Apple BooksBooks like Normal People
For intimacy complicated by class, hesitation and growing up, these books take the relationship in three different directions.
For desire and hesitation
Apple BooksCall Me By Your Name
Like Connell and Marianne, Elio struggles to interpret an attraction and admit what he wants; small encounters carry considerable emotional weight.
The difference: One Italian summer and a single young man's perspective.
Explore this bookFor class and misunderstanding
Apple BooksAtonement
Both make class differences and misread intentions consequential for a young couple, linking private desire to the assumptions of people around them.
The difference: Moves from an English country house into World War II.
Explore this bookFor friends becoming lovers
Apple BooksNever Let Me Go
School friendships, jealousy and things left unsaid complicate attachment in both books, as young people struggle to understand the futures available to them.
The difference: An unsettling speculative premise, told through memories.
Explore this bookSources and book details
Collected’s editorial comparisons, informed by the descriptions and reading profiles.
About Normal People