Normal People by Sally Rooney | Book Review

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.

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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!

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Mr Salary by Sally Rooney | Book Review

Mr Salary by Sally Rooney
Published by Faber & Faber, 2019
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

***

I was starting to feel like the only person in the bookish community yet to try author-of-the-moment, Sally Rooney. Seeing that she had a short story published as part of the recent Faber Stories series (small and inexpensive volumes released to mark their 90th anniversary), I jumped at the chance to sample her narrative voice. Having now done so, I fully understand the hype.

Being so brief, I won’t go into any specifics regarding plot. But I will say that I was greatly impressed by Rooney’s deceptively simple yet shrewdly observant look at the power dynamic between our central characters – a woman in her early 20s, and a man in his late 30s. From the very first page, I had a clear sense of who these people were as individuals, and the nature of the relationship between them. The tone was almost voyeuristic, and it worked so well.

What’s really interesting, looking through reviews, is the split between those who find Sukie and Nathan’s relationship charming, and those who find it toxic. This discrepancy, and the ability to interpret things so differently is, I think, very deliberate. It reflects the uncertainty that the characters themselves feel about succumbing to the sexual tension between them, and is testament to Rooney’s deft yet subtle execution.

With Sukie also dealing with her father’s illness, this became, to me, a fascinating rumination on the parallel between being on the brink of love, and being in the presence of impending death; and how a closeness to both can blind us to reality. If this is what she can do with a short story, I can’t wait to try one of Rooney’s novels.

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If you fancy picking up a copy of Mr Salary, you can find it on Book Depository with free international shipping by clicking here. If you’ve already read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!