Grain of salt as I’ve only finished a couple episodes.
I read Normal People earlier this summer. Thought it might not be my speed but was recommended it by a friend and absolutely adored it.
The part about the book that I found most unique was Rooney’s ability to notice these subtleties and nuances that live in between the lines of human-to-human interaction (the way people breathe, the way their eyes move, what their fingers do while they talk) and express them in this very elegant, simple way. and beyond the physical stuff she’s really in-tune with the miniature power struggles, the push and pull of ‘love’ (air quotes because it’s only loosely explored as such in the novel) and how this dynamic usually doesn’t exactly simmer slowly and explode suddenly but rather teeters in a constant state of slight imbalance, little misunderstandings or insignificant interactions tilting it in one way one day and the other way the next. I found it very profound.
So far, the hulu adaptation misses the mark on what was special about the book to me. Marianne and Connell’s relationship is much more stiff and dialogue-driven than I imagined, lacking the nuance that Rooney seemed to indulge in very deeply in her writing. Overall it comes across like a much more standard ‘awkward love story’ without the human aspect that drew me to it initially.
Curious if anyone else has consumed both the book and the show and if they agree. Is it worth sticking with?
by mcnuccy