Sally Rooney is, undoubtedly, a very talented writer. The various paces of tone, Joyce-esque flow, and masterful portrayal of complex interpersonal relationships are genuinely something to be admired. That said, this novel was not my cup of tea. 

This was my first Sally Rooney read, and I will admit, I had no idea what to expect; I just knew she was highly praised and obscenely popular. I'm not much of a fan of romance, particularly long-winded and highly descriptive intimate scenes, and all else that encompasses the genre. I found many chapters arduous, even painful, to read, droning on for far too long. The characters have depth and I liked most of them; Rooney is a skilled author, and there were moments I even enjoyed reading this book, but they were overshadowed by the frustration of inexcusable plot developments and insensitive, problematic ableism. I can see why she is so popular and I truly wanted to enjoy this book, but I personally found it insufferable more often than not. 

3 stars because the disparity between Rooney’s mastery of her craft and painful plot leaves me conflicted. I can’t give writing like this less than a 3 but can’t excuse the annoyances and frustrations I experienced while reading the book.