Normal People

Genre: Fiction

Connell and Marianne met in high school in their small Irish town. Connell's mother, Lorraine, works for Marianne's family as a maid. Marianne is shy and awkward and has no friends, but Connell begins to notice that Marianne, while not particularly pretty, is attractive. The two have a relationship that takes place behind closed doors. They have passionate sex and intimate conversations but none of their friends know about them. Connell unceremoniously breaks up with Marianne before they head off to Trinity College. They then reconnect while at college when Marianne is now a social butterfly with a large group of friends and Connell doesn't know many people. Again, they begin to have an intimate relationship and again break up. And so continues what feels like could be, a lifetime of an off and on relationship for these two. They are both complex individuals and the storyline feeds directly to the title of the book, Normal People and our perception of "normal". This is a story of friendship, love and forming life long connections that may or may not be healthy, but that keep you connected to who you think you truly are.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this book. The narrator has an Irish accent, which I loved. I also think the author is so clever in the interplay of the characters' experiences and their mental health. Rooney is sensitive to the characters' mental health over the course of their life and depending on their life circumstances. I think she does a great job playing with our perception of what is "normal". The one thing I didn't love in this book is the reference to the Palestinian plight. Marianne roots for the underdog, based on her own life experiences, and resonates with the experiences of the Palestinian people. However, Rooney didn't connect it to the storyline well and it felt preachy and forced. Otherwise, I would definitely recommend this book.