Why I love Normal People by Sally Rooney | Book review | Claire Fenby

A whole video about why I love #NormalPeople! Have you read it? 📖 If you haven't yet read Beautiful World Where Are You it's just as good so happy reading and here's to the brilliance of Sally Rooney ✨ #BeautifulWorldWhereAreYou #BWWAY
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#SallyRooney

[@kathryynnweckwerth]

I hate the argument that “iF tHeY cOmMuNiCaTeD” it’s like they failed to understand the mental illnesses they had. Connell had extreme anxiety which was really highlighted after the death of his friend. Marianne had extremely bad self image issues that Rooney goes into great detail about with her relationships she seeks in the novel. And that’s real. Real humans don’t just spew their hearts out, they’re timid and scared and we’re not honest. I feel like it’s such a childish take. Real life is like this book, it’s possible that we missed out on our own figurative soul mates with our own mental illness and stress and miss communication. It’s weird that people believe that college students are going to be completely honest with their feelings and intentions.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Couldn’t agree more! 🙌🏻

[@keikitty5142]

this comment.. AGREE AGREE AGREE

[@helenjanedraper29]

This is definitely one of my stand out reads of 2019 - I too was blown away by both novels for different reasons - Sally Rooney is definitely a new firm favourite author of mine!

[@AnnaLorraineMiranda]

Thank you for this review, Claire. I am finally reading Normal People 6 years after it has been published. It's the first book I thought of that would make sense given my current situation. Sometimes, we just need to read something that both seals our moment and agrees with us. Normal People just makes sense right now.

I watched the first episode of the series and I decided to read the novel after continuing with the series. The level of intimacy in Rooney's book is amazing, painful and delicious. Loved your review and your point of view, I'll be watching more of your videos 👌🏻

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you!

[@simonedens3723]

Yes! Such a good review, I agree with every word. 👏 I’ve never highlighted so many quotes on a Kindle book before. Was amazed at how good Sally Rooney’s technique is in Normal People. Her observation too, superb. Next up on my books to read, Conversations with Friends. 📚

[@davidberlin3042]

What a thoughtful review on a very thoughtful book. Thank you!

[@jameshester8760]

I loved your review, and I reckon a video where you gave a passage from Normal People the Middlemarch treatment, ie a close reading where you discuss the themes and how the passage fits into the novel overall would be a fantastic! Or one where a common reader question is discussed through forensic examination of the text.

[@gavintiegirl]

I read the book and I absolutely loved it. Then I watched the show and loved that too. It was so well done. Now I have to read the book again and I don't typically read books twice. I loved your thoughts on the book and I agree with most of them if not all. I'm even more in love with the story after seeing the show. I also loved conversation with friends but not as much. I look forward to reading more of Sally Rooney's books in the future. I love her style.

[@aaishaht]

You honestly summed up my thoughts on this book so much more eloquently than I ever could have! Great review ❤️

[@Claire_Fenby]

ᴀᴀɪsʜᴀʜ Thank you so much! That is a lovely thing to say 🥰

[@155books]

This was such an eloquent video about Normal People I love it!! 🙌🏻💗 There are so many different things to pick out of Normal People and that’s one of the reasons I love it so so much! 🥰 AND YES LORRAINE! 🙌🏻🙌🏻😂

[@155books]

p.s. I adore your thumbnails 😍

[@mavsepiphany]

i loved this review, you put into words exactly what i thought

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you!

[@mayraviscarroferrer]

Thank you!

[@MioMyDog]

I haven't yet started the "Normal People", but your description of the points that attracted you to this book reminded me of the "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng. Have you read it? If yes, were the themes similar?

[@thoroughlyenjoyedbooks8565]

Normal People is in my Top 3 favourite books of all time! I have so far watched the series twice and I’m currently rewatching it for a third time. Episode three is my favourite, oh my gosh when she’s digging into Connell! I’m toying with the idea of doing my Master dissertation on this 🙈 I’m one of the people who didn’t like Conversations with Friends though.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thoroughly Enjoyed Books Charr, a dissertation on Normal People would be SO GOOD! It’s brilliant, isn’t it? 📚

[@thoroughlyenjoyedbooks8565]

@@Claire_Fenby It honestly just gets better the more I think about it!

[@elkimfajar2323]

How's your dissertation? Is it interesting?

[@WhatVictoriaRead]

I enjoyed Normal People but really didn’t like Conversations With Friends, so Sally Rooney is a 50/50 author for me so far! This was a really eloquent and well thought out review, thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@Claire_Fenby]

What Victoria Read Thank you Victoria!

[@patoshakespeare9756]

Claire, I must say that I adore every single video that you make! I think they are the perfect combination of passion with knowledge. I´ve also studied English Literature in Buenos Aires and you encouraged me to make my own Booktube channel, so I´d like to thank you. Watching this video made me want to read Sally Rooney soon! I wanted to ask you if you´ve read Nicola Baker. It's a little bit difficult to get her books here, in Argentina, so I´d like to know your opinion about her (If you have one).

[@Claire_Fenby]

Patoshakespeare That’s lovely to hear! Good luck 📖 I’ve actually never heard of her before sorry 🥺

[@patoshakespeare9756]

@@Claire_Fenby Thanks for your answer ! 😊 No matter about Nicola , I just wanted to thank you for your reviews and for moving me to London and all its bookshops.

[@ashita8322]

Loved hearing your thoughts on this! Could you please do a similar video for her other book, 'Conversations with friends' too? -Love from India ❤️

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you! Though I read Conversations with Friends well over 4 years ago (and don’t plan on re-reading it) so I wouldn’t be able to film a video like this on it 📚

[@leahfigiel]

I was considering reading this, because of all the buzz around it, so this was a great review. As a socialist also who avidly reads social realist novels, this sounds very interesting!

[@Claire_Fenby]

Leah I think you’d be interested in it!

[@janesmith1028]

I love your review. There are so many things I want to discuss with someone about Normal People. You could create a whole literary event on normal people and the themes thrown up in it.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Jane Smith Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it 📖

[@ToxCcc]

Would you recommend reading the book after watching the series?

[@Claire_Fenby]

ToxC I think if you enjoyed the TV series you should read it!

[@neelbhagat3541]

I found the series Boring

[@jasonchambers8010]

I'm in 2 minds about watching the show or not. I have such a vivid image of them both that I'm worried the show will spoil that for me.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Jason Chambers I think you’d really love it Jason

[@gavintiegirl]

For me personally the Marianne in the book was a lot colder than the Marianne in the show and that could partly be due to the fleshy human that brought Marianne to life. now when I read the novel a second time of course I'm going to have both of the characters visually in my mind which is fine because connell is so smoking hot as is Marianne equally.

[@hongoroomg5813]

This book is appropriate for intermediate or pre intermediate readers?

[@Claire_Fenby]

I don't really know sorry

[@lhanberry2261]

My mine dislike to the book is the fact that they use bdsm as a unhealthy coping and that wanting submissions is dirty and make Marianne some how more broken or she wishes for it because of her past really rubed me the wrong way.

[@jasonchambers8010]

Claire have you seen Sally Rooneys talk with the LRB? It is on KZbin. She talks about being a Marxist and how that clashes with her role as an author promoting and selling her books. Seems like you have some similarities with her.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Jason Chambers Thanks Jason! I haven’t yet but I will do now 📚

[@eviola11]

Awesome to see an analysis of the book from a socialist/class perspective. Great job!

[@mansuraakhter2098]

Is this book suitable for a 16 year old?

[@Claire_Fenby]

I think it depends on the 16 year old - I would say yes but then I was reading way more adult themed books around 10

[@gravyall0va]

Wow sis I applaud you on your ability to make this book sound like something extensively more than what it is. It’s really quite impressive that you were able to gather all that from such a surface level book that had nothing new or significant to say. The only thing it made me feel was buyers remorse.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Literally what I’m qualified to do 🤷‍♀️

[@gjdj9213]

No thanks, tried to read her first book got 100 pages in and gave up. I have read dinner menus with more depth frankly, so no high hopes for the second book. Overhyped contemporary fiction.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Gj Dj That’s a shame. Thanks for taking your time to comment your dislike on this video though.

[@theimpossiblesomething6773]

I’ve seen the series twice and I absolutely adore it. The novel is next on my list to read, I’m so excited to get into it.

[@Claire_Fenby]

I really hope you enjoy it ✨

[@theimpossiblesomething6773]

@@Claire_Fenby I did, thank you! 😊