My rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Fiction/ General Fiction
Pace: Slow
Source: Waterstones valentine’s recommendation
Synopsis
Connell and Marianne are from the same town and the same school but this is where their similarities end.
What I Thought
The polarity between the two characters was so satisfying to read, it was so evenly written out. Connell was poor, Marianne was rich. Connell was popular, Marianne was not, Connell had a loving family, Marianne’s were abusive.
They were a true ‘opposite attracts’ story without clichés that I hate so much. I usually dislike romance stories because they make me cringe but this was different. It was so realistic. It was a salt of the earth story; so gritty and honest in subjects like sex, relationships, domestic abuse and depression. I loved the push and pull of Marianne and Connell’s relationship, how they always came back to each other and always will.
What I Appreciated
I loved the literary references throughout the story, the characters loved to read and studied novels like Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë which I also studied at uni and it made the story so much more familiar and accessible to me. There were also a few novels in there that I now want to read, which is always good!
Series Adaptation
I haven’t seen the television series yet but it’s next on my watch list! I can’t wait to see these characters brought to life on screen.
Has anyone else read this or watched the series show? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for reading,
Charlon ♦︎
Charlon's Book Corner 