Normal People by Sally Rooney
The novel starts off by introducing the two protagonists, Connell and Marianne, who go to school together but belong to completely different worlds. Connell is a popular jock, a football player and a star in his small town. Marianne, on the other hand, is an outcast, socially awkward and does not fit in with the rest of the crowd. Despite their differences, they soon realize they share a deep emotional connection, which leads to a complicated on-again, off-again relationship throughout the novel.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Normal People is how much Rooney captures the intricacies of human relationships, and the difficulties that can arise in a complex relationship like the one shared between Connell and Marianne. The novel follows their relationship from high school through college, and how their paths intertwine and separate throughout their lives. The novel captures the emotional toil of trying to figure out how to relate to someone, especially when you’re trying to be someone else for their sake.
The novel is beautifully written, with Rooney’s prose style reflecting the characters’ emotional turmoil. Rooney has an understated way of describing the characters’ emotions, which makes the reader relate to them even more. Marianne, for example, is a complex character and it is hard not to feel for her – she is incredibly intelligent but has a strained relationship with her family, which leaves her feeling isolated and unloved. Connell is a character that is equally complex, he is smart but lacks confidence, which makes him feel like an outsider. The novel explores both their struggles and makes the reader empathize with the characters’ thoughts and feelings.
Another notable feature of the novel is how Rooney explores class divide. Connell comes from a working-class family, while Marianne is from a wealthy family. This class divide is reflected in their relationship, with Connell feeling like he can never truly be himself around Marianne’s friends. Rooney uses this trope to explore class in-depth, with discussions on power and privilege, and how it shapes people’s lives.
In conclusion, Normal People is an engaging and poignant novel that explores relationships and class, which would particularly appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven stories. Rooney's writing is poetic and insightful, and her characters are vivid and poignant. Ultimately, the novel is a reminder that love is a messy and complicated thing, and that sometimes, things just don’t work out the way we want them to. Despite that, we still yearn for human connection and Normal People is a testament to that.