A few 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction titles, both worthy nominees. Interestingly, both Irish novels.
I was very excited to get Normal People to read on NetGalley. I was intrigued last year by this title when it was nominated for the Man Booker longlist but it wasn't available in Canada at that point.
Marianne is well off, and Connell is the son of Marianne's family's housekeeper in Sligo, Ireland. They begin seeing each other in high school, where Connell is cool and Marianne is not, so it begins in secret. They carry on together well into university in Dublin, but never officially, and never out in the open. They have a hold on each other, and fill a void that each needs. Not the healthiest of relationships, and yet, I hoped they could figure it out. Like electric charges periodically getting closer and then moving away, their ultimate trajectory is toward each other. Nothing in particular drives the plot, just the characters growing and developing. I liked the writing, the inner musings, and how Connell and Marianne helped each other. Like normal people do.
The writing style in this one won't be for everyone, but if it works for you, (and you'll know very early on) this is a great read. It worked for me completely and I'm not usually a fan of stream of consciousness. Having said that, I read this in small parts over a month or two, not my usual reading style. I kept being drawn back to the story, wondering what would happen next.
Set in 1970s Northern Ireland (presumedly, as there are precious few proper nouns in this book), main character, third sister is just out of high school and becomes the object of attention of a local paramilitary man, Milkman. Milkman is not to be confused with real milkman, or her boyfriend, called almost-boyfriend. The main character is relating what life if like in a semi war zone for a young girl trying to figure out where she fits in. She isn't a fan of this turbulent life, and so prefers to read 19th century novels as she walks around. This identifies her as beyond the pale, not fitting in with accepted social standards. Add to this the unwanted attention of Milkman and the attendant rumours that follow him, and life is dangerous.
The narrative circles around a lot; she begins a story then backs up for a while and eventually comes back around to the original story. "The day Somebody McSomebody put a gun to my breast and called me a cat and threatened to shoot me was the same day the milkman died." The opening sentence is the end of the story and the rest of the book backtracks to show how it ended up where it did.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story with its unique writing style and I never really tired of it. I was invested in following the characters, especially almost-boyfriend.
