💡 The story of Marianne and Connell has captured the hearts of many — not because it tells of a forbidden love or a grand passion, but because it’s about exactly what the title of the book suggests: Normal People. The now-staple contemporary read, first published in 2018, has earned the Irish writer Sally Rooney widespread acclaim and pop culture relevance due to its simple yet intimate exploration of human relationships. Rooney’s Normal People is an engaging read on a young love that grapples with vulnerability, communication, and happiness that feels frustratingly out of reach.

The classic high school hierarchy: Marianne is a smart, outcast student at school with no real friends, and Connell is laid back, easygoing, and popular. The novelty of their dynamic stems from the opening chapter, where we learn that Connell’s mother Lorraine cleans for Marianne’s family. Set in a small town in Ireland, the obvious social clash has little effect on their friendship — though no one in school is aware of its existence. The two high schoolers share a casual bond strictly outside of school parameters. Connell feels a level of comfort with Marianne that he doesn’t find with anyone else, but at the same time, he feels a deep-seated shame about their connection.

Having applied to the same university, they meet again as college students, but now with their roles reversed: Marianne finally finds her footing in the social world while Connell struggles to fit in at Dublin’s Trinity College. Despite sharing many intimate and emotionally memorable moments, the two struggle to find stability in their relationship.

“Most people go through their whole lives, without ever really feeling that close to anyone.” The love is undeniably there but something seems to always hold them back. For Connell, shame turns into fear — he finds Marianne irreplaceable but dreads the intensity she brings out in him. With Marianne, it’s never entirely clear, but her hesitation is mostly spurred by Connell’s, alongside the latent emotions tied to her history with family abuse. Popular interpretations weigh in on class and social differences as what ultimately drives the failure of the relationship, but Rooney’s profound exploration into their vulnerabilities and inner strife is where the novel’s center lies.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can find the physical copy in English at Diwan and Bibliothek, and in English and in Arabic at Shorouk, or get the eBook on Amazon and Kobo.

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