I’ll be discussing Normal People, a novel by Irish author Sally Rooney, this week! Normal People is Rooney’s most popular novel, and I also think it’s the best one to read first. Normal People is what got me into Rooney, and I’ve read her other two books (which I definitely recommend if you like Normal People) because of this book. Normal People also has a popular Hulu series (I’m halfway through it), and it’s a story that a lot of people love and connect with.

The story follows the two main characters, Marianne and Connell, as they graduate high school and go off to college. It’s set in their small Irish town where Connell is a popular, football player and Marianne is an outcast. Marianne doesn’t really care that she’s ostracized by her peers. Whereas Connell is extremely self-conscious of what his classmates think. Connell’s mother works as Marianne’s family’s housekeeper, and through that forced proximity, they start to build up a friendship and relationship. As they transition into college, the book continues to follow their relationship but also their individual character development.

Some important things to know about the book before reading:

1. Rooney does not use quotation marks for dialogue. I know that sounds awful, but it honestly is not that annoying when reading. I also found that you don’t have to pay more attention to figure out what’s being spoken and thought because there are lots of indicators for when characters speak.
2. The plot jumps around in time. Even though it follows their relationship from high school to university, the plot is not chronological. There are plenty of indicators (especially the chapter titles) that let you know what time period the chapter is in.
3. This book isn’t for everyone. It’s very sad at times, and it’s more of a character driven story. There aren’t huge events in the plot, and much of the story focuses on the development and interactions between Marianne and Connell. There are times where you just feel so unsettled and sad (especially for Marianne). However, I don’t need every book to be completely happy. I think if a book can make me feel something, whether it be good or bad emotions, then the story is doing its job (I also love books that wreck my emotions, so this might just be a me thing). With that being said, if you know you don’t do well with sadder stories then this might not be the book for you.

Now with all the basics covered here are some of the reasons why I like Normal People:

1. 1. The setting
      1. I love books set in different countries, and the book is primarily set in Ireland (although they do travel around Europe for parts of it). Reading about characters in a similar age group going though universal experiences but within their own country and culture is so interesting.
   2. The relationship
      1. Okay, when I first read this book, I thought it was going to be a rom-com. After I finished it, I remember thinking to myself, “that is not what I expected at all,” and I was a little let down. I was being stupid. While the romance is a heavy part of the plot and story, it’s not a perfect, happy relationship. It’s very raw and emotional, but it also has its ups and downs (heavy emphasis on the downs). When I read it for the second time, I had a greater appreciation for the relationship because it’s really about showing messy, complicated relationships that will be more like reality. However, there are still some cute moments, and you do end up rooting for them.
   3. Connell
      1. Connell is my favorite character in the entire book. When I first read it, I didn’t really connect with him that much. On my second time reading, Connell quickly became my favorite. I relate to him way too much, and there were times where it weirdly felt like Rooney reached into my head and wrote down my own thoughts.
   4. “I’m not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me.”
      1. This quote.

Overall, I would read Normal People if you like a character driven plot that has some romance aspects but primarily focuses on the development of Marianne and Connell’s characters. Also, I will say from what I’ve watched of the Hulu series, it’s one of the better book-to-screen adaptations. I’ve found that it stays accurate to the plot, and the characters are how I picture them (especially Connell). This is one of my favorite books and I continuously come back to it, so that’s gotta count for something

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/how-normal-people-makes-us-fall-in-love

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jun/27/book-review-normal-people-by-sally-rooney/