Romance author spotlight

becomes apparent that Esther craves a change in her life and takes drastic measures to demonstrate this to people, the signs of which are often ignored or treated like a trivial issue. With this, her rage is transferred to readers too who may be able to understand what it’s like being a woman lost in the system of mental health support. Esther also discloses to her doctor that she envies the freedom men have, making it even more relatable for female readers as it can feel like our feelings are silenced in preference of men’s opinions.

SHE ENVIES THE FREEDOM MEN HAVE

So, as much as this novel is subtle with it, the feminine rage is a motif that is still very much apparent in literature and life nowadays. Gracie Moore, Online Arts and Lit Editor

Charlotte Randall, Social Media Executive, talks about Sally Rooney’s cult classic Normal People

DESPITE having acquired a copy of Normal People by Sally Rooney at the start of the academic year, my scepticism of overly popular books, since reading Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo earlier this year and finding my feet on my course, had kept me from reading it. However, when I finished my last exam and was looking for my first summer read I knew it had to be Normal People ; I was eager to understand if Rooney’s books, which have been endorsed by celebrities and have been the centre of articles naming Rooney

“the first great millennial novelist”, were truly worth the media attention and general rave they generated.

With every page I turned, I grew increasingly captivated by Rooney’s writing and entangled narratives. Unlike other romance authors I have encountered, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Rooney goes above and beyond the predictability of cliché romance by navigating complex, unlikely, and realistic love entanglements.

The intricate balancing act of incorporating highly intellectual characters, who undertake truly stimulating parallel conversation topics, with fearlessly exploring the inevitable heartache and heartbreak associated with deep love is what sets Rooney apart — she does it all and does it well.

Rooney proudly differs from other romance authors and this is what I love about her. Her choice of collegiate settings is the icing on the cake as it brings the narrative into a familiar context which makes for a truly relatable, and thereby moving, read.

If you have yet to read one of her books, don’t waste as much time as I did — get your hands on a copy, settle down in the sun, and prepare yourself for one of the rawest and most heart-wrenching love stories you’ll ever read. I cannot wait to get my hands on more of her books!

JUKEBOX musicals are the marmite of the theatre world. You either love them, or hate them. As a hardcore musicals fan, I love a jukebox musical, as long as it’s done well.

I’ve seen countless jukebox musicals, and even performed in a few, but there is a common problem with these types of musicals; because the songs are usually adapted from songs from a specific band, the book that fits around the songs can be hit or miss.

THERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TYPES OF MUSICALS

Take Our House for example, which uses