'Normal People' is 'profound' and 'heartbreaking', fans say Hulu got it right by adapting Sally Rooney's book

The book - and the first season - then follow Marianne and Connell as they drift apart and find their way back to each other multiple times through their lives
(Hulu/BBC)
(Hulu/BBC)

Acclaimed Irish novelist, Sally Rooney's second book, 'Normal People' was jointly adapted by BBC and Hulu, with the latter finally releasing it this week. The Man Booker-longlisted and Costa First Novel Award-winning book is about the love between Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron who are teenagers when we first meet them.

The book and the first season then follow Marianne and Connell as they drift apart and find their way back to each other multiple times as they move from their small town in Sligo, Ireland to Dublin for college. Over the 12 episodes, viewers are given an intimate picture of their relationship and we couldn't help but root for the two.

Readers and fans of the original novel had no doubt been waiting a long time for the series and now that it is here, they are loving it. One viewer tweeted, "If u r a hopeless romantic like i am, u would luv the show Normal People on hulu ok bye!" Another wrote, "Sally Rooney's book #NormalPeople was great. Was skeptical at first about the series but #hulu brought Normal People perfectly & powerfully to life. So so good."

Fans are finding themselves drawn into Marianne's and Connell's story and are loving it. One fan wrote, "If you have Hulu go watch Normal people. I’m crying. Such a beautiful story, I’m buying the book ASAP." Another opined, "Just started watching and I’m HOOKED. This show is destroying me." A viewer tweeted, "I am totally hooked. Watching Episode 11 now. I can’t stop. I want a happy ending for them. Please. Heartbreaking series. It’s so good. I can’t stop. I don’t want it to end."

Another viewer tweeted, "@NormalPeople is a profound love story. Differences in background, personality, and social class sometimes can spark passion in a relationship. Such relationships may change one’s life." 

Fans agreed that the adaptation was one of the best on television. A viewer wrote, "There are shit book to film adaptations and then there are the ones that feel like the screenwriters crawled up into your imagination to create them.. @normalpeople on hulu got it so right."

Some fans also appreciated the use of Imogen Heap's music on the show. A fan tweeted, "Normal People on Hulu isn’t bad, but the big Imogen Heap moment is a WILD choice." Another wrote, "I just started #NormalPeople on Hulu and if you’re an obnoxious, hopeless romantic like me, I think you’ll like it. I’m only on episode 2, but I was watching and then, boom!, Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek” starts playing and I died."

All episodes of the first season of 'Normal People' are now streaming on Hulu. 

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