Our book of the week is Normal People by Irish author Sally Rooney and I am joined by my good friend and literary expert Julie Collard to chat about this intriguing book. Normal People is a modern love story that follows the story of 'millenials' Marianne and Connell from high school to university. Whilst it could be seen as just a 'will they or won't they' romance novel, both Jules and Alex see it as so much more. This is a coming of age story that delves deeply into the themes of social class and power. Normal People was released in 2018 to critical acclaim. It was longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize and nominated by The Guardian's as one of the top 100 books of the 21st Century. It has also just been released here in Australia on Stan as a 12 part TV series to rave reviews! And we all know we should read the book before we watch the show!! Why Should You Read It? This is a universal coming of age story that anyone can relate to. It has all the normal themes: miscommunication, social class, power, transition to adulthood, and tensions around wealth and status. It provides a great insight into modern relationships. So if you have teenagers or young adults, this book will definitely bring you up to date! It will warm your heart - whilst there are painful moments in the book, it does also remind us of the transformational power of love!
