The plot of Normal People is totally linear, the setting is unexceptional, and the cast of characters is small. But the life force in Sally Rooney's 2018 bestseller hit me so hard that several months later I'm still in its grip. It's been a while since a novel so straightforward has lingered with me like this one.
Connell & Marianne are classmates with home lives that have little in common. Each struggles - as most adolescents do - with fitting in. They are both unsure how to navigate their growing fondness for one another. Complications ensue. It's a timeless story oft told, made fresh in Rooney's capable hands.
"For a few seconds they just stood there in stillness, his arms around her, his breath on her ear. Most people go through their whole lives, Marianne thought, without ever really feeling that close to anyone."
From the outset of my blog, I decided to keep posts terse. That decision has forced me to tame the hyperbole that could have otherwise overtaken me when recommending a book as rich as Normal People. If you've already read it, I hope you'll share your opinion of it with me here. If you haven't read it, I hope you do.
Pat, as you know from a book club discussion, I liked this book much better on a second reading. Sally Rooney's writing is masterful - all the more so given her young age. We can expect to see much more in the future. I have copious notes of passages that moved me. Having said that, the subject matter was not as enthralling for me. I appreciated the "Sturm und Drang" aspects of young people more on second reading but it is not a preferred theme. Bottom line is I would only recommend it to certain people and it would be for avid readers. People pressed for time might enjoy other books more.
ReplyDeleteInes; Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you gave the book a second shot for the club and that it paid off for you to do so, "Sturm and Drang" aside.
DeleteGood afternoon, Pat. While I have not yet read this novel, I do have a copy sitting on my shelf ... waiting. Interesting that you make mention how this book impacted you and that you are 'still in its grip'. There was an article in the New Yorker - May 18th, 2020, written by Anna Russell entitled - How "Normal People" Makes Us Fall In Love, which is about the TV Series based on the novel, but the point is clearly made. Reading this article moved me to purchase the book - Unfortunately still waiting to be read. Watching the series - I believe Season 2 is starting - is also a consideration. As always, your recommendations are always appreciated.
ReplyDeleteBe Well,
Bob
Hey Bob; Given this serendipity, I'd say it's time to pull that book off the shelf, no? Thanks for this comment and the other you made today. I'm off to respond to that next.
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