Normal People

I love everything Obama does because I’m a liberal cuck, but I’m pretty floored that one of his 2019 book recommendations was Normal People by Sally Rooney. It’s not bad, but it’s certainly not great. It’s fine. 

The writing is pretty good, although it’s more “YA” than I expected. I don’t mean to sound all hoity-toity-- I’m not above YA. You should just know going in that it’s YA-ey and that it will probably make you horny. 

Sally Rooney is Irish, which jazzes things up for an uncultured American like me. The story is set in Ireland, and I enjoyed reading about a country that I’m unfamiliar with. Nothing outlandish stands out, but I do think there’s value in reading a voice that’s from a different place. Its British publishing house, Hogarth, also published Golden Child, a Sarah Jessica Parker rec.

The characters, Connell and Marianne, are complex and interesting. Rooney shows their inner monologue from a third-person perspective. Like most of us, they are somewhat self-aware but also weak in various blind spots. Seeing some of their weaknesses unfold made me question my own blind spots.

The story is kinda bland, although I think that’s the point. It shows normal people doing normal stuff-- living their lives in the day-to-day, making seemingly mundane choices that actually change the trajectory of their lives quite dramatically. 

Still, while Rooney’s creative choices have merit, the novel is very *meh* for me. I would never want to re-read it and I’m reluctant to read Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends (although I’ve heard from some trusted sources that it’s better). Normal People wasn’t bad, but it didn’t have enough oomph. Perhaps I want eccentric people? Of note -- and I’m not sure if this is a plus or a minus -- but it’s an incredibly quick read. I mowed through it. Reading it is a bit like watching a reality show (one with more self-reflection and less contrived drama). Normal People receives 3 out of 5 flames.