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8 Books To Read If You Liked Normal People
If you loved the emotional depth, intricate character development, and complex relationships in Normal People, these eight books will offer similar themes to explore.
Books To Read If You Liked Normal People (Image Credit: Instagram)
If you enjoyed Sally Rooney's Normal People, you likely appreciated how it delicately explored love, relationships, and human emotions. The book's honest portrayal of complicated relationships, along with personal growth and societal pressures, touched the hearts of readers globally. If you're looking for more books that explore similar themes of love, friendship, identity, and emotions, here are eight books you should check out.
1. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
It makes sense to start with another novel by Sally Rooney herself. Conversations with Friends follows Frances and Bobbi, two college students who form an intense connection with an older married couple, Nick and Melissa. Like Normal People, this book is full of sharp dialogue and complex relationships, exploring themes of power, vulnerability, and emotional entanglements. Rooney’s signature style of dissecting the inner lives of her characters shines through here, making it a perfect follow-up for Normal People fans. If you loved Normal People's focus on intricate emotional dynamics, Rooney’s debut novel will offer a similarly introspective experience.
2. One Day by David Nicholls
One Day tells the story of Emma and Dexter, who meet on their graduation day and share a complex relationship that spans over 20 years. Each chapter of the book takes place on July 15th of successive years, showing how their lives intersect and diverge over time. Like Normal People, this novel explores how love can shift and evolve over the years, and how timing plays a crucial role in relationships. If you appreciated the emotional ups and downs in Normal People, One Day will offer a similarly poignant look at love, friendship, and personal growth over time.
3. Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
Set in Italy during the summer of 1983, Call Me by Your Name captures the passionate yet fleeting romance between 17-year-old Elio and 24-year-old Oliver. The novel delves deeply into the intensity of first love, desire, and longing, much like the emotional intensity found in Normal People. The exploration of personal identity and emotional vulnerability is a theme that resonates in both novels. If you were drawn to the tender and sometimes painful depictions of young love in Normal People, this novel offers a beautifully written and emotional journey.
4. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Normal People fans looking for something more intense and emotionally charged might find A Little Life compelling. The novel follows four college friends as they navigate life in New York City, with the story centering on Jude, a lawyer dealing with deep trauma from his past. This novel, like Normal People, offers a raw exploration of the impact of relationships on personal identity and emotional wellbeing. If you appreciated the emotional depth and complexity of Normal People, A Little Life offers a harrowing but beautiful exploration of friendship, trauma, and love.
5. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong’s debut novel is a letter from a son to his illiterate mother, reflecting on his Vietnamese heritage, his experiences as a queer immigrant in America, and his turbulent relationship with his family. The novel explores the intersections of identity, love, and pain, much like Normal People. Vuong’s poetic prose and raw honesty create a similar emotional resonance. If you loved the emotional vulnerability and introspection of Normal People, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous offers a beautifully written and deeply moving experience.
6. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
An American Marriage tells the story of Celestial and Roy, whose lives are torn apart when Roy is wrongfully imprisoned. The novel explores how love can endure and evolve through trauma and separation. Like Normal People, it delves into the complexities of love, communication, and personal growth within a relationship. If you enjoyed how Normal People explored the impact of external forces on relationships, this book provides a compelling look at love tested by life’s harsh realities.
7. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
While Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is lighter in tone, it still tackles complex emotional issues, particularly around loneliness and personal growth. Eleanor Oliphant is a socially awkward woman who leads a highly structured life, but as she begins to open herself up to new relationships, her past traumas come to light. This novel, like Normal People, is about breaking down emotional barriers and the impact of human connection. If you liked Normal People’s exploration of personal struggles and finding connection in unexpected places, Eleanor Oliphant offers a heartwarming and insightful perspective.
8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
The Idiot follows Selin, a Harvard freshman navigating the complexities of life, language, and love during the 1990s. The novel explores her awkward, slow-burning relationship with Ivan, a fellow student, and how they communicate through emails. Like Normal People, The Idiot is about the often-confusing experiences of young adulthood and the complicated ways we connect with others. If you related to Marianne and Connell’s intellectual connection and awkward, often frustrating interactions, The Idiot will resonate with its portrayal of similarly complex emotions.
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Pritinanda Behera author
An ardent reader, who also loves to listen 90's Bollywood songs. I have a keen interest in travel, food, books and the detailing of Mandala Art.View More
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