It feels like everyone and their mother read Normal People by Sally Rooney this year (myself included). As I finished the final page of the novel, I experienced an overwhelming emotional hangover. What just happened? What did I just experience with this story?
This hangover feeling from a book wasn’t new. Plenty of engaging novels have given me pause after finishing them. This usually stems from being so in love with the characters or the world of the book that I need to reset my brain to re-engage with my own reality. The interesting thing about Normal People is that, for a character-driven novel, I actually don’t love the main characters. This isn’t to say that Marianne and Connell aren’t beautifully written, complex human beings; they are. Even though Normal People is one of the best novels I’ve read in 2020, and I still don’t see myself being Marianna and Connell’s friend, would never date one of them, and definitely don’t want to be them.
Knowing this, why do I like this book so much? Rooney beautifully distills the feelings and messy realities of growing up and learning to navigate the world and relationships. Marianne and Connell are infuriating in their miscommunication over and over and over again. But how many times have I been in a similar place with a friend or loved one? Multiple. The beauty of these characters is in the frustrating aspects of their actions. Both are playing an internal game of tug-of-war to balance what society says they should want and the one that they are actually drawn to. Duty vs desire. This is such a human experience, and something I tackle often. In fact, one of my biggest fears in life is that, on my deathbed, I’ll regret the times in my life where I’ve opted to do what I think is expected of me rather than what I really want. This internal struggle is what Rooney does best. So, I devoured Normal People in a little over 24 hours, and am now obsessed with a book with deeply flawed main characters and their genius author.
I picked up her debut novel, Conversations with Friends, immediately after finishing Normal People. I tore through it just as fast and was equally obsessed with the messy give-and-take of the relationships. This novel carries many of the same themes as Normal People, but follows completely different characters and scenarios, focusing on Frances and her relationship with her best friend/ex-girlfriend Bobbi and their romantic attachments, or lack-there-of to a married couple, Nick and Melissa. Again, it’s beautiful and frustrating and human. To me, some of the themes were a little more well-refined with Normal People, but still well-executed in Conversations with Friends.
In conclusion: Rooney is great. I love her. You can find me anxiously awaiting, and then furiously reading, all of her future works. Her writing is achingly human and something I think anyone can enjoy and connect with. If you like having your insecurities about life poked at, and want to read unconventional, dark, contemporary romances, Rooney is a perfect fit.
If you’re looking to start your own love affair with Sally Rooney, you can get Normal People and Conversations with Friends at the links below:
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
And…. as always here’s the link to my Goodreads account if you’d like to keep up with what I’m currently reading or are interested in finding book recommendations!
Much love,
Taylor