I heard so much good about this book and I therefore had to read it. Was I surprised when i was starting to read? Yes. Did I read the whole book in one day? Yes. Normal people is not the typical Bestseller I would say. It’s not the typical storyline with all the clichés and not the typical happy end which we all predicted from page 5. In this book, Rooney focuses on how the relationship grows between Connell and Marianne over the years. Both coming from completely different social backgrounds from the rural Ireland. None the less, they fall in love and face all their own insecurities and inner difficulties. Through their common fears, their relationships have a constant on and off, but it looks like they can also not really be apart. Rooney shows how these fears and social pressure leads to inner conflict. How the characters struggle with them and how early trauma affects the whole life afterwards. The book is slow at times and has not the big thrilling curves. But it’s a steady and interesting story to follow.

Albeit it being a bestseller, I had to put it down after a few pages already. The illiteracy of creating interesting conversations and lack of any punctuation by the author made me wonder why this book became to be such a a “bestseller”. It makes me literally cringe, so I didn’t go on after a few pages. I soon found out that this seems to be her “writing style” - which certainly is “unreadable” for me and will make me NOT buy any of her others.

Sally Rooney is known for her sharp analysis of relationships (aka situationship) and the complicated feelings that come with them. Situationships are characterized by a lack of obligation/exclusivity, but the real hallmark is a lack of clear boundaries or labels. There are elements of friendship and romance, but they exist without defining the relationship. Her books often touch on deep emotions like the fear of getting too close to someone and the sadness of losing them. In this story about Connell and Marianne, Rooney focuses on their relationship as it grows over the years. Coming from different social backgrounds in rural Ireland—Marianne, the smart loner, and Connell, the popular football player—they meet, fall in love, and face their own insecurities and fears. They both show signs of fear of attachment and loss, which affects their relationship, causing it to start and stop repeatedly. Their struggles with uncertainty and poor communication are key issues in the story. Rooney skillfully shows how these fears lead to inner conflicts. The characters often struggle between wanting to be close and being afraid of getting too close. The story also shows how problems in their families can make it hard for them to have healthy, balanced relationships. For readers interested in the psychological aspects of relationships, the book might offer valuable insights and opportunities for introspection. While I found the writing to be excellent, I had some difficulty fully connecting with the psychological themes. However, watching the mini-series adaptation (released in 2020 by BBC/Hulu) afterward greatly enhanced my understanding of the dynamics. The actors skillfully conveyed the intense emotions of their roles, particularly in their shared scenes, which were highly impactful. I recommend reading the book and then watching the series for a comprehensive and full experience.

Connell und Marianne wachsen zwar in der gleichen Kleinstadt in Irland auf, kommen aber aus völlig unterschiedlichen sozialen Schichten. Ihre Beziehung beginnt bereits in der Schule und zieht sich in die College-Zeit hinein. Beide bringen unterschiedliche Lebenserfahrungen mit, wodurch ein stetiges Auf und Ab in ihrer Beziehung entsteht. Die Geschichte dieser Beziehung spinnt sich hauptsächlich über Dialoge zwischen Marianne und Connell sowie über Selbstgespräche respektive Gedankengänge der beiden. Der Titel “Normal People” passt sehr gut, da zu Beginn der Geschichte, diese Beziehung als eine scheinbar normale Beziehung zwischen zwei Teenagern entsteht. Doch über die Zeit hinweg verändert sich die Art der Beziehung und am Schluss des Buches habe ich mich als Leserin gefragt, was jetzt normal ist und was nicht. Ich hatte Mühe in die Geschichte reinzukommen. Es hat immer wieder Längen mit Monologen und seitenweise passiert nichts. Erst gegen Schluss kommt Dynamik in die Geschichte, was dann auch dazu geführt hat, dass ich das Buch doch fertig gelesen habe. Ich habe das Buch auf Englisch gelesen. Das ging von Wortschatz und Grammatik her sehr gut, ich hatte nur zu Beginn Mühe mit der typografischen Darstellung der Dialoge . Diese stehen nicht mit Anführungszeichen und da es so viele Dialoge sind, war es etwas schwierig die Übersicht zu behalten, wer was sagt. Ich bin dann aber mit der Zeit gut reingekommen. Ich kann das Buch allen empfehlen, die einmal einen neuen Erzählstil ausprobieren möchten und sich für Dynamiken in Liebesbeziehungen interessieren. Wer allerdings eine rasche, abwechslungsreiche Handlung sucht, nimmt vielleicht eher ein anderes Buch zur Hand. Medium: Buch

Ich habs geliebt obwohl es durchgehend frustrierend und deprimierend war. Gleichzeitig wars intensiv und mit speziellem Schreibstil, der mir aber mega gut gefallen hat. Man kommt gut voran und fiebert regelrecht mit den Figuren mit, die man mitunter nur schütteln und rütteln will! Definitiv kein Wohlfühlbuch und trotzdem toll. Unbedingt lesen!