In 2018, Irish author Sally Rooney published her second novel, Normal People. It quickly became an international bestseller and Rooney was hailed as the first great millennial novelist for her stories of love and late capitalism. In April this year, Hulu and BBC released a 12-episode TV series based on the novel. The story follows the relationship between Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Waldron (Paul Mescal), as they navigate adulthood from their final days in secondary school to their undergraduate years at Trinity College. It is a beautiful look at two highly intelligent but socially complex people who are constantly mislabeled and misunderstood by everyone around them except each other.

It can be hard to capture the words and feelings of a book into a visual and emotional piece of film, but this show really does. Sensual, tender, and intimate, it gently clutches your heart and makes you remember what it means to feel the complexities of love. Quiet and subtle, Normal People is simply a beautiful piece told perfectly by two brilliant young actors.

I watched the entire show last week and I have not been able to think about anything else since. So, I asked my friends, Katey Hannaby and John Gleeson to join me here today to discuss this beautiful coming-of-age story and what it taught us about love and relationships. We compare and contrast the themes of Normal People with our own lives, experiences, trials, and tribulations.

Links

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Normal People Trailer

Millennialism

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