Sally Rooney's Normal People has been a cult favourite since it was published in 2018. It's a painful and raw story about young love and the transition into adulthood that will strike a chord with anyone who reads it. And, thanks to a BBC and Hulu adaptation (sadly not yet available in the UAE), Connell and Marianne's love story has enjoyed a new wave of fans around the world.
The book has shot back up to the top of charts, and it has left a host of bereft readers in its wake, desperately searching for something to fill the Normal People-shaped hole finishing the book and series has left in their lives.
Here are five books that will strike a chord with Normal People fans …
‘Conversations with Friends’ by Sally Rooney
The next natural step is to look to Rooney's other works. Sadly, the young Irish author doesn't have a huge back catalogue for her fans to devour, but Normal People was not her first book. Her debut novel, Conversations with Friends, has the same simple yet profound writing style that got so many people hooked on Normal People, and the same deep insight into the complex relationships between characters. Although, unlike the raw love story of Connell and Marianne, Conversations with Friends delves into the dynamic between four people: college students Frances and Bobby, and married couple Melissa and Nick. They are not quite as likeable and the story is slightly harder to swallow, but for fans of Rooney, it's a must-read.
‘Norwegian Wood’ by Haruki Murakami
Much like Normal People, Norwegian Wood tackles the intensity of first love in an unpatronising way, capturing its complexity and its characters' innermost thoughts through simple yet profound prose. Written in 1987, the novel is told from the first-person perspective of Toru Watanabe, as he looks back at his time as a college student in Tokyo. Murakami also tackles the topic of loss expertly, and the love story will stay with you, and leave you feeling slightly empty, in a good way. It's also said to be Harry Styles's favourite book. The singer told Rolling Stone: "It was the first book, maybe ever, where all I wanted to do all day was read this."
‘One Day’ by David Nicholls
This heartfelt novel tells the story of star-crossed lovers Dexter and Emma and how their relationship changes and develops over the course of 20 years. Each year, Nicholls revisits the two on the same day, and notes the things that have changed in their lives, as well as the things that haven't changed at all. Much like Connell and Marianne, Dexter and Emma leave readers feeling the same frustrations over words left unsaid. And, as with Normal People, the screen adaptation, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, was well received by fans of the book.
‘Ordinary People’ by Diana Evans
While this book has a similar name and shares some themes with Rooney's Normal People, there are plenty of crucial differences. First, it follows the lives of two couples struggling through parenting, careers and grief, offering the familiarity of ordinary people living ordinary lives, dealing with feelings of discontentment in their relationships. Set in London, it will feel like home for lovers of the city, and leave readers feeling slightly uncomfortable with the parallels they can draw with their own lives.
‘Americanah’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Americanah is a coming-of-age story that follows the lives of two young Nigerians as they depart for a new life in west and become separated, forced to spend years apart. The love story does not offer the same intense romance as Normal People, but its exploration of identity and societal issues offers similar themes, and Chimamanda's observations throughout the book hit you with the same force as Rooney's.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More coverage from the Future Forum
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, six-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 395bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: from Dh321,200
On sale: now
Easter%20Sunday
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Jay%20Chandrasekhar%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Jo%20Koy%2C%20Tia%20Carrere%2C%20Brandon%20Wardell%2C%20Lydia%20Gaston%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EMuhammad%20Waseem%20(captain)%2C%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20Aryan%20Lakra%2C%20Ashwanth%20Valthapa%2C%20Asif%20Khan%2C%20Aryansh%20Sharma%2C%20CP%20Rizwaan%2C%20Hazrat%20Billal%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%20and%20Zawar%20Farid.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE%20SPECS
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
