Major differences between Hulu's "Normal People" and the book

[Normal People" (opens in new tab) - a popular novel by Sally Rooney. Like many Looney fans, I was excited to hear that Hulu had produced a 12-episode series based on this novel. The show, in which Daisy Edgar-Jones (opens in new tab) plays Marianne and Paul Mescall (opens in new tab) plays Connell, was released on April 29 on the streaming service: not complete.

Rooney co-wrote the first six episodes of this season (opens in new tab), but there are important differences between the show and the book. In some ways, this is a given in most book-to-film adaptations, but if you love the book as much as I do, you want to make sure you get the whole thing right. Here we break down the main differences between the "Normal People" Hulu series and the novels, and analyze what the show has expanded on and what it hasn't (warning: spoilers)

The relationship between Connell and Marianne is central to "Normal People," but how the characters develop connections to other people are equally important to understanding how the characters develop.

In the show, Connell and Helen's relationship appears to be that of "annoying girlfriends." In almost every scene, she asks about Marianne in some way, and when Connell is forced to confront his own mental problems, her character breaks up with him. In the book, Helen is a bit more conservative, so Connell feels she brings out the best in him. In the alternate Hulu world, there is justice for Helen.

I was also horrified by the lovey-dovey session between Connell and his teacher, Miss Neary, outside the nightclub. In the book, the two nearly hooked up. And it's an act outside the scope of consent. Can you tell I have certain feelings for them? Marianne did too. In the book she tells Connell that she will kill Miss Neary if she ever comes near him again. In the show," she never finds out.

As for Marianne, she does a good job of describing her relationships with the others, with the exception of Lucas. In the book, I felt that Lucas was not interested in Marianne. In the show, this does not seem to be the case. In the series, he needs Marianne not only as a sexual partner but also as a muse for his work. Frankly, he is horrified by the men Marianne dates outside of her connections.

In this book, Marianne is not a "conventional beauty." Compared to the other girls at school, she is an outcast. The book states that Marianne makes no effort to make herself look "nice," so she dresses plainly and does not experiment with makeup like the other girls. Daisy Edgar-Jones (open in new tab), on the other hand, is above average in her level of appearance. She can rock bangs like no one else and dresses basically like a Brandi Melville model. When she enrolls at Trinity College, she's supposed to be the bride of the ball, but she's already cute. There is no big unveiling. Except that she will use her scarf as a tie.

The show perfectly portrays Marianne's relationship with her mother, which is honestly sadder than I remember. What is missing from Sheridan's dynamism is the relationship between Marianne and her brother Alan.

As far as we know from the book, Alain is not the best brother. He bullies Marianne physically and verbally as a way of coping with the loss of his and Marianne's father. The program shows that Mr. Sheridan physically abused their mother when Marianne confessed to Connell late at night. The program shows this abuse as Alan pours dirty dishwater on Marianne's head and slams the door in her face.

If there were more of a description of Alan and Marianne's relationship and the trauma she has experienced, then one would not have to be a reader to understand why Marianne is the way she is in regards to certain situations with men.

In college, Marianne is "cool". Therefore, she must have many "cool" friends, but the program only focuses on her friendship with Peggy and Joanna. Peggy is "nai" and Joanna is "yay," which is the main idea, but the show misses the mark on how dependent Peggy is on Marianne. (Only one or two scenes focus on their friendship.

Marianne benefited from such a friendship with Joanna, but the series should have showcased her relationship with Karen during her Sligo School days. Karen was one of the only girls who comforted her after the horrible events at the dance, and the two would later form a relationship. Karen, like Helen, is also a mutual friend of Marianne and Connell because she gives them a connection to their hometown.

I just want to say: to understand what is happening in a scene, we need an inner dialogue between Marianne and Connell. I apologize to those of you who first heard about "Normal People" through this program. The reason the book is so lauded is because of the depth of Rooney's characters. Instead, the show has turned them into troubled, bewildered people who blend in with the rest of the millennial generation.

In the novel, Rooney writes, "Marianne thought [Connell] wanted to be seen having sex with someone else. In the show, Marianne tells Connell that, but it doesn't come across the same way. I kept thinking about how much I wanted to see you have sex." In other words, even sex with me." In the book, the reader gets the sense that Marianne is serious about this man, but in the program she seems strange.

Overall, despite these important differences, the show lives up to the book's publicity. I can't get that steamy sex scene between Marianne and Connell out of my head.

"Normal People" is currently streaming on Hulu. Click here for a free trial (opens in a new tab).

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