Didn't think much of Normal People

[Susanna85]

I keep seeing love for Normal People online.
I read it and then watched the BBC series.
Perhaps I was expecting more, given the show's apparent popularity.

I thought it was alright as a book but completely forgettable afterwards. And the TV episodes were not captivating, I began scrolling through my phone etc. Why is everyone loving it so much!? Or is it just clever advertisement

I liked it at the beginning. Now everythings gone slightly OTT. I was fiddling with my phone on Monday - It wasn't engaging me.

I liked it, but having livid something close to this when younger the ending let it down. Really Marianne would grow and developed to realise that Connell was a selfish boy who treated her awfully. They’d grow distant, Marianne would resent him for the way he treated her as she moved on with creating her own path in life. Marianne would meet new friends and better men that would make her realise this. Only looking back on her and Connell’s time together as unhealthy and humiliating, but she will always have love for his mum. That’s the only reason why she put up with him for so long, that and for a long time she thought he was her first love and that’s why she always gave him the benefit of the doubt over the years that this unhealthy relationship dragged out.

@Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse
We have come away with really different impressions of the main characters. Did you watch the tv series or read the book?
In the book M asks her boyfriends to treat her badly. The final time she gets together with C she asks him to hit her.

I’ll have to watch the tv series now

Oh God!!! Totally with you OP. I found both of the main characters VERY annoying. Him not saying how he felt, the letting horrible men treat her like shit, the mum, the brother, the overly long cringey sex, just arrrrrgh!!! Kept watching hoping it would pick up, since friends liked it so much. But it just DRAGGED on and on and then pffft out at the end. Nicely filmed through 🤷‍♀️

I read the book last year and I’m sure Marianne was supposed to have struggled with her weight, I was disappointed they chose a skinny actress.

And I say that as a slim person.

I wish I looked like Marianne!

I love it & so does DH. Each to his own.

Enjoyable but over rated for sure

I didn't enjoy it as expected- everyone raving about it and I just found it so uneventful.

However i found myself ruminating on it for several days afterwards and came to the conclusion that it was called normal people because they were boring, normal people and that was the point... but that it explored the complexities of normal people well...... he clearly has issues expressing feelings and attachment (no father?) She seemed a little on the spectrum maybe, her abusive father and then brother, making her feel worthless which seeped into her relationships as she didn't know how to do "healthy love" - which is why even though connell and marianne were definitely not healthy relationship it was the nearest she'd ever get to a healthy relationship that didn't involve abuse and pain.

Essentially their issues meant they constantly got in their own way.. right?

Thought it depicted depression and anxiety well.

So I'm torn..non eventful, non gripping but perhaps well done after all...

"I never had a single intellectual conversation at uni"

That's really sad. My experience of uni was full of mind-bending conversations that really opened up the world to me. They were really formative years, and taught me how to be critical, and to think. Tools I've used throughout my life.

I enjoyed the series. I thought the portrayal of the confusion and intensity and immaturity of young love was bang on. So much angst - I'm glad those days are over!

I found it totally dull. Maybe my own teenage / young years were wild in comparison! I didn’t see what all the fuss was about the sex scenes etc and found the characters really unbelievable.

But we’re all different... I adored Flea Bag and Killing Eve and more recently Big Little Lies etc. Lots of people hate all that!

I think it resonates with people who have had similar experiences, mainly of university. This is not a boast, but when I was 19-20, I was out in the world, clubs, bars, parties, meeting people, starting a career. I would have been bored shitless sitting in someone's house having conversations about literature and drinking wine, they're all so middle aged! Even their parties are dull. I just couldn't see the appeal of any of it, but I'm probably missing the point. Each to their own.

@dayswithaY that’s exactly my own experience and how I felt too....!

Plot a bit shit but bloke very sexy 🤪 I’d imagine if you didn’t find him sexy than it would be too boring.

It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve watched but not as good as the hype . The fact that at one point we were watching what was supposed to be 17/18 year olds have sex, and the girl was very flat chested did make me feel uncomfortable- and I’m not definitely not a prude .

@ Blondebakingmumma so far I’ve only watched the series but maybe I should read the book?

I really enjoyed it but I think because it made me a bit nostalgic and sad rather than anything else. I do think the 2 leads acted well, and I really liked Connell's mum. Connell also pretty good looking, although I'm the same age as his mum so probably shouldn't be thinking that

On reflection it is rather slow moving and frustrating, but I think that is often how things are when people are too scared and insecure to communicate properly, especially when you are a teenager/early 20s, I remember being a bit like this. Quite glad that's over now in a way!

I think that's why it's popular - nostalgia. If you don't have that then there's not much of a plot to keep you interested.

I loved it. I read the book last year and thought the series was really well done. The characters aren’t likeable, but that’s reality: they make mistakes, overthink things and misunderstand each other. It made me want to reread the book, so I’ve started again, and while certain things don’t write match up (TV Marianne certainly isn’t anywhere near “ugly” at school as she is on the book, for example), the series captures the characters very well. I was very moved by it all.

I read the book last year and I’m sure Marianne was supposed to have struggled with her weight

Marianne was always very slim, one of the things that people at school didn't like about her was that she was flat chested. In Sweden she was becoming anorexic.

TV Marianne certainly isn’t anywhere near “ugly” at school as she is on the book, for example

The description of her at school is that she didn't wear makeup, didn't shave her legs, wore ugly shoes and was flat chested. No real indication that she was 'ugly', just that she didn't make an effort. When she dressed up for the fundraiser her classmates (male and female) told her she looked attractive.

I found it boring. I only watched all episodes because once I start something I like to finish. It’s full of annoying uni students who are desperate to appear intellectual and mature. Marianne behaves in every relationship of hers like she’s been married to them for 20 years. She is a sourpuss. I found Connell really unattractive. Both of them had terrible communications skills.
Thumbs down.

I couldn’t get past the first episode with Connell looking about 30 wearing school uniform.

I get what you mean but having two DSs go through 6th Form I have seen a lot of 18 year olds look much older their years. Lots of b impressive beards. 😂
It’s a bit like The Inbetweeners in their uniforms looking way older.
If you manage to get past the first episode then the school uniform is gone.

And too many tedious kissing- and sex scenes. Yaaaawn..
Is it just me or actors nowadays don’t know how to properly french kiss? Instead of going for a long proper kiss with tongues, they give each other these short, smoochy, annoying immature tongueless kisses on the lips. WTF? What are they? 5? It’s in every single film now.

5 year olds 😂 I hope not.