

Rooney’s new one is a lot like her old one her books glide along similar tracks and can bleed together in your mind. Rooney created two very human, believable characters and was able to show the delicate dance of their relationship as it evolved over time, impacted by those orbiting their worlds. Normal People was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

The novel was successful at emotionally engaging me in these characters’ lives, and I found myself feeling both frustrated with and sad for both characters for various reasons at different times. Sally Rooney has revealed if Normal People's Marianne and Connell stay together YouTube Hulu's Normal People didn't have a tragic ending per se, but for fans wanting to see Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron end up together once and for all, the final episode was likely somewhat disappointing. The novel explores the baggage people carry with them and in them that directs future decisions that may not always be in their best interests, a confusing and illogical component of the human condition. Much of the novel portrays a juxtaposition of domination and submission throughout varied facets - economic, sexual, domestic, and social, to name a few. For anyone interested in the complex dynamics and interactions between two people - from the frustrations of mixed messages and miscommunications that are part and parcel of the human experience to insecurities and anxieties that drive counter-productive behaviors - you will enjoy the endless raveling and unraveling of Marianne and Connell’s relationship.

The novel centers around two primary characters, Marianne and Connell, and all other characters are truly secondary to this relationship-driven plot that follows the couple from high school in County Sligo on the western coast of Ireland through college in Dublin and to their post-collegiate lives.
