Reading Sally Rooney’s ‘Normal People’, Should You?

An opinion piece on one of the most popular modern classic novels of all time

— If I could put into words how this book affected me, this article would be too short, too complicated. To preface, I am an avid reader, but even readers have their slumps. I have read hundreds of novels in my life (yes, kinda quoting Hardin Scott there), I have read amazing books, terrible ones, mediocre books that have long since been forgotten in my memories, only to resurface when prompted by specific events, and nothing has ever stopped me from a reading slump. But usually what can get me out of a slump is a book I know will be good, in this case, I chose Normal People by Sally Rooney to get out of a slump, and my god I was absolutely devastated.

I would like to take a second to acknowledge that Sally Rooney’s writing style is incredibly weird, but only because of the punctuation…or lack there of. But in all honestly, Rooney’s writing style is absolutely one of the factors that sets her apart from other writers of our time. But that isn’t the only thing, it is the sheer art that her writing exudes. From the very first page of Normal People, readers are sucked in and allowed passage on a very beautiful story that takes you along many years of a beautiful friendship and love.

In a brief synopsis, Normal People follows two very flawed main characters: Marianne and Connell as they meet in primary school and begin a secret friendship that leads to a very on again off again relationship through their adulthood. The story follows them in their adolescents and growth as they drift apart and find each other again.

This story is full of brutal honesty and twists and turns that accurately depict what it is like growing up, going to college, finding love and the struggles that fall in between. Marianne and Connell go on a journey that defines who they are and we are given a beautiful snapshot into different moments of their intertwining stories that divulge and separate from each other in organic and sometimes upsetting ways. The journey this book takes you on is one of absolute and utter beauty that rips your heart to shreds and still makes you feel as though you are floating in a cloud. The book is an accurate depiction of upsetting and hard truths that are often times criticized despite the commonality some actions have with ordinary everyday people.

The ending, although at first is tragic and upsetting, it strikes a cord with so many people because it has happened to so many of us, we have all once been in our main character shoes at one point and have felt the way that they did. People change, they grow, and evolve and the story organically depicts that. Which is why the ending is so heart wrenching, because sometimes, people don’t change the way that we want them to, or situations do not go the way we invisioned. And that’s okay.

This all leads up to the stunning masterpiece that is Normal People. I can say with 100% honesty that I absolutely loved this book. The ending had me absolutely upset and I threw the book across the room but when given time to sit and ponder, the story is just absolutely wonderful and beautiful and will leave you breathless and full of tears.

Authors Notes:

Sally Rooney, if you ever find yourself, for whatever reason, reading this, I would like to thank you for the absolutely stunning and wonderful book that you have brought to the world. I know that you have already been given the hype that you so rightfully deserve but this book is absolutely marvelous and I cannot wait to read more of your absolute art.

And for my dedicated Bookish Readers, this book, when it finally destroys you, will double down with the beautiful and perfect show on Hulu with the same name.