“No one can be independent of other people completely, so why not give up the attempt, she thought, go running in the other direction, depend on people for everything, allow them to depend on you, why not?”(Rooney).
How I Discovered Normal People
During the 2020 pandemic, COVID-19, I scrolled through my multiple streaming services daily, attempting to find a show that could last me through the multiple-month lockdown. Finally, on Hulu, I found Sally Rooney’s show adaptation of her bestselling novel, Normal People. Of course, I binge-watched the show in the matter of days, plummeting into the characters as if I had known them myself. After falling in love with the storytelling, I knew I had to sit down and read the original. I yearned to understand these characters that I felt I related to on a deeper level. After quickly ordering the novel, just like the show, I binge-read the book in a matter of days: soon adopting the position at the top of my must-read list.
The Synopsis
The story begins following two teenagers, Connell and Marianne, attending secondary school in Sligo, Ireland. Marianne, a blunt, sassy, intelligent, young woman, is placed in an underdog position as she consistently faces bullying throughout her education. Connell, a scruffy, reserved, lower-middle class, hard-worker, flourishes in maintaining his position as well-admired amongst the student body. Both Connell and Marianne’s lives intertwine in ways you would least expect: Connells mother cleans Marianne’s family home, and they both appear to be the most intelligent of their class. Obviously, a typical high school experience entails a multitude of complicated relationships, and Marianne and Connell are just that. The book takes you along a rollercoaster of their on-and-off orbiting relationship. They both find aspects of what they are and are not looking for in a partner, but at the same time, within themselves. Facing adversities in their late adolescence as they emerge into early adulthood; these two teens looking for purpose, tell a story of heartbreaking miscommunications that you miss out on reading a typical drama.
Reviews
A frequent complaint of Rooney’s novel is the lack of quotation marks. And yes, I can see how that would be annoying. But, I personally did not see a problem with it when I learned that the lack of quotations are contributing to the miscommunications between them. We are supposed to remain unaware of the difference between their words and their thoughts. The complexities of this text truly put the reader through as much frustration as they feel within their relationship. Rooney’s writing reminds many critics of the expansiveness in Jane Austen’s work: interpreting simple moments as emotionally intense and alluring. At the time of her writing this novel, Sally Rooney was only 26 years old, which really puts her ability to perfectly describe the emotions of high school and college students make so much more sense. She even manages to address major serious topics that most people in that age group tend to stray away from discussing: sexual assault, abuse, mental illness, financial struggles. Overall, as previously stated, this novel was a bestseller for a reason. If you have become too used to the overused teenage love story, dip your toe into this multifaceted story, you will not regret it.