Reading Normal People in Dublin for the First Time (sixth reread)
If you've followed my blog at all, you know I love Normal People . Cliche as it is, the book is partially responsible for bringing me to Dublin. Both because Normal People was my gateway to so many Dublin-based books that made me realize I needed to visit the city and because Sally Rooney taught me, in many ways, how to grow as a writer. I also just deeply love the book. I didn't always. My original review of Normal People from when I was a teenager is still on the blog, and it's safe to say I didn't love it. The essay that I wrote for a class junior year of college that made me revisit the novel is also on the blog. I've read it, as of this week, six times now. In 2021, 2022, 2024 (twice), 2025, and 2026. And every single time, I've had a different reading experience. This is a book that's managed to grow up with me, and different parts stand out based on the experiences I've had or what I'm thinking about at the moment. This is the first time I...
