Normal People by Sally Rooney

Title: Normal People
Author: Sally Rooney
Publisher: Hogarth
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Year of Publication: 2020
Date of Publication: February 18, 2020
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 1984822187
ISBN-13: 978-1984822185
Audiobook Read by: Aoife McMahon

Our Rating of This Book

Summary of Normal People by Sally Rooney

Normal People follows the complex relationship between Marianne and Connell, two Irish teenagers from contrasting social backgrounds, as they journey through love, friendship, and self-discovery from high school to university.

Marianne comes from a wealthy yet emotionally distant family, while Connell is raised by his single mother, who works as a cleaner in Marianne’s home.

Marianne and Connell, despite their differences, are two very intelligent people. While Connell is a popular athlete, Marianne is an outsider at school. At the start of the book, their interactions are limited to brief encounters when Connell picks up his mother from Marianne’s house. However, their relationship takes a turn when they share a kiss and begin a secret sexual relationship.

Connell insists on keeping the relationship hidden, fearing it might jeopardize his social standing and ruin his friendships. Their bond evolves over the years, facing challenges of communication, self-esteem, and societal expectations.

The book also explores their personal journeys for self improvement. For Marianne, it means confronting her pattern of entering toxic relationships, shaped by her dysfunctional upbringing, and learning to recognize her own worth. For Connell, it involves navigating new environments where he feels out of place, coming to terms with his value, and realizing he belongs even among the elite.

Main Plot & Characters

Marianne Sheridan – Most people in her school do not like her. She is the smartest person in her school. Marianne has no friends, is very Intelligent, outspoken, and socially isolated at school. She comes from a wealthy but emotionally abusive family. She enjoys reading novels.
Connell Waldron – He is popular, academically gifted, and well-liked in school. He struggles with anxiety and social pressure. His connection with Marianne is central to the story.
Denise Sheridan – She is Marianne’s mother. Denise is cold and a dismissive mother.
Alan Sheridan – He is Marianne’s brother. Alan is abusive towards Marianne.
Lorraine Waldron – She is Connell’s mother. Lorraine is kind, empathetic, and works as a cleaner for Marianne’s family.
Peggy – She is Marianne’s friend at Trinity College. Peggy is privileged and tends to be very judgmental.
Joanna – She is one of Marianne’s closest in college. Joanna is kind. Just like Marianne, Joanna and Peggy are studying history and politics in college. Joanna wants to work in journalism.
Gareth – He and Marianne dated early in her college years. Gareth always feels self-important.
Jamie – He was also in a relationship with Marianne. Jamie is manipulative and emotionally cruel.
Niall – He is Connell’s supportive college friend and one of his roommates.
Helen Brophy – She is Connell’s girlfriend later in the book. Helen is confident and grounded.
Ms. Neary (Paula) – She is Connell’s teacher. She is only mentioned briefly because there are rumors that she likes Connell and is flirtatious when she is around him.
Lukas – He is a Swedish photographer Marianne becomes involved with during her Erasmus year in Sweden. Their relationship becomes emotionally unhealthy, especially as he encourages Marianne to pose for disturbing photographs and take part in situations that push her boundaries.
Rob Hegarty, Rachel Moran, Lisa, Eric and Karen – Connell’s close friends from High School. They are the popular kids in school.

Key Themes of Normal People

Love and Intimacy: Explores the nuances of romantic and platonic relationships.
Class and Identity: Examines how socioeconomic status influences self-perception and interactions.
Communication and Misunderstanding: Highlights the impact of miscommunication on relationships.
Personal Growth: Follows the characters’ journeys toward self-acceptance and maturity.

Writing Style

Sally Rooney’s writes in a very distinctive style where she choses to not use quotation marks for dialogue, which is an interesting approach to writing. The way she describes the emotions of the characters is well done. You really get a sense of how Marianne’s personality struggles and also how Connell does the same. There are parts of the story where you just want to hug Marianne and give her a little nudge so that she sees herself Differently.

Rooney tells the story using different timelines and truly captures her characters’ love lives, inner conflicts, and challenging moments.

“Six weeks later (April 2011)”

“Three months later (February 2012)”

“Five months later (December 2013).”

Impact of Normal People

The novel received widespread acclaim and won several awards including Costa Book Award (Best Novel 2018), Irish Book Awards (Novel of the Year 2018), and Waterstones Book of the Year (2018). In April of 2020, the book was adapted into a successful television series.

If you enjoyed this summary, we’d love to hear your recommendations for similar books! Have you read this book already, or is it on your list? And if you’ve read it, which scene or chapter left the biggest impression on you, and why?

Authors

Ufuoma Akpotaire

Ufuoma Akpotaire is a passionate book, movie and music reviewer with a love for travel and culture. She combines her enthusiasm for storytelling with her experience exploring new places and stories. Through her reviews, she celebrates creativity and inspires readers to appreciate the connections between books, movies, music, travel, and global cultures.
Nathaniel Adebayo

Nathaniel is a Media Content Specialist at Verayea, where he specializes in curating content and gathering data for the company’s extensive book library. He is also dedicated to writing insightful reviews, offering thoughtful perspectives on a range of media. His work ensures that Verayea’s library is comprehensive, well-organized, and informative, providing valuable resources for its audience.