Normal People question

It just left me wanting more, which I guess was the whole point- it's definitely a prominent technique in writing. I felt like I read an incomplete story, though. It felt like nothing happened but everything happened at the same time.

my girl marianne deserved better! wished she could've healed a bit :(

I just finished this today and didn't even realize that that was the final chapter when I was reading it! My initial reaction was disbelief- there was no way the story ended like that. But after I thought about it... it kind of made sense. The constant mistakes, arguments, and what not is what makes them "normal". There is no proper happily ever after in real life, for normal people. If the book ended with Marianne and Connell living together in New York or wherever else, I don't think it would necessarily make sense. I think what someone said about it being unsatisfying satisfying is the best way to describe the ending. It's the right ending I would think.

I'd just finished reading "Normal People" last night. I'll be honest; the ending is one you read, get angry at, re-read, and go, "Oh ya, I get it." I'm not upset with the ending after ruminating on it for a day; I think the end is a perfect representation of what it's like to live with PTSD if it goes untreated. She loves Connell and, Connell loves her. But the truth of the matter is Marianne will never actually understand what love is until she seeks help. This ending does a fantastic job at expressing to the reader that life goes on whether you like it or not and, depending on if you read for escapism, can determine your opinion on the ending. I found "Normal People" overall as a great book. I loved the end; it matched the tone of the rest of the book and is the perfect example of a frustratingly emotional read without a rewarding ending that is still enjoyable because you know the author stuck to their guns to deliver a real end.

I really loved the writing in this book and the dynamics of the characters were really honest and real, but I really didn't like that Marianne didn't learn to speak her boundaries, I would've liked her to heal a bit. She almost had no positive development as a character. The book just left me feeling unsatisfied. I can't figure out why Sally Rooney decided to end it in this way.
Not that is was horrible, just unsatisfying

I don't really know how to feel about the ending of this one. I feel like we went through all that time to really develop Connell and Marianne's relationship together and also how they see themselves as people on their own but it's sort of all thrown away in the last paragraph. They worked so hard on communication but in the end none of that really mattered and they just reverted back to their old ways of not telling each other what they really feel.
I think throughout the book you can really see them slowly being able to be vulnerable with each other and them both realising how much they truly love each other but it felt like it was all thrown away at the end, and the worst thing is I can't even be mad at the ending because it was intentional, a way to show us that no matter how much you love someone it doesn't always go the way you want it to. I think it showed us that Marianne still holds on to some of those previous insecurities which sort of stops her from letting herself truly be happy, she still thinks of others need before her own, and shy's away from voicing her opinions in fear of being rejected. She constantly rejects people before hearing them out always fearing the worst and having this constant feeling of having to save face so she doesn't look "weak" in a weird sort of way
I don't know if its my need for a happy ending in a book, or me hating open ended conclusions but this just left me really frustrated, it felt to me like the book wasn't completed and was just overall lacking something.
You can clearly see that they both come to terms that they are in love with one another there's no questioning that. The ending is so uncertain because we don't know what's going to happen to them as a couple there's so many questions that won't get answered like, do they stay together if not will they reunite, will they still love each other after becoming more secure in themselves and spending so much time apart, will that new found confidence be channelled into other people?
However, I do understand that that was probably what Sally Rooney was going for, she seems like the kind of author that wants you to think about the book in depth even after you long finished it.
Overall because of my personal preferences when it comes to reading this will probably never be one of my favourite books, not because it wasn't written well because it was written beautifully it's just that I don't enjoy an opened ended conclusion to a story. But if you enjoy an ending where you can sort of decide where it goes next then this would probably be a good read for you.

I hated the ending :I
It felt so underwhelming and sudden, I was really hoping they would get a happy ending. I guess It is a happy ending for them as individuals, maybe Marianne would seek help and Connel would be happy with his new life, but just not together and that disappointed me.

I liked this book because it read like how their relationship felt, back and forth and frustrating! I thought the ending felt like a closure and a continuation at the same time. I think the reader can easily assume they stay together (because they apparently can’t stop), or they separate for the time when she will be away. But after the drama at her house at the end of the book, it’s safe to say that a part of Connell will always stay with her. She showed him a ton of her vulnerability.

honestly i dont understand the hype of this book bc like the story was lowkey repetitive, it was they sleep together for a while, go their separate ways, marianne or connell gets in relationship, break up, sleep together, relationship, break up, sleep together and like bro i get it's supposed to show like destined soulmates who find each other no matter what but idk maybe it's just me but like this book did not live up to the hype i don't understand what is interesting or good about this book and especially the ending DONT GET ME STARTED ON THE ENDING when i read that last chapter and those last lines like what even happened it was like if she decided she was tired and done and ran out of ideas and decided to end in the middle of a chapter overall i would not recommend

Marianne and Connell had a volatile relationship all throughout the novel. From the beginning it was unstable, kind of chaotic, very thrilling. Mostly I feel that it was based on them being so vulnerable with each other that they, in a way, became attached to the comfort of their relationship. They were used to it while also so unused to feeling so cherished by someone else. (And for Connell, to feel so safe with another person). I think it made them kind of unhealthy for each other, but I also suppose that most young and modern relationships can sometimes blur the line between healthy and toxic.

When it comes to relationships like theirs, obsessive and all-consuming, the types of relationships that feel like a saving grace and also a thunderstorm, they normally don't last. By the end of the novel, Connell and Marianne had grown older, more mature, and they'd healed in some ways. Marianne had finally come to terms with her abuse, and Connell, with his mental health struggles. They no longer relied on one another for security. In the end, they were together because they truly loved each other, and for no other reason than that.

So when Connell is offered his scholarship, he is no longer afraid of life without Marianne. Yes, he is unhappy about it, because she is his first love and they have spent years orbiting around each other. And yes, leaving her would be difficult because he still loves her, and still wants desperately to be with her. But he also knows that he can survive without her, and vice versa. It's why Marianne is so content in letting him go. She is finally accepting independence. It doesn't diminish the love they have for one another, or the importance of their relationship. But as Marianne says at the end of the book, they did a lot of good for each other. So yes, I think the ending was satisfying.

I remember forgetting the ending and rereading this on the train.

Let's just say anyone who was near me has witnessed me throwing a quick fit over it.

It felt as though I was a dog who got fed a spoonful of peanut butter, unaware of the foul-tasting medicine underneath.

It wasn't what I expected, and it left a charred aftertaste on my tongue, but it was what I thought the book was headed to anyway.

Liv wrote: "I've heard a lot of differing opinions about the ending of this book. I felt like it what satisfying in an unsatisfying way, what about you guys? Any other general opinions/discussion ideas would b..."


I totally agree! I never thought about a book being "satisfying in an unsatisfying way." It's the perfect way of describing the book. I feel like it was the ending that needed to happen so for me it was satisfying. Normal People, well Sally Rooney in general, brings out these emotions in me that I forgot were still there deep inside of me. I haven't read 'Beautiful World Where are You' yet but I magically read 'Conversations with Friends' and 'Normal people' right when I needed it. Reading her books is like talking to someone about my problems that I want healed but I don't want to open up that deeply to someone. I relate to Frances and Marianne in countless ways. I want to be friends with them so bad.

I also watched a few episodes of both tv series out. C.W.F. wasn't my favorite, but i did enjoy Normal People. I do plan on finishing both of the series.

I have mixed feelings about the ending.
I would've loved to have some sort of epilogue. Something to let us know that they are fine and now happier than they were. The book on it's own is amazing because it shows the impact that a bad mental health has on you.
But, in my opinion it's important to show the after.
After seeking you start to feel better (after some time obviously),
it's important to show that and the bad days. Living with anxiety, depression or ptsd is really hard. But, it's possible to be happy, it takes work and time.
My point is: I hoped to have some kind of closure, see Marianne happy in some way. Also Connell, I've been talking about Marianne but he obviously has problems of his own.

Hello,
I loved this entire book. It was so refreshing because it was so relatable. I have terrible anxiety just like Connell so I really connected to him as a character... The ending left me wanting more and I didn't really care for it at the time. I thought the book didn't have an emotional enough ending for everything that they've gone through. I thought the Hulu version was more touching... However, I will say that I felt that way because as a reader who loved these characters, I WANTED the happy ending for them. The reality of the situation is, that's just not real life sometimes. I believe that was the point of the book... In my opinion, it's probably one of the most relatable romance novels out there.

I believe it was a proper ending. Throughout the whole book we see the two characters, Marianne, and Connell , constantly “breaking up” and making up again and again. Both of them are searching for different things in their lives. Marianne is searching for a solution for all her trauma, she does that by being in relationships with sadists, such as Jaime and the guy from Sweden, as well as Daniel from the short story “At the clinic”, it is something like a coping mechanism. Connell wants to know himself, understand why he is the way he is. They are each other’s safe port, Marianne knows what is love, she feels it for Connell and knows that he feels the same way about her. But their unsolved problems, in spite of bringing them together, are what separates them, constantly. They will be apart, they will find other people, live their lives, but there is something that will always bring them together. They will always have that thing in common. Connell knew Marianne in high school, when she was unpopular, and he knows her after. They grew together, and will continue to do so, they are best friends. They will always be separated and together at the same time. They share something quite special.
So yes, it was a proper ending, because that is how their relationship works.

I was kinda sad about the end of the book because I don't think that I can imagine them being always forever if it's not written because their story is really special but I anyway loved "Normal People".

The ending although a frustrating and an almost unsettling feeling of not knowing, leaves the reader to fill in the blanks. And in time as a reader of the book and watcher of the show I've decided that if you choose to believe Connell and Marianne end up together great and if they don't also great. Their story is transcendent of their relationship status. Both aiding in one another's self discovery and self worth. And although the more frustrating ending, I think they don't end up together.

Liv wrote: "I've heard a lot of differing opinions about the ending of this book. I felt like it what satisfying in an unsatisfying way, what about you guys? Any other general opinions/discussion ideas would b..."

honestly, it was one of the most realistic books I have ever read. it actually felt like I was reading a friend's story, I totally get the title. At first I was so bumped by the ending but in reality I guess we are all used to fiction-like endings, perfect stories with perfect endings. Normal people was coherent and left an ending that was normal, it was a love story that could not get through the changes of life as always happens in our world, not in books, among normal people indeed.

I don't know if anyone would relate to it. But the book physically hurt me. It left me in pieces and tortured me to think why these two people who are absolutely in a dusted love situation can't do anything to just be together. Maybe Love sustains and thrives if it's a bit selfish. It impacted me to think about both of them individually but at the end of it, I could not comprehend the bewildering anxiety I had ushered in for the next few days. I wish they had ended up together.
By the end of the book, Marianne does not seem so confident as opposed to how secured and confident she feels in the Adaptation on Hulu.
It might be so that I was reading the book when I was not doing well in personal life either. But, it does break that illusion of love that we harbour for ourselves.
Putting it loosely: there's a quote by Atwood where she writes about how love is the last of the illusions and we must give it up to truly be free; I had accepted that bitter-sweet line as the sole remedy to get over the complexity of Marianne and Connor.

Overall it was a frustrating and unnecessary book, I couldn't find a purpose for the writing of it. Never really reached a point where "love was found". They were on and off and never truly together. If I could I would have completely switch they ending out to them ending together after everything and making it someone what worth reading and meaningful.

Liv wrote: "I've heard a lot of differing opinions about the ending of this book. I felt like it what satisfying in an unsatisfying way, what about you guys? Any other general opinions/discussion ideas would b..."

The ending felt very fitting for the book itself but it wasn't a necessarily good ending for a book in general. The arty nature of the story made the simple, "predictable" ending make sense, but it didn't leave me with anything special. It was annoyingly realistic, but what else is to be expected from a Sally Rooney story???

It was very... can't think of a word... questionable? It was like it was left unresolved, almost. However, I think that's part of the point. Marianne and Connell are two normal people, and unlike in the cinemas, they are normal people who fall in and out of each other's lives, and that's just how it is. Do you know what I mean? It was really frustrating, but that's kind of the entire point of the book, right? Sometimes, stuff like that is really frustrating and can change you, and so that's part of showing that this story isn't a typical on-again off-again and then ending up together romance, it's just on-again off-again and leaving with that knowledge.

Liv wrote: "I've heard a lot of differing opinions about the ending of this book. I felt like it what satisfying in an unsatisfying way, what about you guys? Any other general opinions/discussion ideas would b..."

Unpopular opinion, I think the ending is exactly what it should have been. Immediately after reading I definitely was upset that it didn't end with Marianne and Connell being together. But as the title suggests, that is the point. Each issue in the relationship could have been solved with communication and a general feeling of empathy towards each other. Their relationship in the book plays out as a lot of 'normal' relationships do in the world (at least for like 18–20-year-olds). The best-case scenario was that they were able to accomplish the things they wanted, while the other person supports. Due to the nature of their relationship, along with the associated 'traumas' (for lack of better words), a relationship between the two would have just withered out. I think at the end, supporting each other, and choosing to love each other from the distance was the best thing for not only their relationship, but also for themselves.

I just finished reading the novel this morning on the train, and it left me feeling so empty inside but I suppose that was the point. In a way, I relived my own experience but from some sort of eagle-eye, omniscient god view. What a trip.

Not my type of ending. It might be realistic to some people, but to me when your rooting for somebody and they have been through so much you want to see them make it.

I don’t know if anyone is still reading or commenting on this thread. I just finished the book yesterday. I am really upset about the ending and wanted more. I had really hoped they had matured to the point that they could stay together and not repeat the same mistakes for the most part. But it looks like it is the same old path they are heading down as the book ends— her, not confident to say what she’s really feeling and him closed off and not telling her about big decisions in his life. A lot of people have talked about wishing for an epilogue. I wondered how people would feel if there were an epilogue and we find Connell and Marianne not together, but in the process of healing, like both in therapy but separate. I don’t know if I would like that either. I really want them to be together. It’s just my happily ever after fetish I guess. But I suppose that’s not the kind of book this is. And we all know that happily ever after is not a real thing anyway, so I guess it would be unfaithful to the rest of the book if the ending was tied up in a bow. Still, I wanted it to and on a more hopeful note.

I loved it although I also found it hard to take. I wanted the perfect happily ever after ending but that wouldn't be true to their relationship and true to real life I feel. I feel though that it shows how they both have matured and now aren't afraid to discuss their relationship and how they feel instead of all the miscommunication.

I loved this book so much, its definitely one of my favourite books ever, if not my favourite. But I definitely didn't like the ending, it was sad because we know they never ended up together because Connell didn't come back. I hope Marianne got a good ending though, just disappointed it wasn't with Connell.

I can see how the ending felt almost abrupt and sudden yet I did enjoy the ambiguous nature of it. Considering the story, the people, and the relationship dynamic the ending felt natural to me. As I read I reminded myself that these people are teenagers going on young adults who haven't experienced the realities of the 'real world.' Rooney has created deep and engaging characters and accompanying issues that brings the world to life.
I had a lot of sympathy for Marianne throughout the story. It saddened me to read how she felt broken and in some ways undeserving of love and care.
Connell I could relate to in some ways. He felt like an indecisive character who didn't know what he wanted or how to express himself. Again a young man surrounded by the constraints of social status which presented a barrier between him and Marianne during their high school days which was still slightly problematic as their story evolved.
The nonlinear presentation of the book took me out of the story a few times which caused some confusion on where the characters were on their journey. I didn't have too many major complaints with the book, overall I did enjoy the story and how it was written.

I saw the television series before reading the book and I'm glad I did because the actors offer that nuance that I think Rooney was going for in the end.

In the book, I didn't like that Marianne was still waffling over whether or not Connell loved her. But on reflection, I think that's what makes this such a great love story. She's still a bit anxious about him, but she has the courage to tell him to pursue his dream. And I think Rooney was showing us Marianne's growth within herself. Learning to value herself apart from Connell and in spite of her family. It's a very tricky psychological transition to make.

I was so impressed with how lightly this was handled that even now, I find depth in the story. Two young people who through their devotion, amazingly encouraged each other to adulthood and self-confidence. I believe they reunite after Connell returns from New York. I like that Rooney left it open to our interpretation.

I personally believe that this was the perfect ending for this book. All they both have done throughout the book unknowingly was waiting for the other. Wether it was through a relationship or an emotional unavailability. If it would've ended with a happy ending, it would not have been very believable and pleasant, as I would have had to keep wondering wether they were going to finally work out, or were they going to end up in a break-up like all their other relationships?

I'm glad it didn't end with broken hearts, but with a future for both of them, something they can both look forward to.

It was painful to me but the more I think about it, the more I realize it was a perfect ending for this book. Think about it: they had a really uncertain relationship through the whole story but at the end of the day-somehow- they always got to find each other, so I think we should trust that they will be together not matter what.

i felt that the ending was coherent with their storyline and very realistic
throughout the whole book we follow their journey and we see them developing their relationship even when they are apart, so it makes sense that by the end they are still figuring out ways to be together and supporting each other while they live their lives on their own
they are young and they have a lifetime to settle down and live their relationship, but for now what really matters is that they acknowledge their feelings and that they know that they will be there for each other no matter what

I thought that the TV adaptation did a much better job with the ending than the book. It felt rushed in the book. I did not like that Marianne was still struggling with anxiety over Connell and worrying that he might be secretly cheating on her with Sadie (Sadie was barely a character in the book, so I don't see why she would have been so important in the ending). At least in the show, you finally see Marianne being happy and confident, both in herself and in her relationship with Connell. She prioritises her own happiness and development and becomes a better person for it. There was more growth to be seen in the show than in the book, because in the book Marianne comes to the conclusion that it is better to just accept dependency than to try to be independent (essentially embracing codependency). That was the other problem that I had with the book ending, it felt like both Connell and Marianne were falling into a pattern of codependency. That was just frustrating to me because they had so many opportunities to learn from their mistakes and grow, but it felt like they were just repeating mistakes. Ultimately though, the ending paragraph of the book ending salvaged the whole ending for me.

“He probably won’t come back, she thinks. Or he will, differently. What they have now they can never have back again. But for her the pain of loneliness will be nothing to the pain that she used to feel, of being unworthy. He brought her goodness like a gift and now it belongs to her. Meanwhile his life opens out before him in all directions at once. They’ve done a lot of good for each other. Really, she thinks, really. People can really change one another.
You should go, she says, I’ll always be here. You know that.”

That is the beauty of their relationship, and one that was much better portrayed in the TV show than in the book. They both loved each other enough to let each other go for their own good, instead of becoming codependent and ending up resenting each other and their lives. Marianne and Connell will always have a special bond that can never be broken, but they also allow each other the space to be their own person. This is the first time they *choose* to end their relationship on mutual and amicable terms, they don't end it because of miscommunication or general anxiety.

I just wish that Marianne also had the chance to get therapy and help for her issues instead of just Connell, because she deserved healing as well (after dealing with depression, crippling lack of self-esteem and eating disorders).

I like to think that they will eventually reunite and be happy together, but I like that Rooney left that open to interpretation.

I thought the ending was great, but not satisfying. It left me incredibly emotional, even frustrated, but I think that was the best way she could've written the ending. The entire book is supposed to portray a realistic story between two people, and the ending being one of uncertainty and even some remaining insecurity is very realistic. It leaves it really open-ended, and I personally like to think/take comfort in thinking that they eventually stuck together, but I like that we don't really know. By the end, they had both been so vulnerable with each other and proven to each other that they were there for one another. The love, at that point and after all the unbearable miscommunication, was obvious. They both grew together and apart and left a lot of room for more growth, and Marianne recognized that Connell needed to go and grow some more on his own. I thought that really showed the love between them beautifully. It left me almost comfortable with the uncertainty of their future together. The uncertainty didn't lie with their love for each other, just the status of their relationship.
So I hated the ending and loved it all at the same time. I think it was the only way she could have ended the story properly.

I think in away it was an ending that was in many ways unsatisfying there was no closure, no happily ever after or grand finale, like so much in life it seemed unfinished and because of this it was the perfect ending to the story of Connell and Marianne’s relationship. Also it leaves open the possibility of a sequel.

I think the ending was alright, It wasn't the typical happily-ever-after ending. And I guess this makes sense because in normal life this is what happens. There are tough decisions to make, there are tough moments of separation, each individual wants to chase their own dream, love isn't always about sacrificing yourself to gain approval from the other. I do have a longing desire to know what happens after though, I do hope Rooney writes a second book to further develop these characters.

I thought the ending wasn't satisfying but it was good. Like obviously you want them to be happy and together and that kind of stuff. But that isn't a realistic ending. There are enough people who break-up and then get back together and then eventually never end up together or they do. But you can never know that for sure so I think that's why the ending is good. Because you can't expect how these kind of situations end. Obviously you want to know how the rest of their story goes and sally rooney could've written it. But that would be too long and I think it wouldn't have the same effect as the ending has now.

I was hella disappointed by the ending ngl I mean I wish we could see Marrianne heal some more but all we see is her being broken and beat down time and time again...

The ending was left open...this means you can imagine how it ended.I really liked it and i think they stayed together

i completely agree with all of u: the ending was unsatisfying, sudden but just because of that it really suited the characters and the plot. marianne and connel are "normal people" just like all of us. life doesn´t always hold a happy ending which is beautiful in is sadness

No but I think this is the whole point!! It was a great ending but it wasn’t satisfying at all
The ending was very realistic but it was so sad :(

I disliked the ending. It wasn't a cliffhanger, but I feel the story wasn't done. But the thing about normal people is how it resembles real life, and the ending wasn't sad, but it wasn't happy either, which is what I think Rooney wanted.

The book felt unfinished. I felt like I was on this really long car ride that ended no where.

It broke my heart, as her books tend to do. It is, in my opinion, a realistic ending. Marianne has suffered her whole life, got traumatised over and over again, so in the real world this is the decision that somebody in her position would make and probably regret for the rest of their live.
Is it satisfying? Absolutly not. I wanted to scream and throw the book across the room, wanted a second part, just something that would make her reverse her decision and escape the endless circle of PTSD. But the books from Ronney are not meant to feel good or to be satisfying i think. The portray a certain part of live, and even if they are works of fiction they don't loose their connection to reality. I have read "Conversations with Friends" probably 4 or 5 times and this oint, it is one of my absolut favurite books, but i can't convince myself to reread "Normal People". It's so real and brutal, yet wonderful and heartbreaking.....