Normal People: An Honest Opinion

Normal People! You have been chosen as the first winner of this series. Fortune? I gave up on writing about Normal People a while ago. Because even though I tried to read this book at various times, I could not get to the end. My “perfectionist” soul, which does not like to leave things unfinished, had difficulty accepting this. Then I learned that a friend of mine had the same thing happen to her and couldn’t finish the book.

But isn’t it normal for all of us to have different opinions and express them? That’s why I decided to write. Normal People is one of Sally Rooney’s most popular bestsellers. For those who don’t know or haven’t heard of it, the book Normal People was also adapted into a twelve-episode romantic TV series. I’m pretending that you’re overly curious about my opinion. Let’s get started now.

Breaking the Mold: Embracing Imperfection

Today, I decided to write while struggling with one of the things I’m trying to deal with about myself. Sometimes, I want to write, but I have already given up due to the long planning processes I dictate to myself. But today, I need some words to pour out of me. I wanted to do this with an innovation I had never done before. I wanted to tell you guys that I wouldn’t say I liked this book.

Also, I wanted to have short things that I could write on ReadingOnClouds without long planning processes. Because I feel like it, I don’t plan to do this through book reviews, but you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. That’s why the first post of this category will be about Normal People. Then we’ll see where the road will take me.

Normal People Summary

Normal People begins in high school, with two students who are not alike. While Connell is a popular and successful student, Marianne is an introvert and outcast. One day, the two of them start chatting, and this conversation becomes an intense attraction between them. Despite being from different social classes, Connell and Marianne begin a relationship.

Their relationship is filled with more difficulties than a classic relationship between two young people, thanks to their social status and family problems. They part ways for college. Connell goes to Dublin, and Marianne studies medicine at Trinity College. The separation makes their relationship even harder. We witness their communication and lives over the years. Over the years, Connell and Marianne have been unable to completely separate themselves from each other, even though they are far away. They continue their communication through letters and e-mails.

Then What?

I read a large part of The Normal People. I remember staying somewhere very close to the end. Unfortunately, since I gave the book to someone I love to read, I cannot control exactly where I left off. I haven’t read any other books by the author, but I can’t say that the feelings that affected everyone so much have passed. It made me tired that we had to feel extremely sad about these separations or the difficulties they experienced. Is being cool that much of a concern? I don’t expect everything to go well all the time, and it shouldn’t, right? Aren’t those ups and downs while reading what’s lovely? But the Normal People characters have come together in a universe that doesn’t feel real.

The problems they have come from their families and childhood and are severe and difficult situations. It is so essential that it is difficult to cope with and even stops life and prevents it from continuing. But it was all too romanticized for me. It’s an embellishment that I don’t like, making me uncomfortable. Frankly, the features given to the characters to make them look cool were strange to me. Is smoking still cool? Our side characters were also written superficially in many places. Because I was reading at different times, I needed to remember who the characters were.

Unconvincing Emotional Portrayal

I don’t think there is any need to criticize like crazy. My point is to express my own opinion. I don’t mean to flood these places with negative comments about Sally Rooney or Normal People. Only I couldn’t feel those intense feelings; mainly, the feelings felt superficial. I thought they drowned our characters in drama and extreme challenges. I couldn’t get too far away from the feeling of overly selfish characters who didn’t evolve in response to the events taking place.

What Happened in the End?

I gave up on the book, but even so, I didn’t research the ending. Believe me, this is a difficult thing for me. Because I am someone who loves research. In fact, I am a crazy person who immediately runs to Google for everything she wonders about. When I decided to write this article, I got curious. What happened to our young people? Did they reunite at the end of the book?

Normal People wanted a happy ending, but it gave the maximum happy ending it could give. They got together shortly after college graduation, but they remained at the same selfish level as I left them. Still, I liked that the author had hope for the future.

I am one of the people that Normal People does not appeal to. Besides, we shouldn’t expect everyone to like every book. However, we should not forget that the themes that the book aims to explain are also significant.

• How much social class difference affects human life and profoundly affects life and relationships.
• While we are searching for our identity and questioning who we are, the influence of family and family relationships on this search. They also influence our character and the way we communicate. What you call self-confidence starts with being learned in the family.
• Our dreams and how important it is to take care of them.
• There is no such thing as being perfect. There is only pushing yourself further.

Normal People: To Read or Not to Read?

Normal People is a book that has many fans, but there are also readers like me who think the story is nothing more than average. I guess it’s like every book. I could not understand the cigarette smoke and pain of these troubled children. I could not understand the characters or sympathize with them.

If it makes you happy, great. We have different thoughts. I guess I won’t be able to become a Sally Rooney fan if I give her other books a chance; that’s all. But one day, I’ll give in to my curiosity and watch the TV series. It’s still being streamed somewhere. Let’s see, time will tell.

At the End: A Little Bit of Everything

Yes, the first topic of this short insight session was a book. Don’t ask why a book review got in the way. My goal in this category will be to write more, read the world of literature, and perhaps answer questions or answers that come to my mind. I guess we have to let time tell.

Today, I am a little more at peace because I took this step instead of struggling with my inner voice any longer. Feeling that I had set myself a little freer made me feel more complete. If you have an opinion that contradicts or agrees with me, I would like to hear it.

Take care and keep reading for yourself.