Normal People 👨🏻👩🏻 Tv Show 📺 Vs Book 📖

My review of the show 'Normal People' and how it differentiates from the book 😃

Content warnings: alcohol and drug use, smoking, domestic abuse, sexually explicit scenes, sexual abuse, bullying, anxiety/depression, suicidal thoughts, child abuse

I am sorry to admit that I did in fact watch the TV Show before I read the book. However, in some ways this has its pros and cons. On the one side, it can help me visualise the scenes a little better as I am not great at imagine faces but on the other hand I am constantly visualising the scenes in the show that may be a little different from the book.

Normal People came out on BBC iplayer in 2020 based on the book by Sally Rooney. In this 12 episode show, it follows Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron in West Ireland as they grow with each other, whilst living in two different socio-economic worlds and popularity groups. They have always known each other due to his mum, Lorraine, working at her house as a cleaner, but they have never really communicated. Throughout the months and years that they are friends, they delve in and out of a relationship that seems to emphasise the importance and beauty of young love.

I think this is the first time I have watched a TV Show based on a book where the storyline is basically followed to a T. Though there are small conversations that have not been put into the TV Show and some details that may have been changed, in general I think it is a pretty good adaptation. When I first got the book I didn’t think I would enjoy the simple sentences and the third-person POV but to be honest it actually makes it more entertaining and can be read quickly. The book is structured in a sort of screenplay way as it tells you what would be happening which can be easily transferred to the scene - which seems to be exactly what they did.

Though I dislike that, in the book, there are no quotation marks around when people are talking, this is only because I got a bit confused now and again about if they have stopped talking but in general, I feel like you get used to it very quickly. The book is also not set up chronologically and from my take, there seems to be a main moment of the characters and then loads of flashbacks of little moments that I remember from the TV show. The show was able to put them in a decent chronological order so it doesn’t get too confusing but I actually like that the book is structured in this way. It is something different compared to what I normally read.

Throughout the TV show, there were the main moments that showed Marianne’s and Connell’s mental health struggles but in the book it is definitely more clear and I guess this is because their thoughts and feelings can be heard compared to the show where it has to been shown throughout the characters visual body language to understand. I think it helps to break the stereotypes around men’s mental health as Connell seems to really struggle with social anxiety and potentially even imposter syndrome as he is in a new environment at Trinity and Marianne is the only person he feels like he can truly open up with.

This may be weird to say but the sex in the TV Show compared to the book I think vary very differently. In the show, there are a lot of sexual scenes due to their strong sexual attraction being a main theme between them, which is then also bolstered by the deep conversations they have in these intimate moments. Whereas in the book, compared to other books, it is pretty tame. Yes, a lot of the book will talk about their thoughts and feelings about sex (which I think is very important to discuss as teenagers) but there are never truly detailed scenes. In my opinion, it is more small moments that are dotted throughout based on the characters memories and thought processes. Don’t get me wrong they are not shy about talking about sex, but I feel like it is in a natural awkward teenage way that never seems to exist in any other books and shows. I liked this aspect, especially in the book, becasue it made seem a bit more realistic than it is always portrayed.

I do really feel that both Connell and Marianne are two people that are the same but different. I don’t particularly believe in the entire idea of soulmates. The belief that each person only has one person to spend the rest of their lives with, if they find them that is. But I do like these books and TV shows because I do believe that they are each other’s person, best friend, and soulmate (in a way). It is definitely corny and cliché in whichever way you look at it, but is also heartwarming and special to be able to witness these lives in a book and then, even better, in an on-screen adaptation.

I really think that you should give the book or the TV show a try because I think that it may make you feel complete for a moment or two. That was definitely what I had. And maybe they annoy you because they can never decide to be together. After all, they have both been holding back for years. Or maybe you understand them and feel a sense of protection for these people. Just try anyway, I don’t think you could be that disappointed.

Until the Next Chapter

#Bellesbookbabble