What to read after Normal People
Normal People, by Irish author Sally Rooney, has been a smash hit since it was released in 2018. But with the release of the TV series this year it has become one of the hottest books of right now. If you’ve read it, seen it and loved it, then these books are our top tips for your next read!
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
It is way too easy to compare Naoise Dolan to Sally Rooney. Both writers are young, Irish and capture the millennial experience with extraordinary literary talent. This book follows twenty-something expat Eva in Hong Kong as she navigates the blurred lines between sex and love. With a dry humour and an eye for the complex social tensions that influence our lives, this is a writer to watch.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A love story with so much heart, this book explores the relationship between Ifemlu and Obinze, two Nigerian teens who are forced to go separate ways during the military dictatorship. Both find themselves away from home, traversing new countries and challenges. A beautifully written book by a bonafide literary star.
Cherry Beach by Laura McPhee-Browne
Australian author Laura McPhee-Browne has crafted a tender coming-of-age story. Hetty and Ness are two friends whose tentative steps into adulthood make their friendship a tangled web of desires and vulnerabilities. A home-grown story by a gifted new voice, the comparisons to Rooney are well deserved.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
A staple of so many best reads lists, this melancholy love story is one for the ages. As Toru Watanabe reminisces about his first love, the elusive and impetuous Midori, you cannot help but be drawn into the heady nostaglia of this dark and haunting tale. Sexy, funny and emotionally devasting, Murakami has written one of those rare pretty-much perfect books.
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Full of charisma, the main character of this book is youthful and awkward in a way that is endearing and hilarious. As Selin stumbles into her new life on campus, cautiously navigating her studies, her friendships and her first foray with love we get to explore what it really means to be young and unknowing.