Normal People is a wonderful coming-of-age story about two young people that are simply not compatible with one another. Their relationship was described perfectly towards the end:

“Whatever there is between him and Marianne, nothing good has ever come of it. It has only ever caused confusion and misery for everyone.”

And I totally agree. From the beginning both Connell and Marianne were unlikeable to me, but in their own individual way. As the story progressed, I was completely against them as a couple. Both are unable to communicate with one another. Both send mixed messages because of their contrasting approaches to their relationship and life in general. Opposites may attract, but the mix-ups and hold-backs cause all of their problems and always leave them in the same place - simping for one another, and feeling totally miserable about it. My mother argued with me extensively over this. She brought up the reoccurring line:

“It is never like this with other people.”

So what? Sparks and chemistry is one thing. It is needed. But their attraction towards one another is more of a burning fire that is so intense that you *may* have to put it out soon. I have never read something that made me feel so heavy. I wanted to rip my hair out. I was mad about the whole Helen ordeal - one minute he felt proud and happy and comfortable to be with her, the next he is either ignoring her (before his depression kicked in) or pining after Marianne. However, I became a gradual Team Connell fan as the book progressed, especially with the Vermeer content (i love me a cultured boy teehee). He is much more self-aware, making him an interesting deep character in my eyes.
Marianne, on the other hand, rubs me the wrong way. I doubt anybody will agree with me and that is okay but I just... don’t... like... people like her. I find her to be so unlikeable. Yes she is multifaceted. Yes she has insecurities and a distinct world view and goes through some serious shit with every relationship in her life. But, God! To me, she is suffering from a serious superiority complex as she is always on about wanting to be envied or desired, and when she cannot achieve either, she fades away. I do understand where it may originate from as the story does explore bullying and school and nasty remarks from classmates that have affected her self-image. But she is not above other people. She is not better than anyone. What killed her for me was the scene, in which she asks Connell to hit her and tell her that she belongs to him. As soon as Connell establishes his boundaries and expresses that it is not what he wants to do, she cries and leaves. I am sorry but this was the nail on the coffin for me.

That is not to say that I did not enjoy reading it. It was easy to read, the pages just turned themselves and I was engaged at all times. I love a good page turner, even if the protagonists annoy the hell out of me. When my mother asked why she could not go to New York, why they could not be together, I was very open about my stance. I am glad they are not completely together. To the very end they do not communicate in a way that a couple in a loving, healthy, open relationship would. Connell deserves to be with someone who sees right through him, understands his reserved nature and anxiousness. Marianne deserves some Me-Time to find herself, feel whole and independent, so that next time she does enter a relationship, it is not to make or break her, but for there to be mutual understanding. She deserves that at least.


As for the author, well. Rooney has a grasping style. It is to the point and could draw in someone as inattentive as myself. My only issue is her jumps between description and human interaction. I noticed it in the Italy chapter. One sentence is Connell doing something. The next, describing a tree. Then Connell continuing his action. Then again, environmental depiction. Also in the final scene. As soon as there is a moment of silence, there is a description of walls, and ridiculous ones, like “it is as yellow as butter” - mid-conversation?? Why could she not talk about the walls or the cherry trees before going about her story telling? The jumps between are not to my liking and feel like if I were to try doing something like that in a beginners writing group, everyone would tell me my writing sucks.