Rory Pine has the honor of a highly coveted role: the new girl at a
new school.
The best thing about Rory was her
introverted yet candid personality. “I hate football players. I hate the sport,
hate the people that play the sport, the people that watch it... the people who
are convinced it's the most important damned thing in the world.” (5) Me, too! She
was relatable in many ways.
These days, ever since her parents’
divorce, the only way Rory can seem “normal” is through the magic of her
anxiety pills.
Then, on day one at a new school, of
course, she runs into him. “[Sam] is
a walking trigger for me. Gorgeous. My God is he gorgeous. And gorgeous
guys in high school are assholes. Especially jocks. And judging by his
physique, that's exactly what he is. He's tall. Built. Six plus feet of lean
muscle... athletic. Something I'd have found incredibly attractive a year ago.”
(7) How embarrassing it must be to have a panic attack in front of him.
But, for Rory: “I don't need him to
make me feel normal. I'm not normal. And I've already accepted that I
never will be again.” (11)
Still, both Sam and Rory do share one
thing: to not be the target for attention. For Sam, Rory just seems real—not “normal,” just real. There is a special bond between
them, but Rory can’t seem to let go of the past, no matter how much she
desperately wants to. Besides she’s never been good at dating, never had any
experience in it. After all, “how common can finding actual true love in high school
really be?” (23) I liked that Sam wanted to be her friend and showed genuine
concern for her right from the start. You can tell that he is her savior, the
key to free her from her mental cage.
The majority of the story centers on
the concept of being “normal,” which, according to Rory, can only be obtained
by looking “happy and carefree.” Of course, seeming
is not the same as actually being. “But
I know better than anyone, just because they seem like some golden couple, doesn't mean it's true.” (23) Rory
was convinced that everything was “normal”—the love, the jealousy, the lies,
the pain. Imagery and illusion are bound
to the archaic concept of “normal,” rendering truth with doubt and false
insecurities. Even though broken, Rory
was damn lucky to have had a friend like Cam, who wanted to keep her safe. Cam
was strong, safe, and sensitive—he was just a wonderful guy!
Scenes from the past and present play
side by side throughout the book, unearthing the crumbling remains of Rory’s
psyche and revealing the gradual descent of her world. What happened? What was
so bad that it completely unnerved and crippled her? And what on earth happened
to Cam? Don’t tell me something happened to Cam! But, of course, I had that
distinct feeling…
Bound and riveted, readers will want
to unveil the dark skeletons as a grappling strength simmers and beckons the
heroes to keep on fighting.
Pearl has written a thought-provoking
and enjoyable story, albeit repetitious and emotionally daunting at times.
Witty and heart-felt, Normal is a
journey of self-reflection, a maze to personal fulfillment in the face of
adversity, and a staggering road to recovery.
My rating: 4 stars
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