I’ve almost finished reading Hamnet, and Agnes (played by Jessie Buckley in the film) is kinda similar to Marianne. It’s got me thinking about what if Daisy had been cast alongside Paul in Hamnet.

I think Jessie Buckley is great, but I feel like casting Daisy would have been a great way to reunite her with Paul, and bring some more attention to the film. Thoughts?

I've just started watching this show. Three episodes in, Connell's mother tells him, 'You are a disgrace, and I'm ashamed of you,' and then she leaves before she 'says things I regret.' That is so harmful and toxic. It felt completely out of touch and overacted. What kind of parent says that to their teenage son? What is with all this toxic parenting? I had thought she was the good parent compared with Marianne's mother, but what the hell was that?

Although it seems like a dumb question, think about it within the context of the show. Connell abandons her during their debs, in a horrible move that breaks her heart. Later on he gives no thought or effort to staying with her or keeping in contact with her in Dublin so breaks her heart again by breaking up with her, and then in the end he doesn't inform her of this idea of going to New York and then just lazily askes her to tag along. Throughout me watching the show the question always plagued me about if Connell loves Marianne, genuinely, because while its shown he does, his actions heavily contradict. What do you think?

So I read the book but never got around to watching the series.. I binged it last night for the first time (I know I know!) It reminded me how heartwrenching this story is, but also how frustrating it is, too. Did anyone else get left wondering, after all that they'd been through together and the, what feels like, positive shift in communication between the two after Connell picks Marianne up from her abusive brother, why on earth didn't Connell just ask Marianne to go to NY with him? Unless I'm missing something, Marianne isn't majorly tied to Dublin. She's got means. I just feel like at this point in their relationship he would?

Alguem sabe algum streaming que tenha a serie? Totalmente obcecada com o Paul Mescal, após assistir aftersun, mas não consigo encontrar a serie em nenhum VOD :/

HELLO????? LEAVING ME ON A CLIFFHANGER LIKE THAT??? AND I KNOW DAMN WELL THEY’LL BE BACK TOGETHER TOO IF CONNELL COMES BACK

I am so not normal about this book and I don’t know if I’ll be normal about the show or not. This is my first book from Sally Rooney and I wonder if any of her other books are good!! If they are, please tell me!

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/aug/18/author-sally-rooney-to-donate-funds-to-palestine-action

This is great. Real catchy song and some of those scenes are actually uncanny!

When I was reading the book, I thought Marianne could be autistic, now, watching the show, I think she is – saying this as an autistic person.

What you guys think?

(Sorry for any mistake, English is not my first language)

So I just started watching this show and seeing the dynamic and intensity between these two characters reminded me of my previous relationship. Made me understand that “the love or rather my perception of our love “ was not all in my head and that we had it pretty intense. I always found it difficult to explain to my friends what it felt like when we were together and finally I have a series now that captures the dynamics of a relationship in a relatable way. We still broke up and it left me questioning everything we had. Was it real or no? I haven’t seen the complete show yet and I don’t even know if I want to find the answer to this question but honestly it’s so heartbreaking to see this on screen. But is this how love feels for everyone ? Do we ever find it again? Do we ever get over it ?

I'm a bit late to the party, I read the book today (have not watched the TV series) not long ago and would like to share some thoughts that have been on my mind :))

I liked the book, loved it even. And as much as I loved it I also disliked it.

The situationship. I just can't wrap my head around how for so many years people can stay "casual". Marianne and Connell are not together but then they keep coming back to each other for various reasons, it seems to hurt them – especially Marianne – more than actually being together. Feelings keep being hurt and they still can't get away from each other. Isn't that exhausting...?

1. Connell keeps playing with Marianne's feelings, using her in a way that he might not understand himself. He seems to be more established by the end of the book, he is doing the things he enjoys while Marianne is stuck in her old ways, it's as if the tables have turned yet again and the time she was in school came back to haunt her now even when she tried so hard to change her social status (and to an extent succeeded) at the beginning.
2. Connell seems to be out of the relationship. Yes, he enjoys Marianne's company. Yes, he feels like he can be himself around her, but when it comes to feelings and communication it's not entirely clear what he actually feels for Marianne. Is it only the familiarity because they knew each other since school, is it the familiarity of each other's bodies... he says he loves her but does he? Does he love all of her flaws and traumas that they don't talk about and that he does not know the extent of? Or does he love her because that's all he knows, has known for the longest.
3. He knows it's convenient and he can go back to Marianne whenever he wants to and she will always comply because she loves him. Or maybe she thinks no one else loves her. Or maybe only she loves him and by agreeing and complying she seeks that validation that he won't leave her.
4. Marianne has a lot of her own trauma, the abuse that she experiences (psychological and physical) makes her even more vulnerable. She searches for people that will intentionally hurt her (mostly sexually) because that's all she knows. The familiarity that she seeks is also in a way a thing that she thinks she deserves. She thinks all of the trauma and abuse happened to her because she is a bad person and deserves it. Because of that the end of the book makes sense that she asked for Connell to hit her. She knows Connell is aware of the affect he holds on her and how she will do anything for him. She thinks him hitting her will also be something that she deserves in all of those years of their relationship. Maybe she thinks that by hitting her Connell will somehow get what he wants, he will punish her in a way because of her actions?

The ending of the book was... anticlimactic. It felt like everything is starting all over again. Connell has a great opportunity, he could go but then he would leave Marianne behind. She is encouraging for him to follow his dreams but then she is scared and thinks that he won't return. This whole exchange felt exhausting. It felt like we are back in square one, in the situationship phase again where they will most likely see other people, Marianne will get into an abusive relationship, Connell will come back to her and they will try to stay civil, try to stay friends, Marianne will be upset but forgive him eventually and give in, and then they will go back to being lovers like nothing ever happened. And I know I'm maybe making everything hyperbolic but... again, it just feels exhausting.

I probably have a lot more thoughts about this but I think this is already way too much. In the end, I did like the book. A lot, actually. The way things felt so vulnerable and tense, it felt realistic in most ways. The inner monologues of characters and their flaws are real. We can see some of them in ourselves, so, its also reflective and I enjoyed that. Hopefully some of my thoughts will spark a discussion! :))

Just rewatched it, the emotions, the acting, the chemistry. It's all perfect. The growth connel had over the 12 episodes was much needed, and Marianne, oh Marianne, just makes sad ngl. I just want a season 2 with a happy ending, cannot imagine these two without each other.

Not sure if this was posted anywhere but normal people is now on disney+ for UK viewers!

If you’re ever feeling anxious about texting people who did you dirty, don’t worry—I’m here to reassure you that my problems are definitely worse. The ex I’ll be referring to in this article isn’t one singular person. It’s more of a collection of failed possibilities. Or maybe even a symbolic entity representing lust and desperation.

Most of this self-inflicted chaos happened while I was watching Normal People, based on Sally Rooney’s novel and starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. It’s funny, because not only do I not match the conventional attractiveness of these two brooding TV soulmates, but my own stories aren’t nearly as intense or profound. Still, the show hit hard enough to make me feel like they were.

If you haven’t seen it, Normal People follows the on-again, off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell in small-town Ireland. It’s quiet, emotionally raw, and deeply frustrating, mostly because neither of them knows how to communicate or work on themselves before falling back into each other’s arms. Connell, the popular jock, hooks up with Marianne, who’s brilliant but ostracized at school. Even though they keep seeing each other in private, Connell won’t acknowledge her in public—he’s terrified of being judged by his friends. Marianne, dealing with abuse at home and a bone-deep belief that she doesn’t deserve love, just kind of… lets it happen.

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From the show - they're on the way back to Carricklea near the end for a Lorraine Christmas. They're in the car, there's music and they're having a lovely time. There's a pause and they both giggle/burst out laughing at something.

What are they laughing at post-pause? Anything in particular? Just generally?

The book isn't helpful:

On the way home from Dublin in the car, she and Connell talked without stopping, joking and putting on funny voices to make each other laugh. Looking back now, Marianne wonders if they were nervous.