’t hand you answers on a silver platter; she hands you a mirror and says: “Look closely.”. In the end, you’re left with a breathtaking yet heartbreaking portrait of love and the messy, unfiltered journey toward self-acceptance, pondering long after the final page.

An excellent read from a brilliant young Irish writer. Not an action-packed, plot-driven book. The characters are what kept me reading. It's a compelling story of two young Irish kid coping with the times, their bizarre family histories, and the fall-out from the post-boom era. At no time was I tempted to not finish. I did find the ending abrupt and problematic, but I enjoyed the book immensely.

Sally Rooney Hogarth I had seen this book EVERYWHERE last year, and so I had bought it on Kindle when it was on sale last holiday season. However, I was getting so many books I wanted from the library I just kept pushing it back to read. So, here I am finally having read it, and with some mixed feelings at that. I recently saw that this book had been made into a series by BBC and is now available on Hulu. That may have been what pushed me to read the book now because I wanted to read it. But THEN, I’ve seen many reviews of the tv show that says it has a LOT of sex scenes in it with full-frontal nudity. And it’s not that I’m against that (I mean… have you seen Game of Thrones?), it’s more so that the sex wasn’t a HUGE part of the book, so not sure why it's so prevalent in the tv series. I’ll probably give it a watch eventually to see what it’s all about. But then again, I wasn’t that into the book so do I really care to watch the show? I’m not sure. ANYWAYS, getting to the book. It goes through the very weird and interesting lives of Connell and Marianne. Connell’s mom works for Marianne’s family when they are in school, and the two become friends which then develops into a secret relationship. The relationship becomes secret because Marianne isn’t well accepted by the other kids at school, and Connell is rather popular. Then the two of them both go to Trinity College, though at this point they are no longer in a relationship. They are both developing their own lives until they meet again at a party. It turns out that the tables have turned and now Connell is the one having trouble fitting in and Marianne is well-liked. It continues to go through the lives of Connell and Marianne continuing to always come back to each other. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. It didn’t really seem that the characters had much development, and the ending seemed the same as the beginning. I didn’t feel like much had changed from the beginning to the end. It was just kind of overall boring. I kept reading through it because I thought something was going to happen. Maybe give this one a read and let me know if you agree! *I paid for this book to own and read*

Do you ever consider the profound impact significant others have on your life? Decades ago, when our son was toddlerish, my husband and I took him into the country for a weekend. We rented a tiny, Eskom-free stone cottage in a dark valley. One night, with the boy asleep, we sat outside, dazzled by the night sky, and drank a bottle of wine. We’d been a couple for more than a decade by then and somehow began talking about how being together had shaped us as individuals and influenced our life decisions. It was a gentle, but remarkably illuminating discussion for both of us and about both of us. It's a conversation I regularly replay to myself to remember how lucky I am. I thought a great deal about that night as I read Sally Rooney’s novel, Normal People last week. Normal People tells the story about Marianne and Connell’s relationship, which begins when they’re at school in a small town in West Ireland and continues – on and off – for another four years while they’re at college in Dublin. It’s a tale with so many layers that, while my experience of reading it bordered on compulsive, I find it difficult to analyse – suffice to say that it’s not about the plot; it’s about the characters and their inner lives, and the writing. Rooney, who is 27-years-old, is widely feted as the next best thing, “one of the most exciting voices to emerge in an already crackerjack new generation of Irish writers”, and a “Salinger for the Snapchat generation”. I don’t dispute the praise. Her writing is extraordinarily elegant. Confident and uncluttered, it conveys an immediacy and ingenuousness that drew me in and held me from beginning to end, which came too soon. The story, I felt – shocked to discover I'd reached the final full stop – was unfinished, there were loose ends to tuck away. But, once I recovered, I realised the way it ends is part of its magic. Real relationships are forever evolving, eternally incomplete, and so it figures that a novel about relationships will be too. Normal People is told from both Marianne’s and Connell’s points of view. It reminded me how, no matter how well you think you know a person, your perceptions and understanding of what they say and mean can be skewed. The novel also shows how our identity, self-esteem and who we become as adults are bound to our upbringing – indefinitely. Marianne is from a wealthy, but unloving and dysfunctional family. Connell is from a poor, but loving family. It largely shapes who they are and how they relate to the world. The novel also examines the impact of bullying – both on victims and perpetrators. Ironically, I might not find the book easy to analyse, but I could go on forever, waffling about the many layers in Normal People. I daren’t though because then you might not feel compelled to read the book yourself, which would be a pity. A huge pity. Here’s a tiny sample of the writing to demonstrate what a humungous pity it would be: “Helen has given Connell a new way to live. It’s as if an impossibly heavy lid has been lifted off his emotional life and suddenly he can breathe fresh air. It is physically possible to type and send a message reading: I love you! It had never seemed possible before, not remotely, but in fact it’s easy. Of course if someone saw the messages he would be embarrassed, but he knows now that this is a normal kind of embarrassment, an almost protective impulse towards a particularly good part of life. He can sit down to dinner with Helen’s parents, he can accompany her to her friends’ parties, he can tolerate the smiling and the exchange of repetitive conversation. He can squeeze her hand while people ask him questions about his future. When she touches him spontaneously, applying a little pressure to his arm, or even reaching to brush a piece of lint off his collar, he feels a rush of pride, and hopes that people are watching them. To be known as her boyfriend plants him firmly in the social world, establishes him as an acceptable person, someone with a particular status, someone whose conversational silences are thoughtful rather than socially awkward." I’m not sure I feel changed after reading Normal People, but I do feel upgraded. And reminded about how life is a series of relationships, and how a few of them help shape who we are and how we live our lives. And that thinking about that and acknowledging those who positively influence us is important. And yes, Sally Rooney has a fan in me. My current read is her first novel, Conversations with Friends.

My stomach ached in an anxious way several times as I made my way through this book. Beautifully written but I can’t say I enjoyed the read. Marianne and Connell do come alive as people but meeting them has left me saddened. Throughout I was concerned that one of them would commit suicide — or they both would. This was a book to pay attention to as a reader. Having the direct quotes undistinguished from the narrative took some concentration. Both Connell and Marianne are so different from anyone in my sphere. May they find their way through the emotional morass of their personalities to truly appreciate the love between them.

I really enjoyed this book. 4.5 stars Strengths: -Page turner. It hooked me right away, and never let go. -Emotional complexity. It felt nice to get to know the characters deeply. They were well-developed. -Perceptive criticisms. There were some nice commentaries on status games, art, and douchey people Things that bothered me: -Kinky-shaming. I’m kinky, and I think this book portrays kink in a pretty negative, and extremely narrow light. BDSM is already a very misunderstood subculture, and this book just added fuel to that fire -Plot relies on bad communication. I’m so sick of romance books and shows developing a plot based on characters’ inability to be honest w how they feel and what they want 😵‍💫. And this book fell prey to that -The book jumps from present to past a lot. It felt a little unnecessary, and confusing at times. I'd often forget we were in the past, and then I'd get brought back to the present. -Try-hard. Just a little bit. I can't pin down why, but I had the theory tha tthe author really wanted to come off as perceptive and clever. But some of her descriptions just felt like she was trying too hard. -No quotations! Minor thing, but when characters speak, there are no quotation marks! I never really adjusted and didn't like this style edit. All in all though, great book. I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely read another novel by the author.

Brilliant novel from a young Irish writer. Fully developed characters interacting over many years from high school to college to adulthood. Easy to picture locations in Ireland. Realistic situations and relationships--through good times and difficulties. The Hulu series is faithful to Rooney's novel and brilliantly acted. Both novel and series offer though-provoking story about likable and compelling characters.

Connell and Marianne grew up in the same small town, but the similarities end there. At school, Connell is popular and well liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation—awkward but electrifying—something life changing begins. A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. And as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other. My Thoughts: There was something very painful about watching the way Connell and Marianne came together and pulled apart over time. The push and pull of their connection to one another was like a dance, but one that was awkward and hurtful. Normal People felt so ironic, in that the two of them seemed to go out of their way to avoid connecting with each other. Their inability to communicate their true feelings felt like a phase in the beginning since the young often cannot say what they truly mean to one another. Their near misses could “normally” be this off in the adolescent stages, but these two kept up their blundering and stumbling shuffle for many years, well into college and beyond. Their disparate backgrounds and dysfunctional families did not help them learn better ways to be together, but in the end, I gave a painful sigh when they stumbled upon ways to talk to one another in a halting fashion. Finally. This book was difficult to read, not only because of the constantly shifting emotions, but the writing style was off-putting, with its absence of quotation marks that made the communication seem even more challenging to follow. A worthwhile read, once the reader gets through the “stumbling” parts. 4 stars.

I almost read this book in one-go and I'm not a huge reader. Their relationship is so fragile yet so strong throughout the probably one of the most difficult time: the transition of high school to college year. It felt like I was in it, standing and seeing this couple struggle and grow. Can't wait to see the tv show on bbc now.

Book review: Normal People by Sally Rooney "Life is a thing you bring with you inside your own head." Connell comes from a working class family, quite famous at his high school and is much loved by his friends. Whereas, Marianne belonging to an upper class family, is a loner and much hated. They both seem distant at school, but when they meet after school hours, they are completely different people. What seems to be a purely sexual relationship soon turns platonic. Over a period of time, sometimes together, sometimes far apart, we see Connell and Marianne finding solace in each other's company despite of multiple challenges they both face. Read this book for its- 1. Writing: Different timelines for each chapter, yet the way she has written this book, nothing seems amiss. The chapter starts in the present, but comes full circle, keeping us in the loop with the whole story. 2. Characters: Yes, Connell and Marianne are unbelievably frustrating at times, especially when it comes to their relationship with each other, but that makes them even more relatable and real. You can't help but root for them, even though you might've never been in the same shoes. 3. Plot: Rooney has captured the complexities of every relationship beautifully. I know, sometimes their relationship seemed too dramatic, yet time and again, she has given us the whole picture as to why they are-the way they are! 4. Ending: "All these years, they've been like two little plants sharing the same plot of soil, growing around one another, contorting to make room, taking certainly unlikely positions." This might seem like a story of two messed up people, complicating their lives with sex rather than acknowledging what they mean to each other. But I love how their stories come together in the end, how their bond is stronger than ever and how much they've changed each other, along with supporting one another. My only concern was Marianne's dynamics with her family, I wish it was explored more. I am so glad I read this one despite of all the mixed reviews that I came across. I get the hype for this one, positive or negative, this book definitely grabs your attention! 5🌟

Inte läst än och för er som inte vet så finns det inga " eller - för dialoger så ni är förberedda på det

Llegó perfecto y me encanto, muy buen libro y me encanta como los personajes son profundos y van evolucionando a lo largo de la trama.

Most people will find the author’s writing style odd but for me it is perfect as it portrays the raw emotions and interactions between characters. The story is simple but its incredibly heartbreaking.