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    Home » Books » Normal People Book Review (+ Hulu Trailer)

    Published: Mar 2, 2021 · Updated: Apr 16, 2021 · Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn from other companies mentioned.

    Normal People Book Review (+ Hulu Trailer)

    Book Review: Normal People

    This Normal People book review gives you the details of this highly acclaimed character-driven love story. And because this is a book pairings blog “where books meet lifestyle,” I have also provided the trailer for the Hulu tv series adaptation and recommended pairings for further learning.

    Book Review: Normal People

    Normal People Book Review

    • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 
    • ONE OF THE TEN BEST NOVELS OF THE DECADE—Entertainment Weekly
    • TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—People, Slate, The New York Public Library, Harvard Crimson
    • AND BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, O: The Oprah Magazine, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Vogue, Esquire, Glamour, Elle, Marie Claire, Vox, The Paris Review, Good Housekeeping, Town & Country

    Normal People is a book that people either fanatically love or love to hate.  I think what it comes down to is whether you are a lover of character-driven versus plot-driven novels.  This one is all about character, and despite a lot of darkness, it remains one of my favorite love stories.  That being said, lovers of plot-driven rom-coms should probably just pass on this one.

    Normal People begins when Connell and Marianne are high school students. Marianne is unpopular, so Connell keeps their budding and very physical relationship a secret.  Ultimately, the burden of keeping this secret causes him to make hurtful decisions that push them apart.

    When Connell and Marianne start college, Marianne becomes the popular one and Connell has developed into a recluse.  As college progresses, Connell and Marianne drift in and out of each other’s lives in ways that push and pull at the reader’s emotions and, for better or worse, change the course of each other’s lives. It’s a thoughtful novel with some of my favorite literary quotes, including this one, which sums up the relationship of Connell and Marianne, as well as so many of our own relationships:

    All these years, they’ve been like two little plants sharing the same plot of soil, growing around one another, contorting to make room, taking certain unlikely positions.

    Normal People tackles themes of class, youth, worth/shame, abuse and mental health. It also embraces the highest of highs and the lowest of lows that can be so characteristic of young love.

    Read more reviews on Amazon.

    Shop Normal  People

    Check the current price:

    On Amazon
    On Bookshop.org

    Pairings for Normal People

    For more like Normal People:

    • Watch the BBC series, Normal People, on HULU.  It’s heavy, and I could only watch one episode at a time, but it’s fantastic.
    • Read the books that were read by the characters in Normal People.
    • Read books like Normal People, including Rooney’s other popular novel, Conversations with Friends.
    • Get inspired by the style of the main character, Marianne.
    • Listen to the Bad on Paper podcast’s book club discussion of Normal People.

    Normal People Hulu Trailer

    • NOW AN EMMY-NOMINATED HULU ORIGINAL SERIES

    I hope this Normal People book review inspires you to pick up this beloved book and “meet” this unforgettable couple.

    And if you liked this Normal People book review, sign up to receive The Literary Lifestyle emails for free. Each week, I’ll send you a FREE *cozy* email with themed book + lifestyle pairings to make your reading life easier & more fun. It’s like Reading Rainbow for women!

    P.S. – When you subscribe, I’ll instantly send you all my bookish printable PDFs as a FREE BONUS.

    Subscribe to The Literary Lifestyle

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    Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Romance

    About Jules Buono

    I'm Julianne a/k/a Jules Buono, a Philly lawyer by day and book blogger by night. My blog is "where books meet lifestyle" -- a book blog with pairings for a classic and timeless lifestyle. It's like Reading Rainbow for women! I've been on The Today Show's Read with Jenna book club on TV, as well as Oprah's Book Club and Reese's Book Club on Instagram, and I am a contributor at The Co-Op Reads. Email me directly at: [email protected]

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    Where books meet lifestyle

    Jules Buono

    I'm Julianne a/k/a Jules Buono, a Philly lawyer by day and book blogger by night. My blog is "where books meet lifestyle" -- a book blog with pairings for a classic and timeless lifestyle. It's like Reading Rainbow for women!

    I've been on The Today Show's Read with Jenna book club on TV, as well as Oprah's Book Club and Reese's Book Club on Instagram, and I am a contributor at The Co-Op Reads.

    Email me directly at: [email protected]

    25 fun facts about me →

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    Happy world book day my friends!! ❤️ Happy world book day my friends!! ❤️
    **BOOKISH TV RECOMMENDATION** Kudos to my husband **BOOKISH TV RECOMMENDATION**

Kudos to my husband for finding out about and recording the Hemingway documentary on PBS!

This is the Hemingway House we visited in Key West in 2016, which is inhabited by six-toed cats. It's an absolute blast to visit Key West and the Hemingway House is an absolute must visit there. (I have a full Key West guide on my blog if you need it.)

Anyway, the documentary is 3 parts, took 6 years to make and is narrated by a full cast of top celebs, including Jeff Daniels, Meryl Streep and soo many more (30+ people). We are THOROUGHLY enjoying it, and I definitely recommend you check it out.

In high school, I read Old Man and the Sea and The Sun Also Rises. I felt kind of mediocre about both but wonder how I would feel about them now. And would love to try A Farewell to Arms at some point. Do you have a Hemingway fave?
    To celebrate my collaboration with @Peepers on my To celebrate my collaboration with @Peepers on my most recent blog post (link in bio), I'm giving away a pair of their blue light glasses (an Oprah’s favorite thing 4x as well as a Jules favorite thing.😉)! The winner will receive one pair - the frames that are shown in the box in this picture, which is Peepers universally flattering frame for both men and women. And there is NO correction in the lenses so anyone can wear them, you can wear them over contacts, etc. 

How to enter:

1. Make sure you are following me @bookish_jules
2. Tag a friend or friends in the comments who may also be interested in this giveaway.

Bonus Entries:
Optional: share this post in your story and let me know you did in a comment below.

Official Rules:
1. U.S. residents only.
2. Must be over age 18.
3. This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram.
4. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
4. The giveaway starts at the time of this post and ends at 12p.m. EST on 4/23/21.
5. The winner will be chosen randomly and notified by direct message and has until noon EST on 4/26/21 to claim the prize by providing their address.
    Which one is your fave? I’m leaning towards bot Which one is your fave?  I’m leaning towards bottom left right now. 🤔 🤓Today on the blog, I collaborated with @peepers to provide a full review of their blue light glasses for e-reading and other screen time.  Blue light glasses just happen to be the #1 bestselling lifestyle product on my blog.  I started using them a year ago after experiencing pretty severe eye strain and dry eyes and I have worn them all day, every day since then.

The blog post dives deep on how to pick the best frame for you using the Perfect Pair Finder and Virtual Try On.  It also links up all of my favorite frames and Oprah's favorite frames (these glasses made her Favorite Things list 3 years in a row). And it provides all the other need-to-know details about blue light glasses generally and Peepers specifically. 

For the full blog post, visit TheLiteraryLifestyle.com at the link in my bio.

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