I'm going to do my best to keep my thoughts about the BBC drama of Normal People separate from the book because I watched it between reading the book and writing this review. I read Conversations with Friends by the same author last year and really wasn't a fan, but I decided to stick with it and give Normal People a go. It was definitely better, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it anywhere near as much as I did on screen because wow do I fancy Connell or Marianne more?
Normal People is told from two perspectives: Connell's and Marianne's. They're two teens living in Ireland who go to the same school. Whilst Connell is popular, Marianne is not, which is why he insists that they keep their sexual relationship a secret. Whilst Connell's grown up in a very poor one parent household filled with love, Marianne's home is rich in money but poor in love. They're drawn to each other and despite their differences, fall in love.
The chapters of the book take place every few months over a number of years, following the pair through school, university and beyond as they gravitate in and out of love and friendship. The pair attend the same university where the popularity balance is inverted, with Connell struggling to find his place there and Marianne really thriving.
For a book that's part of the literary realist genre I did quite enjoy this. I liked the fact that the pair never had a 'perfect' relationship and things didn't seem unrealistic. There was a lot of discussion around mental health issues, including mention of suicide, depression and anxiety. The book also opened up a lot of conversation around sexual assault and domestic abuse, so I'd send a big trigger warning around that. It really taps into both emotional abuse and physical abuse, highlighting that both can have intense effects on people.
I gave this three stars and would recommend it if you're a fan of Ordinary People, Sally Rooney's writing, or literary realism in general.
I found this book to be such an odd experience. These two were such a mess, and I found I couldn't stop reading although at the same time I couldn't understand them.
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