What's Next? discussion

I have mixed feelings about this one.

What I liked:
- relationship between the brothers feels relatable and realistic. Really delves into the complexity of family relationships and its imperfections.
- explores different types of romantic relationships, and the possibilities of challenging social norms.
- touching and heartbreaking

What I didn’t like:
- Rooney adopts a kind of Proustian writing style, which sometimes also reads like it was written by Yoda (something like, “take too much Xanax did I”—this is not a quote from the book btw). I don’t usually like to work harder to understand the text.
- Story arch of boy loves ex-gf but also loves his new lover and can’t decide who he loves more teeters on playing into male/female stereotypes, which is surprising coming from Rooney. Though spun in such a way to say that any type of relationship is possible, something didn’t sit right for me.

In spite of the negatives, I probably enjoyed this one more than the other two Sally Rooney books I’ve read. I can’t decide if I like her books!

Thanks. I'm on the fence but will probably read this one. I liked the first two but less the last one.

I really like Beautiful World Where Are You but I found it less a satisfying read than Normal People. I think Rooney is very good at making the characters and their interactions in her books thought provoking but also fun to read.

I'm eager to read Intermezzo and will share my thoughts here with you all.