Normal People by Sally Rooney
Published by Faber & Faber, 2018
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Normal People is a quiet powerhouse of a novel. Shrewdly observant, to the point of feeling almost voyeuristic, we follow Connell and Marianne as they attempt to navigate the complexities of life, and to make sense of their feelings for one another.
Rooney captures the angst of young love in a way that avoids all the pitfalls of a typical romance novel. Indeed, to class this as a romance would feel somehow dismissive of how fully it encapsulates the human experience. Never have I seen an author so successfully reflect the frustration and anxiety of over-analysing everything someone says and does; the paranoia of wanting to be wanted.
As circumstances repeatedly push Connell and Marianne to and from each another, the novel examines various forms of miscommunication, and the notion of wasted opportunities. Chief amongst these is the failure to understand our own feelings, let alone how to articulate them to those around us. Through her characters’ interactions, Rooney also explores the idea that the ones we love are the ones we hurt the most; the unique brand of power that comes with mutual affection, and the need for affirmation to combat our own self-loathing. The reality of modern-day class divides, and the bewilderment of trying to move between social circles, is also handled with aplomb.
Reading this was almost painful at times, so many of my own experiences looking back at me from the page. As such, I felt hugely invested in the characters, utterly convinced by their authenticity. And whilst it would be easy for some to dismiss Rooney’s prose as simplistic, there’s an honesty and a perceptiveness to her work that belies its readability.
This is one of those books that I loved so much, it’s difficult to talk about without resorting to rudimentary gushing. I simply want to urge as many people as possible to experience it for themselves. If Sally Rooney truly is the author-of-the-moment, long may she reign.
***
You can pick up a copy of Normal People from Book Depository by clicking here. If you’ve already read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Sally Rooney is my hero. I just love the way she writes. And while I think that Conversations With Friends is the better book (might be personal preference more than anything though) I cannot see myself not giving this five stars when I finish. She just expertly breaks my heart.
I’m excited to hear your thoughts once you’ve finished this! I can’t believe it took me this long to pick up one of Rooney’s novels.
Oh, you haven’t read Conversations With Friends?! You’re in for a treat. I loved loved loved this.
Not yet! I’m very excited for it now though.
Coincidence… I finished this book yesterday and I’m about to write my review! Let’s just say I didn’t like it as much as everyone else does… But I’m glad you’re a fan 🙂
Small world! 😊
That’s a shame. Still, I’m intrigued to hear your thoughts. Out of interest, have you read Rooney’s other novel? I haven’t yet, but a lot of people seem to strongly favour one or the other, which is interesting.
I also heard that people prefer one over the other… but actually I liked neither of them! I would say Normal People is better than Conversations in terms of style and accomplishment. It seems that Sally Rooney is not for me!
That’s a pity! Still, we can’t like ‘em all, and at least you know you gave her a fair shot 😊
Wonderful review! I also adored this novel, but struggled to review it because I have such a hard time articulating why I loved it- you do a great job of that. I’ve never encountered a book with such depth that’s also so readable on the surface, and the combination is just phenomenal. I also loved Conversations with Friends, but Normal People hit me the hardest. This is one of the titles I would love to see as the Women’s Prize winner this year!
Thank you so much! Absolutely, she gets the balance just right. I can’t wait to try Conversations with Friends now.
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Love, love, love this review. Any book that makes a reviewer pause at the idea of expressing just how good it is … Sign me up!
Ah, thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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