Loved this piece! Think you hit on all the right points about why Sally Rooney (and other female authors/artists, like Françoise Sagan, Deborah Levy, etc) is so beloved by women: because she tells OUR stories—the ones that get little fanfare, the ones that we think don’t really matter, because they’re part of our every day. :) lots of love from London!!
Do you reckon that Sally Rooney readers or 'sad lit girls' :( are drawn to torturous love BECAUSE we consume this literature? Just a thought...I often find myself wanting to lead a foolish, happy-go-lucky lifestyle. Particularly in my love life! I turn 25 in November and pledged to myself to take red flags seriously now. Perhaps they should only belong in the books hha! Loved this piece, thanks for sharing
That is SO interesting. I’ve never thought that before but now I’m like… maybe yeah?? I always told myself wanting the tortured but dramatic and fun kind of thing was just something everybody goes through at a certain age. I’m now trying to work out what I first read/watched/saw that might’ve “inspired” me to seek out the alcoholic artist types 😂😂 I don’t know if I have time to unpack this about myself this afternoon.
I’m pleased for you and your pledge though. I’m 28 and I genuinely don’t think I got this memo until like, 26/27 so well done haha👏🏻 and thanks for reading!!
Right?! It suddenly dawned on me. I think it’s partly an everybody problem but there are some of us who really lap it up more than others it seems 😂 haha what a lovely Thursday afternoon unpack session. And oh brilliant good to feel early to the ‘let’s be sensible’ club 😂👏
Love this 🤍 if you like Sally Rooney, you should read The Rachel Incident by Caroline O Donoghue - very similar vibes to Rooney’s writing where nothing ‘happens’ as such and you don’t necessarily agree with everything the characters do but you feel SO sucked in when reading it
Omg yess!! I love her, I haven’t read The Rachel Incident but I really liked Promising Young Women! I’m going to add The Rachel Incident to my tbr though, thank you!!! 💕
I think it's important that we see the good and bad represented in the books we all love. Although it's 'fiction', there's a lot of truth and it's that truth that can help us grow and realise we deserve better and things need to change...
I love it, so perfectly expressed! I am a proud owner of a personalized & numbered ARC (yay! one of the most exciting days in my reading life is when I saw that package laying on my doorstep and tearing it open and being surprised that it was INTERMEZZO)
I am not proud to say that I am only halfway through because I procrastinated and also because I was afraid of finishing it too soon. can’t wait to hear what you think about it when you finish reading!!
Amazing!! I actually had the same thought about finishing it too soon! Started last night, but trying not to RUSH it like I usually do. I’m enjoying so far though!
i haven't read beautiful world where are you yet, it's sitting on my tbr cart taking dust and i can't wait to get into it however i've never connected with rooney. i don't think her work is uninteresting, i like the characters and i like how deep she goes it's like a deep iceberg of personalities you can discover but i sometimes think that she doesn't go far enough with the addictions, with the discussions, it feels a bit stale, like she's trying to be palatable and nonprovocative with her writing which is her choice, but it's also what has made me so reluctant to continue reading her work even though she is undeniably so, one of the voices of her generation
Ooooh this is so interesting! Absolutely fair, I’ve always thought it comes across as quite REAL. But I love how two people can read the exact same thing and take completely different things away from it
it does come off as real but i’ve gotta say that in my experience with normal people for exemple, in collège a lot of people do drugs and i found that lacking if i remember correctly
You should check out "A Sport and a Past Time" by James Salter, "nothing happens" in it also but the style is incredible and you can see its influence in Normal People, I think she even referenced it in the story.
This was so beautifully written! I've never been able to get into Sally Rooney (the writing style just isn't for me) but I LOVE books that are so character-driven that we have to rely on their growth and mishaps to keep us engaged. I am all about that and my husband frequently jokes that I like books with no plot/where nothing happens — which is why I've always wanted to love Sally Rooney's books because I know on the surface this is what they are. Meaning, they're so about the characters and their journey, which is what I love!
And I'm with you—I no longer want tortured love but I sure do want to read and write about it. I can't get enough!
Yesss! I’m exactly the same about no plot, just vibes (except I do vibe with the writing style, obviously). Have you read anything by Coco Mellors? She’s AMAZING for this 💕
I've only read normal people so far which I enjoyed, but I am a total plot-reader so have been reluctant to try any of her others. but I think this just changed my mind!
Omg, my work here is done 💕 but in all seriousness, I kind of get why the plot-readers of the world don’t LOVE her style, but I think if you’re occasionally up for a bit of melancholy and vibes, you could get on board?? But either way, absolutely let me know your thoughts pls
Off to get the book today! Was going to order online, but for the first time in a long time I really want to walk into a shop and come out holding it! It's a big moment for sad girls all over :D Lovely piece
Omg Ellen I LOVED this. When I saw the title, I stopped what I was doing and read immediately. Normal People is my absolute favourite book. Nothing compares!!! Shortly after my house fire, I was gutted to have lost all my books, and then I found a perfectly pristine copy of Normal People in a charity shop for £1 - it honestly felt like it was meant to be. You have depicted what Sally Rooney's writing means in such a beautiful way here!! 💜
Loved this piece! Think you hit on all the right points about why Sally Rooney (and other female authors/artists, like Françoise Sagan, Deborah Levy, etc) is so beloved by women: because she tells OUR stories—the ones that get little fanfare, the ones that we think don’t really matter, because they’re part of our every day. :) lots of love from London!!
Yessss, omg love this way of putting it!!! Thank you! 🫶🏻 lots of love from the North!! (I still miss london sometimes)
I love “our” ❤️
Do you reckon that Sally Rooney readers or 'sad lit girls' :( are drawn to torturous love BECAUSE we consume this literature? Just a thought...I often find myself wanting to lead a foolish, happy-go-lucky lifestyle. Particularly in my love life! I turn 25 in November and pledged to myself to take red flags seriously now. Perhaps they should only belong in the books hha! Loved this piece, thanks for sharing
That is SO interesting. I’ve never thought that before but now I’m like… maybe yeah?? I always told myself wanting the tortured but dramatic and fun kind of thing was just something everybody goes through at a certain age. I’m now trying to work out what I first read/watched/saw that might’ve “inspired” me to seek out the alcoholic artist types 😂😂 I don’t know if I have time to unpack this about myself this afternoon.
I’m pleased for you and your pledge though. I’m 28 and I genuinely don’t think I got this memo until like, 26/27 so well done haha👏🏻 and thanks for reading!!
Right?! It suddenly dawned on me. I think it’s partly an everybody problem but there are some of us who really lap it up more than others it seems 😂 haha what a lovely Thursday afternoon unpack session. And oh brilliant good to feel early to the ‘let’s be sensible’ club 😂👏
Love this 🤍 if you like Sally Rooney, you should read The Rachel Incident by Caroline O Donoghue - very similar vibes to Rooney’s writing where nothing ‘happens’ as such and you don’t necessarily agree with everything the characters do but you feel SO sucked in when reading it
Omg yess!! I love her, I haven’t read The Rachel Incident but I really liked Promising Young Women! I’m going to add The Rachel Incident to my tbr though, thank you!!! 💕
Sally Rooney will forever have me in a chokehold😂
I think it's important that we see the good and bad represented in the books we all love. Although it's 'fiction', there's a lot of truth and it's that truth that can help us grow and realise we deserve better and things need to change...
Lots of love from the Northern end of England😘
Yesss! Love this comment! And omg I am ALSO in the northern end of England, we’re so rare on substack!!
I love it, so perfectly expressed! I am a proud owner of a personalized & numbered ARC (yay! one of the most exciting days in my reading life is when I saw that package laying on my doorstep and tearing it open and being surprised that it was INTERMEZZO)
I am not proud to say that I am only halfway through because I procrastinated and also because I was afraid of finishing it too soon. can’t wait to hear what you think about it when you finish reading!!
Amazing!! I actually had the same thought about finishing it too soon! Started last night, but trying not to RUSH it like I usually do. I’m enjoying so far though!
i haven't read beautiful world where are you yet, it's sitting on my tbr cart taking dust and i can't wait to get into it however i've never connected with rooney. i don't think her work is uninteresting, i like the characters and i like how deep she goes it's like a deep iceberg of personalities you can discover but i sometimes think that she doesn't go far enough with the addictions, with the discussions, it feels a bit stale, like she's trying to be palatable and nonprovocative with her writing which is her choice, but it's also what has made me so reluctant to continue reading her work even though she is undeniably so, one of the voices of her generation
Ooooh this is so interesting! Absolutely fair, I’ve always thought it comes across as quite REAL. But I love how two people can read the exact same thing and take completely different things away from it
it does come off as real but i’ve gotta say that in my experience with normal people for exemple, in collège a lot of people do drugs and i found that lacking if i remember correctly
You should check out "A Sport and a Past Time" by James Salter, "nothing happens" in it also but the style is incredible and you can see its influence in Normal People, I think she even referenced it in the story.
This was so beautifully written! I've never been able to get into Sally Rooney (the writing style just isn't for me) but I LOVE books that are so character-driven that we have to rely on their growth and mishaps to keep us engaged. I am all about that and my husband frequently jokes that I like books with no plot/where nothing happens — which is why I've always wanted to love Sally Rooney's books because I know on the surface this is what they are. Meaning, they're so about the characters and their journey, which is what I love!
And I'm with you—I no longer want tortured love but I sure do want to read and write about it. I can't get enough!
Yesss! I’m exactly the same about no plot, just vibes (except I do vibe with the writing style, obviously). Have you read anything by Coco Mellors? She’s AMAZING for this 💕
All I’m saying is, please no more televised adaptations with beautiful men wearing low-key slutty jewellery my heart can’t take it
Unfortunately I don’t agree with this. Please keep the televised adaptions with beautiful men wearing low-key slutty jewellery coming 👏🏻👏🏻
I've only read normal people so far which I enjoyed, but I am a total plot-reader so have been reluctant to try any of her others. but I think this just changed my mind!
Omg, my work here is done 💕 but in all seriousness, I kind of get why the plot-readers of the world don’t LOVE her style, but I think if you’re occasionally up for a bit of melancholy and vibes, you could get on board?? But either way, absolutely let me know your thoughts pls
“capturing the extremes of the human personality in a completely everyday setting’ way” 💕🤍💕
Thank you for reading!!! 💕💕
Off to get the book today! Was going to order online, but for the first time in a long time I really want to walk into a shop and come out holding it! It's a big moment for sad girls all over :D Lovely piece
Yesss!! If there was ever a book to do that with, it’s this one. Thank you for reading! 🫶🏻
Omg Ellen I LOVED this. When I saw the title, I stopped what I was doing and read immediately. Normal People is my absolute favourite book. Nothing compares!!! Shortly after my house fire, I was gutted to have lost all my books, and then I found a perfectly pristine copy of Normal People in a charity shop for £1 - it honestly felt like it was meant to be. You have depicted what Sally Rooney's writing means in such a beautiful way here!! 💜