Tessa Covich

It is well written, as I’ve come to expect from Sally Rooney’s work. The pronounced intellectualism and anti-establishment views of Francis and Bobbi are admirable at times, albeit contrite when coupled with their (and oftentimes Nick and Melissa's) selfishness, hypocrisy, lack of maturity and predictability. 
It’s a draining read that I pushed hard to finish, and the writing often overcomplicates the situation, as if Francis and her thoughts loop around in a circle just to land on the same point. It’s not always comfortable being entrenched within her mind. As Bobbi pointed out a mere once: Francis should go see a counsellor! 
You’re left with an unresolved ending à la Rooney, but I’m left particularly concerned about the fragile state of the relationship between Francis and her troubled parents. 
 Each character is deeply flawed, and often unlikeable: Nick is destructively weak, Melissa is sanctimonious, Bobbi is abrasive and Francis is deeply insecure, duplicitous and self-destructive. They all talk of hating money, societal constructs and capitalism, but most of them benefit greatly from it and function in the world of the artistic and intellectual elite. I ended up not caring if any of them stayed together as a couple. As also seen in Normal People, the characters have an outpouring of academic intelligence, but a frustrating lack of emotional intelligence.