Name: Normale mensen
Rating: 3.776626691932864 (3694 reviews)
ISBN: 9789026343445

Sally Rooney

Gerda G. Baardman

De relatie van een Ierse jongen met zijn klasgenote loopt anders dan zij had gehoopt omdat hij niet 100% voor haar kiest.

Normale mensen

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the celebrated author of Conversations with Friends comes "a stunning novel about the transformative power of relationships" (People), hailed as "a masterpiece, pure and simple" (Minneapolis Star Tribune). "Among the vast cohort of new millennial novelists, none are connecting with readers as intimately, or generating as much excitement, as Sally Rooney."--Entertainment Weekly WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARD * WINNER OF THE COSTA NOVEL AWARD * LONGLISTED FOR: THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE * THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE * THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION * THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE * THE KERRY GROUP IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He's popular and well-adjusted, star of the school football team, while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her job at Marianne's house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers--one they are determined to conceal. 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. Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship. Praise for Normal People "[Rooney] has been hailed as the first great millennial novelist for her stories of love and late capitalism . . . [she writes] some of the best dialogue I've read."--The New Yorker "Arguably the buzziest novel of the season, Sally Rooney's elegant sophomore effort . . . is a worthy successor to Conversations With Friends. Here, again, she unflinchingly explores class dynamics and young love with wit and nuance."--The Wall Street Journal, "12 Best Books of Spring" "Keenly observed, deeply perceptive, and psychologically acute, Normal People brims with disarming insights into how men and women wrestle with sex, class, popularity, and young love."--Esquire, "Best Books to Read This Spring"

A Novel

Normal People

A Holder

Painfully and uncomfortably relatable. I want to curl up in a ball and sob. Five stars.

roofopiela

favourite quotes: “But there it is: literature moves him. One of his great professors calls it ‘the pleasure of being touched by great art.’ […] It suggests to Connell that the same imagination he uses as a reader is necessary to understand real people also, and to be intimate with them.” “Marianne, he said, I’m not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me.” all i can say is, sally’s writing is beautiful. i felt so connected to both connell and marianne and the way she so simply yet perfectly depicts ‘normal’ life is enlightening.

LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018 Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland. The similarities end there; they are from very different worlds. When they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, a connection that has grown between them lasts long into the following years. This is an exquisite love story about how a person can change another person's life - a simple yet profound realisation that unfolds beautifully over the course of the novel. It tells us how difficult it is to talk about how we feel and it tells us - blazingly - about cycles of domination, legitimacy and privilege. Alternating menace with overwhelming tenderness, Sally Rooney's second novel breathes fiction with new life.

ikkychan

Sally Rooney’s Normal People
 delves deeply into the intricacies of modern relationships, presenting a poignant exploration of the emotional and psychological struggles that define the bond between its protagonists, Connell and Marianne. Far from conventional romantic narratives, the novel examines how issues such as insecurity, emotional abuse, and the search for validation shape their connection. Through nuanced character development and unflinching portrayals of vulnerability, Rooney captures the ways internal conflicts and societal pressures can simultaneously fracture and fortify a relationship. By analyzing the interplay of these struggles, Normal People offers a compelling commentary on love, self-worth, and the enduring complexities of human intimacy. Marianne Sheridan is not a popular girl at school, despite her stellar academic performance. She is shunned and ridiculed behind her back, a sentiment she willingly reciprocates by distancing herself from the entire high school community. The only exception is Connell Waldron, whose mother works as a cleaner in Marianne’s home. Connell is the only classmate who treats her as though there is nothing wrong with her, in stark contrast to the rest of the school. This unexpected kindness sparks something within Marianne, leading her to see Connell in a new light. As their affection grows, their relationship begins to expose the darker corners of their inner lives that they both conceal behind façades of indifference and cold detachment: their deep insecurities. Connell’s insecurity is deeply tied to his self-worth, which he derives from the perceptions of others, particularly his peers. His need to conform to the expectations of friends like Roband Eric leads him to internalize their dismissive attitudes toward intellectual pursuits, women, and even Marianne’s social standing. When Marianne questions whether his friends know he reads outside school, Connell responds defensively, deflecting criticism of their behavior. This reaction reveals his tendency to prioritize their approval over his own intellectual identity. Similarly, their mocking comments about his mother’s job as a cleaner for Marianne’s family expose Connell’s discomfort with class distinctions and his vulnerability to ridicule. His passive responses to these taunts reflect a deep anxiety about being judged for his socio-economic background. This fear of social rejection and maintaining appearances heavily affected his relationship with Marianne. His reluctance to publicly acknowledge their relationship stems from his concern about how others might perceive him. Telling Marianne to keep their relationship a secret at school demonstrates his belief that associating with her could lead to ostracism or ridicule. This insecurity is rooted in past humiliations, such as his peers dissecting his sexual experiences in the locker room, turning private moments into public spectacle. These experiences reinforce his instinct to hide parts of himself, including his genuine feelings for Marianne. Despite his attachment to his friends’ approval, Connell gradually recognizes the harm their behavior causes. His discomfort during the Debs, where Rob shows naked photos of Lisa, reflects Connell’s growing disillusionment with his social circle. He criticizes Rob, which Rob dismisses with a homophobic slur, further alienating Connell from his peers. Connell’s relationship with Rachel, pursued out of social convenience, highlights his loneliness and inability to reconcile his authentic self with the image he presents to others. His unhappiness in the relationship underscores the futility of basing his choices on external approval. A pivotal moment comes when Connell realizes that “no one cared” about his relationship with Marianne. When Eric casually mentions knowing about his relationship with Marianne, Connell is struck by the insignificance of the secret he had guarded so anxiously. This moment reveals the hollowness of his sacrifices, made to avoid a judgment that never truly materialized. Connell’s apology to Marianne for projecting his anxiety onto her demonstrates his growing self-awareness. He begins to understand that his actions were driven by his internal struggles, not by any real threat from others. Connell’s journey illustrates the damaging effects of relying on external validation to define self-worth. His fear of judgment traps him in a cycle of self-denial, straining his relationships and causing personal dissatisfaction. Over time, he starts to disentangle his identity from social perception, though this process comes with significant emotional consequences for both himself and Marianne. Rooney uses Connell’s experience to explore the painful but necessary work of reconciling self-identity with authenticity, shedding light on the toll such struggles take on intimate connections. On the other hand, Marianne’s deep insecurity and distorted sense of self-worth are rooted in her toxic family dynamics. Her mother, Denise, normalizes aggression, framing it as a response to Marianne’s so-called "frigid" personality. This persistent dehumanization reinforces the belief that Marianne is inherently unlovable and deserving of mistreatment. Alan’s bullying—verbal, physical, and psychological—further erodes her confidence, teaching her to detach rather than resist. His mocking of her smile and insults to her intelligence diminish her attempts at self-assertion, making them seem futile and laughable. Denise’s dismissal of Alan’s behavior as mere “sibling rivalry” invalidates Marianne’s experiences, leaving her confused and doubtful about whether her suffering is even legitimate. Over time, Marianne internalizes this blame, questioning whether she deserves the abuse and whether something is intrinsically wrong with her. Her focus on academic achievement becomes a coping mechanism, offering a rare sense of control and purpose. In a household where love and acceptance are withheld, her academic success is one of the few areas where she feels valued. However, her achievements are resented by Alan and dismissed by her family, failing to translate into genuine self-worth. The disdain for her emotional needs and absence of meaningful relationships push Marianne further into intellectual pursuits, which allow her to avoid relying on others for validation. Despite her accomplishments, the lack of support and acknowledgment from her family reinforces her feelings of inadequacy. Marianne’s placid smiles and lack of retaliation reveal her learned strategy of placating aggressors to minimize conflict. This coping mechanism extends to her relationships, where she tolerates mistreatment, believing it to be inevitable or deserved. Her dismissal of Alan’s physical abuse as something she "doesn’t mind that much" highlights how deeply normalized such behavior has become. Psychological abuse, however, leaves a more profound impact, reinforcing her belief that she is unworthy of kindness or love. Her question to Connell—“Why can’t I make people love me?”—reflects this ingrained need for external validation, stemming from her family’s rejection. This need traps her in unhealthy relationships, where she endures cruelty to maintain a sense of connection. Marianne’s isolation, compounded by a lack of close friendships and strained family relationships, leaves her emotionally vulnerable. Her interactions with others are overshadowed by her belief that she is fundamentally unlovable. Even Connell’s reassurances fail to break through her deeply entrenched self-perception. She often misinterprets his neutral or supportive remarks as veiled criticism, as seen when she accuses him of thinking she deserves her family’s abuse. Marianne’s toxic family environment—a web of neglect, abuse, and invalidation—has profoundly damaged her sense of self-worth. It has instilled in her the belief that she is flawed and deserving of mistreatment. While she seeks refuge in academic success, this achievement offers only a fragile escape, leaving her trapped in cycles of self-doubt and submission. Her inability to advocate for herself or believe in her own value stems from a lifetime of being conditioned to accept rejection and mistreatment as natural and inevitable. The ending of Normal People poignantly captures the depth of care and transformative love Connell and Marianne share. Their relationship, characterized by emotional vulnerability and mutual growth, reaches a bittersweet culmination as they confront the possibility of physical separation. This scene highlights their selflessness and underscores how profoundly their bond has shaped their identities and futures. The metaphor of the “two little plants sharing the same plot of soil” encapsulates the intertwining of their lives, sometimes uncomfortably, yet always in ways that foster resilience and growth. Marianne’s realization that “he brought her goodness like a gift and now it belongs to her” signifies her transformation. Through Connell’s love and respect, she has overcome feelings of unworthiness and built a foundation of self-worth she can carry forward, even in his absence. Similarly, Connell’s admission that he looks up to Marianne reflects how she has inspired him to view himself differently, instilling confidence in his creative potential and encouraging him to pursue previously unattainable opportunities. The ending acknowledges that separation will inevitably alter their relationship. Marianne’s thought that “he probably won’t come back, or he will, differently” conveys the reality of change brought by time and distance. Yet, this recognition does not diminish the significance of their bond. Marianne’s acceptance of potential loss—“for her, the pain of loneliness will be nothing to the pain that she used to feel, of being unworthy”—illustrates her growth. While loneliness may linger, she now possesses an inner strength and self-worth that Connell helped her discover. Ultimately, the ending reflects their prioritization of each other’s well-being and potential over immediate desires. Their love, though imperfect and constrained by circumstance, has been a catalyst for personal transformation. The possibility of separation, while painful, is portrayed as an extension of their love—a testament to their willingness to let the other flourish. This bittersweet resolution underscores a central theme of the novel: that love, even when imperfect, has the power to profoundly and positively change people. This is the only Sally Rooney book I truly enjoyed reading, especially compared to her other titles, primarily because it depicts meaningful character growth (albeit more for Connell than Marianne). I sincerely hope she explores deeper or more empowered relationships in her future works—perhaps even taking inspiration from Studio Ghibli—since I found her other books deeply disappointing. P.S. I want to address some problematic parts of the story. First, there are troubling aspects of Normal People's portrayal of body image and eating habits, particularly concerning Marianne. Sally Rooney's treatment of Marianne’s thinness and problematic eating behaviors is depicted without critique or acknowledgment of their harmful implications, which raises concerns about the story’s implicit messaging. Marianne’s thinness is repeatedly emphasized and glorified as a defining characteristic, often in ways that evoke frailty or delicacy. For instance, Connell observes that “she feels thin” and later thinks she “looked, almost frail.” Thinness is subtly linked to elegance or beauty, as Connell’s email compares her to deer, described as “elegant” with “nice sleek bodies.” The metaphor reinforces the idea that thinness is an ideal state, aligning her physical form with grace and desirability. Joanna, described as overweight and wearing “a long shapeless garment like a maternity dress,” serves as a contrasting figure to Marianne. The unflattering depiction of Joanna subtly reinforces a cultural bias that associates thinness with beauty, sophistication, and worth, while portraying larger bodies as undesirable or sloppy. Marianne’s eating habits—skipping meals, subsisting on minimal food, and her irregular patterns—are clearly indicative of disordered eating. Her eating only “a tangerine and a piece of unbuttered toast” for lunch, consistently consuming only a “black coffee with brown sugar” and a “lemon pastry roll” for breakfast and eating again only late at night, her intentional “slow eating” to “feel less hungry,” suggest an unhealthy relationship with food, yet the narrative fails to explore or critique these habits as problematic. Instead, they are normalized or even romanticized, aligning with the depiction of her thinness as desirable. By failing to address Marianne’s eating habits as an issue, the narrative risks normalizing or glamorizing disordered eating. Readers might interpret these behaviors as part of Marianne’s enigmatic or intellectual persona, rather than recognizing them as unhealthy. The association of thinness with elegance and beauty, particularly when contrasted with Joanna’s portrayal, perpetuates harmful societal standards. This messaging can reinforce stereotypes and pressure for readers to view thinness as inherently more valuable. —-------------------------- The second issue with Marianne’s character concerns her profession, which significantly contrasts the intellectual prowess and academic achievements she exhibits earlier in the narrative. The depiction of her job as an unfulfilling and ambiguous administrative role undermines her previously established identity as a highly capable and intelligent individual. Marianne is consistently portrayed as intellectually gifted, deeply engaged in her studies, and part of an academic world that values critical thinking and rigorous analysis. She attends seminars on complex topics like modern France and Palestine’s political freedom, reinforcing her status as an intellectual force. Her sharp intellect and ambition form a central aspect of her identity, setting her apart from others in the narrative and aligning her with characters who value intellectual pursuits. Marianne’s job, which involves answering emails and handling mundane administrative tasks for a seemingly unproductive boss, starkly contrasts her academic accomplishments. Her responsibilities are banal, unchallenging, and disconnected from her intellectual identity. Her work environment is dismissive of her abilities, with her boss’s provocations (like lighting cigarettes) illustrating his disregard for professionalism or respect. His reliance on cash payments adds an air of illegitimacy or triviality to her employment. Marianne’s career could have been a powerful narrative tool to showcase her growth and resilience. A more fulfilling or intellectually demanding profession might have demonstrated how she overcame her personal challenges and embraced her potential. Instead, the narrative sidelines this opportunity, presenting a career path that feels at odds with her capabilities and academic accomplishments. The disconnect between Marianne’s academic achievements and her uninspiring profession creates an inconsistency in her characterization. It weakens the earlier depiction of her as a driven and thoughtful individual, leaving readers questioning why she doesn’t pursue a role that aligns with her capabilities. The depiction of Marianne’s job also subtly underscores gendered power dynamics. She works for a male boss who flaunts his intelligence and provocatively tests her patience, yet she remains silent and compliant. This dynamic highlights her subordinate role and the imbalance of power, which could have been explored to critique systemic issues, but the story leaves this tension unresolved. —-------------------------- The last issue that I want to talk about is Marianne’s persistent insecurity that dampens the impact of her earlier growth and the reassurance Connell offers. Despite earlier moments of support and improvement, such as Connell's affirmations of her worth, Marianne’s insecurities resurface repeatedly, undermining her development. At the end of the book, she still doubts Connell’s loyalty, jumping to conclusions about his feelings for Sadie, Connell’s editor, despite his repeated reassurances. Her question, “Are you in love with her?”, and subsequent behavior, such as avoiding eye contact and nervously rearranging the towel, highlight her emotional fragility. This insecurity feels misaligned with the earlier progress in her relationship with Connell, where his declarations of love and understanding seemed to provide her with reassurance. Connell’s statement, “Yeah, which is you,” serves as a direct and powerful affirmation that she is the person who understands him best. However, Marianne’s inability to fully internalize this reassurance weakens its impact. The narrative thus dampens the significance of Connell’s earlier efforts to validate Marianne, making her character’s progress appear stagnant or circular rather than transformative. At the same time, I understand that the portrayal of Marianne’s ongoing struggles aligns with the realism of psychological healing. Transformations, especially those tied to deep-seated insecurities, are rarely linear or complete. It reminds me that Marianne’s journey is complex and that even with Connell’s support, she must navigate her internal challenges independently. While this realism adds depth to her character, it still frustrates me because I expect her to demonstrate more substantial growth. Her repeated doubts and insecurities can feel redundant, especially when juxtaposed with Connell’s steady support and clarity. This tension between realistic portrayal and narrative satisfaction creates a sense of incompletion in Marianne’s arc. All in all, a good read, great love story, unconventional characters arc, but the perpetual dissonance between the narrative’s sentiments and actions left me feeling unsatisfied.

Gente Normal / Normal People

A mi parecer la relación si acabo siendo tóxica, Marianne dependía de Connel al ser uno de los pocos hombres en su vida que no han tratado de aprovecharse de su carácter autodestructivo. 

El libro en sí está bien, una historia entretenida y nada malo como tal, pero no es mi tipo de narrativa o mi estilo de ahí la puntuación. Si estás tratando de dejar libros de romance puro e iniciarte en cosas un poco más profundas está muy bien. 

Maria

A mi parecer la relación si acabo siendo tóxica, Marianne dependía de Connel al ser uno de los pocos hombres en su vida que no han tratado de aprovecharse de su carácter autodestructivo. 

El libro en sí está bien, una historia entretenida y nada malo como tal, pero no es mi tipo de narrativa o mi estilo de ahí la puntuación. Si estás tratando de dejar libros de romance puro e iniciarte en cosas un poco más profundas está muy bien. 

nonreggo

the first night after starting this I dreamed of my evil situationship

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER; LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE: A wondrously wise, genuinely unputdownable novel from Sally Rooney, winner of the 2017 Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award (at 26, tied with Zadie Smith for the youngest-ever recipient)--the quintessential coming-of-age love story for our time. Connell Waldron is one of the most popular boys in his small-town high school--he is a star of the football team, an excellent student, and never wanting for attention from girls. The one thing he doesn't have is money. Marianne Sheridan, a classmate of Connell's, has the opposite problem. Marianne is plain-looking, odd, and stubborn, and while her family is well-off, she has no friends to speak of. There is, however, a deep and undeniable connection between the two teenagers, one that develops into a secret relationship. Everything changes when both Connell and Marianne are accepted to Trinity College. Suddenly Marianne is well-liked and elegant, holding court with her intellectual friends while Connell hangs at the sidelines, not quite as fluent in language of the elite. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle each other, falling in and out of romance but never straying far from where they started. And as Marianne experiments with an increasingly dangerous string of boyfriends, Connell must decide how far he is willing to go to save his oldest friend. Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a novel that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the inescapable challenges of family and friendships. Normal People is a book that you will read in one sitting, and then immediately share with your friends.

While Normal People started off with promisingly simple yet intimate character insights, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated. Nothing particularly meaningful, significant, or plot-driven happened even a quarter of the way through. As a reader, I was left feeling confused as to what all the hype was about.

Rooney's distinctive writing style of omitting quotation marks also proved distracting for me. Without clear indicators of dialogue versus internal monologue, I struggled to discern when characters were actually conversing or had imagined exchanges playing out in their heads. This made following the interpersonal dynamics and emotional nuances more difficult than it needed to be.

By the 24% mark, my patience had worn thin, waiting for some semblance of a compelling storyline or memorable events to hook me in. As much as I wanted to understand the acclaim, the slow burn proved too slow for my tastes. Life is busy enough without slogging through minimal plot progression and analyzing sparse thoughts that left me feeling vaguely unfulfilled.

While Rooney is praised for her realistic portrayals of millennial angst and complex relationships, her work simply did not resonate with me on a personal level. Based on my experience with Normal People, I can confidently say I am not a "Sally Rooney girl," and I don’t feel compelled to further explore her catalog.

Tali ⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

While Normal People started off with promisingly simple yet intimate character insights, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated. Nothing particularly meaningful, significant, or plot-driven happened even a quarter of the way through. As a reader, I was left feeling confused as to what all the hype was about.

Rooney's distinctive writing style of omitting quotation marks also proved distracting for me. Without clear indicators of dialogue versus internal monologue, I struggled to discern when characters were actually conversing or had imagined exchanges playing out in their heads. This made following the interpersonal dynamics and emotional nuances more difficult than it needed to be.

By the 24% mark, my patience had worn thin, waiting for some semblance of a compelling storyline or memorable events to hook me in. As much as I wanted to understand the acclaim, the slow burn proved too slow for my tastes. Life is busy enough without slogging through minimal plot progression and analyzing sparse thoughts that left me feeling vaguely unfulfilled.

While Rooney is praised for her realistic portrayals of millennial angst and complex relationships, her work simply did not resonate with me on a personal level. Based on my experience with Normal People, I can confidently say I am not a "Sally Rooney girl," and I don’t feel compelled to further explore her catalog.

kitkat

Definiría el libro con una palabra GROWTH tanto Connel como Mariene son dos personas que van evolucionando y la relación de ellos también. El final me ha dejado un poco perpeleja porque fue un corte abrupto durante una conversación pero creo que entiendo lo que queria hacer rooney 

Нормални хора

Vera Zlateva

“Нормални хора” беше една от най-добрите книги, които прочетох през годината. Имах огромното щастие и чест да говоря за нея с две чудесни дами в подкаст, организиран от Storytel, можете да чуете какво си говорим тук: <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/X92uKelQE0s" rel="nofollow noopener">https://youtu.be/X92uKelQE0s</a>

OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES AND TOP FIVE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER THE BBC THREE ADAPTATION OF NORMAL PEOPLE WILL PREMIERE ON APRIL 26 WINNER OF THE COSTA NOVEL AWARD 2018 WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS NOVEL OF THE YEAR WINNER OF NOVEL OF THE YEAR AND BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS WINNER OF THE SPECSAVERS NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS INTERNATIONAL AUTHOR OF THE YEAR LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018 LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2019 Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in the west of Ireland, but the similarities end there. In 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. Normal People is a story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can't. 'The literary phenomenon of the decade.' - Guardian SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD 2019 SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ENCORE PRIZE 2019 LONGLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE 2019

Didn't enjoy it at all, the storylines were flat and the whole book seemed unstructured and meaningless. 

The characters didn't appeal to me as nice or very deep, which surprised me since the book was so hyped. Disappointed.

Bekki

Didn't enjoy it at all, the storylines were flat and the whole book seemed unstructured and meaningless. 

The characters didn't appeal to me as nice or very deep, which surprised me since the book was so hyped. Disappointed.

Joana Mae

I managed to finish the book, though by the halfway point I felt bored and was simply reading to complete it. The narrative has many glaring issues and lacks context throughout. While the story moves quickly with emotional ups and downs, it feels aimless. While I acknowledge this book has won many awards and adapted for a TV series, I don't understand the hype—it simply isn't for me.

Vale Ferrer

I read Normal People after finishing Conversations with Friends, and even though my expectations were already incredibly high because of how much I loved that book, Normal People somehow managed to affect me even more. I couldn’t help but feel deeply identified with Marianne in so many ways, which made it almost impossible to put the book down. I constantly wanted to know more, and I could never finish a chapter without immediately needing to continue reading. What impacted me the most was the communication, or rather, the lack of communication, between the main characters. It genuinely made me want to sit down and write about how essential communication is in human relationships and how much damage silence and assumptions can cause. This book made me fall in love with the characters while simultaneously breaking my heart. By the end, I was left wanting even more from them and their story. Without a doubt, this became one of my favorite books and climbed incredibly high in my personal ranking. I’d recommend it to absolutely everyone.

Normalni ludzie

Dalia

Boże ja nie wiem czemu Barack Obama kocha tą książke Bo w niej przede wszystkim było o: toksycznych relacjach , depresji , wykorzystywaniu się , patrzeie na siebie w najgorszym świetle Ogólnie książka po której macie ochotę wyskoczyć z okna Nie wiem na jakiej podstawie ona ma nam pomóc czy otworzyć oczy ale ja po niej pierwsze co to otworzyłam okno bo potrzebowałam świeżego powietrza. Jedynie co to może pokazać z czym borykają sie ludzie , ale żeby ona była chociaż dobrze napisana to nie liczcie na to :/

- i definitely see the appeal of sally rooney as a writer now. she has such a solid grasp on what it means to be young and unsure, but also hungry and full of desire. so many of her characters are desperate to receive validation, acceptance.... some kind of message to know they are loved despite their abnormalities. all her characters experience such traumatic inner worlds, yet by the time the book is over you feel so.... safe? comforted? loved?

- that being said, i have dramatically conflicted feelings for normal people. the whole experience was just.... painful, and exhausting. there is so much trauma and sadness packed into this little novel that i did not see coming, and it wasn’t until the VERY end where you are pulled back up from underwater. it’s emotionally draining and stressful at every moment it finds the opportunity to be so, and it brought out such extreme feelings of frustration, emptiness, and sheer terror that i closed the book unsure on if i actually enjoyed the experience or not

- connell was a monumental piece of shit and made me want to pull my hair out in nearly every chapter. marianne, the poor girl, deserves the whole world. some of the later chapters where she just shrinks into herself were unbearable, it was just cruel

- idk.... very unsure how i feel. i’ll definitely write an updated review in a couple months. truthfully, though, the first half (maybe two thirds) of the novel were filled with very negative feelings

smile??

- i definitely see the appeal of sally rooney as a writer now. she has such a solid grasp on what it means to be young and unsure, but also hungry and full of desire. so many of her characters are desperate to receive validation, acceptance.... some kind of message to know they are loved despite their abnormalities. all her characters experience such traumatic inner worlds, yet by the time the book is over you feel so.... safe? comforted? loved?

- that being said, i have dramatically conflicted feelings for normal people. the whole experience was just.... painful, and exhausting. there is so much trauma and sadness packed into this little novel that i did not see coming, and it wasn’t until the VERY end where you are pulled back up from underwater. it’s emotionally draining and stressful at every moment it finds the opportunity to be so, and it brought out such extreme feelings of frustration, emptiness, and sheer terror that i closed the book unsure on if i actually enjoyed the experience or not

- connell was a monumental piece of shit and made me want to pull my hair out in nearly every chapter. marianne, the poor girl, deserves the whole world. some of the later chapters where she just shrinks into herself were unbearable, it was just cruel

- idk.... very unsure how i feel. i’ll definitely write an updated review in a couple months. truthfully, though, the first half (maybe two thirds) of the novel were filled with very negative feelings

i wanted to like it so bad, but it comes of as erratic and i did not like the ending

Normale mensen

Reviews

Highlights