By Theo Bramble · started 69d ago · Normal People by Sally Rooney
Two Irish students orbit one another from school to university with quiet, electric intensity. This one split the room at last week's meeting, so let's keep it going here.
Perfect winter read. Or summer. Or any month, apparently. Whoever flagged the recurring water imagery — thank you, I can't unsee it now. Already lent my copy out twice.
❤️ 101
I annotated so heavily the margins ran out. The pacing wobbles in the third quarter but the payoff earns it. Five stars from me.
❤️ 61
Perfect winter read. Or summer. Or any month, apparently. The dialogue is doing about four jobs at once. Solid four stars, and a full five for the ending.
❤️ 111
This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. Every scene has a door in it. Someone in chat pointed that out and I lost my mind. Still thinking about that final line.
❤️ 101
Our little side-thread on the middle section was the best part of the month. It's a quiet book with a very loud ending. One of my favourites from the archive.
❤️ 71
This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Thanks to everyone who posted here — made the read twice as good.
❤️ 111
Perfect winter read. Or summer. Or any month, apparently. The dialogue is doing about four jobs at once. Bumping the author's backlist to the top of my stack.
❤️ 61
I came in skeptical and left completely won over. The pacing wobbles in the third quarter but the payoff earns it. Would happily do a re-read discussion next year.
❤️ 111
Second read for me, and it's a different book the second time. I loved how little it explains itself. Already lent my copy out twice.
❤️ 61
I annotated so heavily the margins ran out. The pacing wobbles in the third quarter but the payoff earns it. Five stars from me.
❤️ 101
Finished this one in two sittings and I'm still turning the last chapter over. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Still thinking about that final line.
❤️ 85
The structure is the argument here, and I don't think I clocked that until the discussion. I loved how little it explains itself. Solid four stars, and a full five for the ending.
❤️ 95
Finished this one in two sittings and I'm still turning the last chapter over. There's a generosity in how the author treats even the awful characters. Five stars from me.
❤️ 125
The structure is the argument here, and I don't think I clocked that until the discussion. Structurally it reminded me of last spring's pick, but warmer. Already lent my copy out twice.
❤️ 85
Finished this one in two sittings and I'm still turning the last chapter over. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Would happily do a re-read discussion next year.
❤️ 95
Second read for me, and it's a different book the second time. Whoever flagged the recurring water imagery — thank you, I can't unsee it now. Bumping the author's backlist to the top of my stack.
❤️ 125
Finished this one in two sittings and I'm still turning the last chapter over. There's a generosity in how the author treats even the awful characters. Thanks to everyone who posted here — made the read twice as good.
❤️ 95
Second read for me, and it's a different book the second time. I loved how little it explains itself. One of my favourites from the archive.
❤️ 134
This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. Every scene has a door in it. Someone in chat pointed that out and I lost my mind. Still thinking about that final line.
❤️ 85
The structure is the argument here, and I don't think I clocked that until the discussion. I loved how little it explains itself. Solid four stars, and a full five for the ending.
❤️ 134
