Reading My First Sally Rooney.

[@chelseascurrentread]

what i love about sally rooney's writing and her books in general is how relatable they feel to me, especially when it comes to normal people, it feels like i've been in that relationship! i know miscommunication can be annoying in books but i think she writes it so well and makes it feel real. also i find she really captures ireland/the uk very well, the way that people speak, the culture ect, it's all very millennial but i love it every time

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I love this!! I definitely saw that in the book and I think Roonz makes those who can't really put into words how they feel--but rely on emotional connections--feel seen and I love that!

[@janngio]

I've only read Normal People and I didn't like it, to say the least, so I'm also confused on why people ABSOLUTELY LOVE Rooney and that book specifically. I think you said something interesting though, that you didn't relate to the characters, which was the case for me too. Maybe that's the key. Maybe relating to the characters is what makes people love her books??

[@fiddleleaffiction]

I am the exact same as you! Read Normal People, was extremely underwhelmed, and haven’t picked up any others. I just don’t get the hype.

[@kels..]

Ditto! I was just Whelmed by Normal People, and felt it was on par with other contemporary fiction in the same vein. Not for me, and maybe that is because I didn't relate to the characters at all 🤷

[@agnesjohnson-jones6690]

I have had trouble seeing the craze over Rooney. I consider myself to be well read, am I missing something? Maybe it’s a generational thing? I will say that I finished Conversations and it was a page turner. But I’d never consider it a “good book” or deserving of such popularity.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Yeah! I think if I was navigating different things in my life, I'd love it. But right now I'm boring and in a bit of a different headspace. But I think when I first moved to NYC I would've loved it

[@annac9534]

Sally Rooney writes mundane stories about existentialism - my favorite kind of literature. If a book is deemed boring by others, more often than not I love it. Mostly internal monologue or streams of consciousness really get me going. A lot of people who like plots don’t like Sally Rooney. I love a plotless book that is more like a character study. The less action, the better. I hope this clears up what some people (like me) love about Sally Rooney’s books.

[@lkvistad]

Beautiful World Where Are You got a rare 5 star rating from me. I hadn't read any of her other books, but I did read it during the pandemic, and wondered how that would age. I thought the book was about people's (ok ok...Millennials') inability to connect, be vulernable, and communicate with each other, how this causes them to sometimes not treat each other very well, and the romantic and friendship failures that ensue. Add this to careers going off in totally different directions making it hard to relate to people you were once close to, plus those careers are not bringing any of the fulfillment you hoped they might, and you have a bunch of disconnected, disillusioned, and very awkward people who are trying to find beauty in the world but don't know how. I rarely like bestsellers and I'm barely a Millennial, but oh my my did I identify with this book. Which is why I liked it so much. Maybe if you didn't you're...fulfilled and connected? :) :) :) Does its popularity mean there are large swathes of society who are miserable? I don't know, but I have Normal People and Conversations with Friends sitting unread on the bookshelf. They're waiting for a special occasion to be read. You don't binge fine wine, you know?

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Hahaha loved this all and I agree wholeheartedly. I think she captures this drowsy roaming of a generation that is grappling with technology, loneliness and overstimulation while truly feeling rarely stimulated at all. I think it speaks to a LOT of people. I wouldn't mind to pick it back up when I'm feeling a different kind of emotion in my life.

[@karakask5488]

I like the Roonz. I'm not in the cult but I enjoy the experience of reading her books. I think Normal People and Conversations With Friends were stronger than Beautiful World. But I like that she writes about the mildly ugly parts of people's personalities. No one is a villain but no one is a hero either. It definitely doesn't matter if you read them in order at all, except maybe that they talk about different stages of life. I don't relate to her characters either, which is good because most of them don't seem fun to hang around, but she has a ennui about life that I like for some reason.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahaha agreed about the fun suckers. And I agree-- I think the tedium and lowliness of the characters kind of stuck with me the most. Though, I felt more aggravated than I have in a while!! It seems BWWAY is the most introspective, so I wanna see her "fun" books

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahahaha. The angelic music when her face as popping up. I died. ‘The Roonz’. Died again. The lightbulb you almost died. What a rollercoaster. I’ve still not read Beautiful World, Where Are You. I was a Normal People stan. Then I read Conversations with Friends and wasn’t sure. It felt like the same thing, (ctrl alt delete) yet not if that makes sense. She seems to like to have four characters in a tryst-ish, who don’t communicate yet have a lovely trip to Europe together at some point. Her short story Mr Salary is a corker. Partly because it’s quite different. Oh lord, I’ve waffled on now.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Hahahaha this comment alone might've been more engaging than any email the girlies sent to one another. HOT TAKE! SUE ME! I think I'm ready for Normie People. I wanna love her!

[@maramamhalhal9808]

a minute in and i applaud the cardigan choice, stunning colour! anyways, love rooney although i must say conversations with friends is my favourite (i think)

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

convos with pals alliance!! People are so divided about which is better (NP or CWF). thank you for the cardi love. tempted to change my name to cardi a

[@SAT-Trip]

Hello ! I’d say that I am a fan of Roonz, but Beautiful World is my fave of hers thus far. I loved what you described as the hyperfixation on her observations of people whilst having those repetitive moments because I feel those are the slices of life. I do really enjoy novels with bits of paralleled realism to reality, so maybe that’s why I love it, but to me it just felt like life, and thus made the overarching bored moments mixed with unlikeable characters who make questionable choices so relatable. Her books feel like an exploration of life, rather than grand storytelling and I like the grounding effect that has 😊✨

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

TOTALLY can agree with this and so nicely put! I think I might've needed to read this during the summer when the sun could combat the bits I disliked!

[@imalyzathymia]

Your voice is really soothing and i love how real u express ur opinion. Congratulations for reaching 12K bdw. U are fabulous! 💖

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Thank you so much! I've never heard that about my voice and I'm flattered!!!! Thank you for being here : )))

[@laurakistemaker8918]

What I love about Sally Rooney’s books the most is the way she described the conversations being had. They feel so real to me. With just a single word or a small movement the character makes, she can completely shift the tone of the conversation. How, for example, a normal little chat can descend into a discussion, is done with such subtlety. That makes it feel so real to me! God my stomach shrivelled up sometimes while reading. With this book you don’t get as much conversation/dialogue due to the email correspondence but I highly suggest reading normal people if you love reading some great dialogue!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I definitely agree with everything you're saying. I think the conversations are pretty honest... honestly. Especially with the younger generation. Things are stilted and left unsaid and that's what Rooney is great at capturing.

[@NiNa-rt8xd]

Hey, I just discovered your channel a little while ago and absolutely love your videos! You have such a calm energy. Our reading preferences are quite different, but I still enjoy watching your channel and am currently binge watching your older videos.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

You'll see the whole channel growth through those things! Fun trips down memory lane. thanks for being here!!!

[@illchangemyusernamewhenith9130]

You are so articulate I aspire to be as articulate as you some day. I feel like I have gotten better since picking reading back up as an adult but I still have a lot of ums and likes in my everyday vocabulary

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh, thank you so much, but trust that I'm editing out a LOT of ums and likes : )

[@ÓMRAhistoryphd]

I'm a fan of Rooney's work. I'm not by any means obsessed but if she brings something out I will buy, read and enjoy. I'm also Irish, and I find a lot of the characters incredibly relatable or at least familiar. She is so good as capturing the Irish psyche. Thought I have often wondered how relatable it would be to people who didn't grow up on this lil' island. I would highly recommend reading Normal People and then watching the show to get a sense of this.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

OH I NEEDED THIS COMMENT! The only other contemporary Irish literature I've read recently was Snowflake by Louise Nealon, which I absolutely loved. I think it captured this lost identity while making these weird decisions in life feel assured, if that makes sense. Would love to hear your suggestions for other Irish authors!

[@ÓMRAhistoryphd]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson oh goodness I am only seeing this now! I recommend Milkman by Anna Burns. It's about a girl who is stalked by an older man during the Northern Irish Troubles. Tough read but so guuud. Anything by Claire Keegan is also v good and any of Blindboy Boatclub's short stories. P.S I'm obsessed with u :)

[@fmarginalia]

I am a Sally Rooney fan, I started with Conversations with friends and loved it, but Normal People was just okay though memorable (aspects were frustrating to me). When I read Beautiful World I already felt I knew her preoccupations so your instincts are spot on there. Much better as a third book in conversation with the others, which isn’t ideal!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh wow, I think that's great insight into her. I think that I'll enjoy the next book I pick up of her's after having read BWWAY. I'm actually looking forward to seeing how it goes!

[@SM-vr8dz]

How timely! I just started reading Normal People yesterday. It’s my first book by her.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

ooooh, tell me your thoughts!

[@tobi_adediran]

The zoom in of Rooney’s face at the end is going to haunt me for the foreseeable future😭😂 I don’t know why I’ve been so apprehensive to read Rooney’s work, but I’m super intrigued to know if her writing will click with me! Maybe this video is my sign to finally take the plunge and read one too😅

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

lmaooo she's staring into our collective souls! I think it's worth reading her work!! I didn't lose anything over it, if anything I've gained a lot of insight into what other people love, so win win!

[@agniguha3002]

I read Beautiful World Where Are You this January and it was my first Rooney as well. I can totally see the appeal of Rooney as a writer. I thought that she does complicated interpersonal relationships really well and portrays the chaos of modern day "situationships" quite accurately. Liked the emails especially when they were disagreeing with each other. Felt like you're getting to hear a trial of sorts, knowing now that she used to debate puts a lot into perspective. However I didn't LOVE love it. At times the discussions read too surface level. Almost as if we're hearing about everything but nothing. I think it's quite interesting that Rooney's become the kind of author whose work we're questioning if we do not enjoy it. Weird because the same doesn't happen with most other authors.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh YES! So right on your last sentence. There's been such a honing in on Roonz that you don't see really with any other authors (I'm guilty!) Says something about fandom, us as a whole, or it's just a really great marketing strategy!

[@agniguha3002]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson I think it says something about how we all take part in fan culture, willingly or not, either by being a fan, or by hating on it, or even by just justifying our moderate feelings towards it XD

[@shawnmccomb]

same

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

u better have a vid up today

[@georgianatrutescu]

I also had a hard time relating to the characters, I can’t say I loved or liked any of them. But I really enjoyed the book, although I agree with what you are saying and I believe this books gets you or not, it’s a very personal experience. I enjoyed her deep dive descriptions and how light the writing is! I also think a physical copy would have helped you more, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it that much as an audio book. Overall, can’t say I loved it but it was a 4 stars for me. P.S.: I am afraid of reading the other books as I have the feeling I will not enjoy them as much and I don’t want to ruin the experience I had with “Beautiful world where are you”. 😅 They say this one is her most mature work so…

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Definitely agree on the physical copy--though the Irish reader was fantastic and made me talk with a slight accent for a week :-)). And if you're afraid of the deep ROONZ dive, maybe give it a vacation read, when you're relaxed and can really give it your undivided attention--could help love it more

[@georgianatrutescu]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson I would love to hear you with an Irish accent, haha!

[@EmiliaLou]

What made me struggle with the book was that i could not relate with a lot of topics that where touched on, since I am in a really different stage in my life now (not even twenty yet, not really having to navigate through my life as an adult), so I resonate with the Shuffle Mode comparison you came up with. I enjoyed Normal People more than BWWAY (I think most people did), but overall I don't really understand why Rooney is so hyped up, even though she is brilliant in describing really detailed little scenes. Loved the video, btw. ❤

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Right? There's a major allure, which I understand.And sometimes I wonder if the consistency of her work makes her a reliable contemporary author. And the adaptations of her novels have consistently made new readers. It's definitely a fandom!

[@lilipazmandi-plander2744]

I've read all of her books and I am a huge fan of Normal People and Conversations with Friends, but it was very hard for me to get into Beautiful World Where Are You. I liked it in the end, but it wasn't a love for me either, could not tell you why, I just didn't had the same feelings as I had when I was reading her other 2 books, and also I've read it much slower too - Normal People and Conversations with Friends were 1 or 2 days, while BWWAU was almost 2 weeks. I'd definitely suggest reading Conversations with Friends (even tho Normal People is my personal favourite), most people prefer this one and I understand why.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Thank you for such a thoughtful rec! Yeah, it seems like Roonz concocted a great composition for NP and Convos and then steered away from it with BWWAY and fans were left divided

[@sofyaantonova5583]

I read Normal People, it was OK, but definitely nothing super special for me. I watched the tv show afterwards and remember it much more vividly than the book, so I'd say the film worked better for me than the book.

[@AnaSerroGomes]

Same!! And I read the book twice 😅

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I know myself well enough to know I would absolutely love the tv series. I'm a sucker for those kind of shows.

[@dilaraguney]

My favorite of Roonz's is "A Conversation With Friends" because simply I related to those characters more than any other of her novels. Do I think she is as great as booktok/stgram/tube make her out to be? No. That is the reason why I was disappointed the first time I read any of her work as I thought that I would be left speechless and in awe, which did not happen obviously. So I decided to enjoy her work for my own good and not put pressure on it which has definitely made the experience much more enjoyable! Cheers!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Yes to the YEs. I really wonder how it was she blew up so much. Do we remember the inception of her fame? I'm just so fascinated by this trajectory.

[@dilaraguney]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson I honestly do not remember how she became so famous all of a sudden, but maybe with the tv show?

[@Mateja93]

I was obsessed with Normal people, but Beautiful world... I couldn't finish 🤷‍♀️

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

oh woahhh, love to hear this. Normal People could stand a chance!

[@exitmusicfrafilm]

i've got a funny relationship with sally rooney, where i was a massive fan in like 2019/2020 when i read normal people (loved) and conversations with friends after that (dont remember it at all. like couldnt tell you anything about it) and then was so hyped when beautiful world came out and loved that too but then something just kind of. broke in me when i was rereading beautiful world a while later and thinking about it after, and i just got this sense of being really frustrated with both her writing style and her ideas. like thinking about it now, all of her stuff feels so threadbare - which you can say is sometimes intentional (like in normal people) - but it just doesn't work for me anymore :( like why are we doing clinical absence of style and voice for the 3rd time ms rooney...what happened to emotion (though this might just be my own annoyance with the Disaffected White Woman genre !)

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

love this take! Yeah,I think she's a strong writer in a sense she provokes something(not even entirely sure what it was in me), but the ideas did feel cyclic and like it was relying on repetition to enforce something she might not have even been fully grounded in

[@lisaplummer8144]

I read it last year. I had to search my messenger conversations with my niece to see how I felt about it. Apparently I could not put it down. I was going through a rough relationship and was not at my best so perhaps I enjoyed eavesdropping on imperfect people who repeatedly made worse choices than mine.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh YES! I think you read it at a perfect time. I think if I was in a different stage/relationship in my life, I'd love it. But right now it didn't hit in me in the way I wanted it to!

[@julie.k15]

green is definitely your color!! havent read any roonz (which after this video will probably not change even though I want to understand the hype around her works... )

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

lmaooo if a book of hers crosses your path, it's not a waste of time to read, but if it ain't your thang, steer clear!

[@michaelcummings8763]

i read Normal People at the very beginning of the pandemic, like it was part of the first batch of books I bought when i decided I'd spend lockdown learning to like reading again. and I liked it! but I didn't really obsess over it or think it was this unique portrait of love or anxiety or anything. (have you seen the film Close? that movie reminded me of Normal People a lot, except it was about a friendship) The show, however, completely blew me away and I think Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal are superstars. I've watched it like four or five times and I kinda wanna watch it again tbh. I weirdly find the show more relatable than the book but I also don't remember the book incredibly well. I think it is faithful to it but it doesn't have the amazing soundtrack... I read Conversations w/ Friends later on, probably a year or so later. I liked it about the same but thought it was more cynical and cutting, which I was a fan of. Didn't like the show as much, thought its creators kinda missed that cynicism in an effort to make it more romantic like Normal People. I didn't realize how different the books were until I watched both shows. I did not like Beautiful World at all. thought it was super stilted and went in circles. But it's also a book that is responsible for a brief connection/relationship in my real life that I ponder often and wish could have been different, in a way that almost feels like it could be a Sally Rooney novel. I probably won't reread it but I do think i maybe gave it too short a leash because of that relationship. all this said I do enjoy the vibe Sally Rooney purveys and I think I'll probably read every single one of her books as they come. she has a very strong lowercase texting vibe in terms of the way her characters talk and I think most of her characters do have a compelling inner life but don't really seem interested in showing it to others (hence the minimalism of lowercase), which strikes me as kind of a rebuttal to the Instagramification of saying everything on my mind or whatever. to that end, I find her work relatable. I don't really get why she was so adamant that Alice wasn't like her?? anyways Ana you're awesome!! keep up the good work and definitely watch the Normal People show but maybe not Conversations with Friends? idk. depends if you like the books

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Omg, this comment was so perfect and made me more inclined to pick up all her books just so I can marry backstories and times in my life with them. I haven't stopped thinking about BWWAY, so there is some incredible merit to that. If I can't stop thinking about a book, there's something in there, whether it was a love or a meh.

[@michaelcummings8763]

i’ve been thinking about normal people a lot ever since i watched this video and i kinda want to rewatch the show now!

ah! thank you for your thoughts! sally rooney remains quite the divisive author like you said i enjoy her literary voice and the little kernels of truth and simplicity in her writing. i want to try 'beautiful world', mostly because i'm interested in it as a relic of "pandemic writing", but i read normal people and it was such a mixed bag that i haven't really been motivated to pick up another book from her... i actually enjoyed the characters in the first half which made it difficult when she kept putting them through terrible shit in a way that felt unearned and borderline cruel. do i have unhealthy attachments to characters? maybe! maybe also the point *was* the endless self flagellation and i just wasn't down for it. idk. i would love it if you vlogged/reviewed the rest of your sally rooney journey hihi

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I think I might make a Rooney series! People seemed to really love this and I was overwhelmed with how may amazing, thoughtful comments I got (yours included!). But yes, sometimes it felt like her characters were always stuck in this mud and really unable to grip anything to pull themselves out. Which is realistic, but I want to feel something a bit more when I read

[@jennaberggren9095]

Pleeeease read Normal People! It’s the best one 😍

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

That will be the next one I pick up!

[@booksthehausdown]

Oofs I also have strong feels about the American covers... a big reason why I put reading them off for so long as well haha

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

ABSOLUTELY ick! conversations looks like a bad subway ad for toothpaste

[@mountainbikingvampirewitch]

She will never not be “the roonz” to me now

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

she should just legally change it now

[@lauradone9232]

I've only read Normal People but I still think about it.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

That will be the next one I pick up! I wanna be in her fan club!

[@jiaoziZ]

Right on time, babe🤝

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

ily :-*

[@lesley977]

WHERE IS THE MUG AT THE BEGINNING FROM!!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

YETI! I'm OBSESSED! Keeps your drink warm for HOURS

[@readingaster]

i absolutely loved normal people the first time i read it, and surprisingly also the second time. it feels very calm and sad and since the characters are coming into adulthood throughout it it makes sense that it feels a bit lost and aimless. however i fucking hated conversations with friends. i didn't like a single thing about it and struggled to finish it. i rolled my eyes so much it gave me a headache. so when beautiful world came out i refused to pick it up because i don't want to sway that 50/50 divide. from what i've heard about it i probably won't like it so i'm not tempted to pick it up at all lol. thanks for the honest review!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

wowoowow. Love the idea behind this. Yeah, the characters of BWWAY will definitely make you wanna pinch them. Normal People sounds like the winner as far as likability, so I'll give it a goooo

[@PamsPrettyPlants]

I read them in order… not sure it helped.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

lmaooo this was the response I needed!

[@mariasmiles68]

Oh my! The current audioook I am listening to on the Libby app, out of pure Sally Rooney FOMO, is Conversations with Friends. Just started so no opinion yet.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

give us that update, bby

[@mariasmiles68]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson I would read another one by her unlike Colleen Hoover where I was one and done. Not my favorite but did not dnf and not the worst book I've ever read. The characters story was messy but real life can be messy sometimes. So, I think it was good at showing people's flaws? The only thing I feel wasn't fully fleshed out or necessary was the medical condition the main protagonist had.

[@joan98610]

I love Sally Rooney and I also love her bc The Old Men of Literature™ hate her bc young people love her books

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

lmaooo sometimes I have to remind myself to stop being an old man

[@joan98610]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson noo i didn't mean you yourself 🥺!! I meant people in the publishing industry

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh baby, don’t you sweat it!! I knew what you meant 😜

[@annaascott]

Not you talking about her as if she were Colleen Hoover in the beginning of the videos "Well, I guess she gets a lot of people to read" 🤣

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

lmaooooo u see right thru me 😬😬😬😬

[@ameliareads589]

I'm not a Rooney girl. Read Conversations with Friends, thought it was just okay, read Normal People and gave it one star. Not interested in reading anything by her ever again. Don't get why so many people consider her writing to be exceptional.

[@haxel222]

Absolutely! I was excited to read Normal People but was completely let down. Decided to give her another chance and read Conversations with Friends and it was slightly better but nonetheless not a good read overall. I'm glad there are people having similar opinion to mine because in the beginning I thought I was the only one💀😭

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I definitely get it--I think I'm going to give Normal People a try. How long did it take you to read? I don't feel like I lost time reading her novel (except for some of those looooong scenes), so that's at least good

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

@@haxel222 lmaooo baby, you ain't alone! We are here for you!

[@ameliareads589]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson It's a quick read, it took me maybe two or three days.

[@paytonturkeltaub4720]

hated normal people, loved conversations with friends, felt mid about beautiful world, would still recommend convos

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

ooo00000h, okay, as I'm going through my comments convos has been getting more and more love. NOTED

[@ivailopetrov2827]

That's her most "philosophical" book. The other two are more about abusive/weird relationships. I didn't like any of them, except the ending and some parts of Beautiful world.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Really??? Damn. Okay, I have absolutely no idea what kind of books she writes, apparently!

[@vertbeancasserole]

Would love to hear your thoughts on Colleen Hoover...

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

ohhh yeah, if I find one of her books, I might pick it up

[@r.enee.morris]

Pop a curly wig on Sally Rooney and you too could be twins in that thumbnail.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I KNOW! It's the subtle ear pop. My mom was like..."Which is my baby girl???"

[@r.enee.morris]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson the same distant stare

[@ChloeChatting]

I haven't watched this fully yet but you look so similar to her LOL

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

that thumbnail resemblance shocked even me

[@vanessalaughtland4417]

I really didn't like Beautiful World, Where Are You if I'm honest. I think it was my least favourite of all of hers. I really did enjoy Normal People though, and I would recommend that one. But her writing definitely isn't for everyone.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I think Normal People is going to be the next one I pick up by her!! I'm gonna give her another chance, for sure!

[@jffpviana]

I love Roonz, but Beautiful World is my least fav of hers. Normal People is my favourite. Turns out I AM like other girls.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahaha! I wanna love it!!! I think Normal People might be the one for me. I want a bit more ~spice~ if that makes sense.

[@jffpviana]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson oh, there is spice babe! Irish spice, which is essentially just like cinnamon, but still...

[@beabaptistaa]

i read normal people and i hated it 😭 imo the writing is so poor and the characters are so boringly flat... i can't see how people romanticize that lack of communication!!!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

!!!!! wow, you hit the nail on the head. BWWAY was pretty similar in communication vibes and I think she was kind of poking at it with the email exchanges, etc. But I'm an over communicator, so it's a no from me, big dog!!

[@radiantchristina]

The covers do nothing for me and to be honest, if i hate a cover , I find it difficult to pick up a book. I have never felt a pull to read her books. Perhaps because I am , let's say , on the older side . I feel like her books are geared towards the younger folk

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

oh yeah, I have no shame in saying if a cover is ugly, I can't pick it up. Graphic Designers are a thing!!! I think if I was in a different stage in my life, I'd probably love it, but I'm heavily partnered up and the idea of stumbling through dating again makes me wanna curl up (esp if it's in NYC)

[@flovita]

highly recommend conversations w friends, beautiful world really didn’t do it for me..

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

ooohhhh, everyone is going off about Normal People, so happy to hear some conversations love

[@flovita]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson 😌

[@ToxicAli3n]

Please oh please read "Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead". I think you might love it and would like to hear what you think of it!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh baby, that title alone is DRAWING ME IN!!

[@neartothewildheart]

i honestly didnt relate to any of her characters and didnt like any of the books 😭 i was so disappointed because theyre so popular

[@haxel222]

same

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

:///// You've read them all?? I think I might pick up NP soon, because I've heard that's the banger out of them all

[@neartothewildheart]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson that was the most frustrating for me to read because the characters' choices were very annoying to me but i hope u will have a different experience with it :)

[@adrianaiello1608]

coming to the comments to say that some of us are disabled and still shielding in the ongoing pandemic, some of us still maintain online only or online dominant relationships 😞

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Thank you for bringing this up. I don't want to diminish you and your experiences. I can't imagine how difficult the pandemic has been for you. Sending virtual hugs!

[@cathyg.9996]

I read Normal People and I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and can’t even tell you what the book was about because it wasn’t memorable to me. The Roonz is just not my kind of writer and I had no interest in reading any of her other books.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Yeahhhh, I get it 100%. I am intrigued to read her other novels (it's my duty now!!), but I was more shocked than anything at how the sparse stream of consciousness writing resonated with so many people!

[@marleneartigues]

Same, same, sammmeeeee, on the American book covers!! Atrocious. Have all the talented book cover illustrators crossed the pond? Kudos to you for trying out the Roonz (I love that). I read Normal People and didn't get the hype. Not. For. Me.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I think they might have! I should sponsor them to come back on ova. And I'll give the RoOnz another try for sure, but when the book crosses my path. I won't seek it out!

[@agnesjohnson-jones6690]

I love the fact that the characters in Conversations with Friends all bothered me. Self-absorbed and obnoxious never read so well.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I love this take!! Her characters absolutely annoyed the shiii outta me and there's definitely something to be said about crafting such unlikable characters

[@agnesjohnson-jones6690]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson “crafting such unlikable characters” Well said.

[@sarahambrosewillson3619]

No love for the Roonz and that’s a fact, just utterly unrelatable for moi.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Yeah, I think it's a relatability thing!! If I got on with one of her characters, I imagine I might love it.. or maybe not!

[@GuiltyFeat]

"Conversations With Friends" was terrible, inauthentic and up its own arse. "Normal People" was much stronger. I loved it. I was excited about "Beautiful World, Where Are You" and utterly disappointed by it... to the extent that I probably won't read her again. It's self-indulgent trash with one of the worst endings I have read in a contemporary fiction. Everyone in this book needs to grow the eff up and stop whining. Jeepers, what a load of tosh.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Hahaha oh, hearing this disdain from you makes me feel like I wasn't alone in my eye rolling at some of the character's thoughts and conversations. Normal People seems the way to go!

[@carlydifraia1093]

normal people was the worst book i read last year. i think most rooney and colleen hoover fans have never picked up another book or another genre besides romance (no offense)

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Ha! Totally get it. Is Rooney considered romance??? That's what I was trying to figure out. I wanted it to be more romance than it was (of course, this is the only Roonz I've read, but still)

[@sophsbookss]

ah, my least favorite rooney book.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I'm ready to give the others a go. I think I might like them much more

[@xgrayvision]

i feel i was out here defusing a bomb, about the cut the wrong wire when you jerked my hand away, and for that i am eternally grateful 🫡

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

lmaooo I'm ready for my 90's action movie sequence!