Review
‘So what’s all the fuss about?’
Okay, so we’ve all heard about this one. When I say all maybe I just mean the millions of middle class young men and women who nearly broke BBC iPlayer to have a peak at this modern love story set in South-West Ireland. Protagonists Marianne and Connell have been labelled the Romeo and Juliet of our time but does this TV show really measure up to its astounding success?* (follow the asterisk if you’d rather I cut to the chase).
Last summer in Mallorca I was looking for some light holiday reading and stumbled on the original novel by Sally Rooney. To be honest the aesthetic of the book cover drew me to it more than the characters or story and incidentally the cinematography of the series is just as minimal and stylish. But, encouraged by the positive reviews and having just finished wrestling my sister for the last Maxibon, I stepped outside, found a quiet spot by the pool and with my Jackie O’s (very Marianne) dived in.
Firstly, Sally Rooney is a beautiful writer, there’s no doubt about that. Her work is soft and delicate, the first person narrative transitions between Marianne and Connell seamlessly. I barely noticed her decision not to use speech marks, making it quite an accessible and intimate read. So the story follows two ‘normal people’, Marianne and Connell from High School to the end of University, as they weave in and out of each others lives, sometimes romantically, occasionally as strangers, always as ‘friends’. During High School, Marianne is the smartest girl in her class (and also the most beautiful but she doesn’t know that yet) who feels alienated by the other kids. Connell on the other hand thrives, he’s sporty, popular and has a better family life. They’re both a right pair of smarty pants who end up idyllically studying English at Trinity. To be honest, they’re pretty close to being Mr and Mrs Privileged, which to me narrows the audience and I personally find it difficult to empathise with characters who have few flaws (but maybe that’s just me being insecure). Also, in the book Marianne comes across as more entitled and shallow, yet the series presents a sweeter interpretation that dampens down her sassier traits.
What I think the book and TV series does successfully is (ironically) communicate young peoples inability to properly communicate with each other. For instance after spending a happy first year of Uni as a couple, Marianne and Connell split after he loses his job and can’t afford to rent his Uni digs over the summer. He’s too proud (has a chip on his shoulder about needing things from other people because he grew up poor) and maybe feels a little emasculated at the thought of asking his girlfriend (who would have definitely said yes the bell-end) if he could stay with her for the summer in Dublin. And so, after an awkward kitchen sink conversation, Connell backs out of the relationship without much explanation, leaving Marianne to give him the cold shoulder and to feel abandoned by him yet again. With both assuming the other isn’t really interested they spend the next few years deeply unhappy and in and out of dysfunctional relationships. I get that, I’m sure that sort of thing happens to the best of us. Why I’m not completely sure, maybe its technology that’s made our social skills so shit? What is clear to me is the ‘I don’t want to put labels on this-ship’ that more teens and twenty-somethings suddenly wake up to, after shagging their oldest friend for the twenty-tenth time. I therefore think this theme of miscommunication and not knowing what you want or who you are when you’re young is one of the core reasons for this story’s success. That and Connell’s sexy silver chain and Marianne’s fringe. And lets face it, they’re best friends who love each other in a world that isn’t really built to keep young love on a straight track. With rocky-finances, scholarships, work placements, mental illness, interrailing around the Italian coast and all the other exciting things contemporary life has to offer, something always seems to get in the way. It’s as if we’ve all become nomadic independents who are more focussed on ourselves, as we’re told less and less that we need a partner to make us whole and to just do it on our own. Both men and women are now expected to have careers, lots of interests, friends and accomplishments, with so many expectations it’s no wonder relationships crack under the pressure. That’s what Normal People’s about, a relationship come too early that crumbles, slowly pieces itself back together and then inevitably starts crumbling again.
On a slightly lighter note, Daisy and Paul look great and have a sparky chemistry and Normal People is romantic and relatable but also that’s kind of it.
If you would also like to help break BBC iPlayer by watching Normal People, Series 1 is available to view now.
*Not really, but you should follow Connell’s Chain on Instagram to inspire your weekly wank.
Millie Mussett 