Mr Salary
Ratings56
Average rating3.4
‘'It was in my nature to absorb large volumes of information during times of distress, like I could master the distress through intellectual dominance.''
A young woman returns to Dublin from Boston. Her father is seriously ill and her heart is in a critical condition because she has been in love with her best friend for years.
If you thought that unrequited love is difficult, try an on-again - off-again relationship...
‘'My love for him felt so total and so annihilating that it was often impossible for me to see him clearly at all. If he left my line of sight for more than a few seconds, I couldn't even remember what his face looked like.''
Can Love and its troubles be contained within 20 pages?
You bet they can. This is a melancholic, tender, sad story of that kind of love that can't seem to find its way home, of doubts and disappointments. Of the impact our family has on our deepest feelings. Of being in love and fighting for it. Of having the courage to admit it.
This is Dublin. Beautiful and vibrant and Christmasy. And this is Love.
‘'We were predictable to each other, like two halves of the same brain. Outside the restaurant window it had started to sleet, and under the orange street lights, the wet flakes looked like punctuation marks.
I just want to know you love me.''
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Happened upon this little gem appropriately enough in Hodges Figgis in Dublin. Having written a number of short stories myself, I enjoy the very rare treat to see someone so established dipping their own toes in the form. Rooney's inimitable style, sharp turns of phrase and intense dialogue honestly feel like they suit a short story even better than a full-length novel.
As you'd expect, there's not a quotation mark in sight, which, given the condensed action, can make it a slightly challenging read at times, but you'll probably want to re-read the entire thing right afterwards anyway, so what's re-reading a couple of lines here and there in the moment.
a short story to see if Sally Rooney's writing is for you
idk how to rate short stories but i loved reading this so:
rating-4/5
Death was, of course, the most ordinary thing that could happen, at some level I knew that. Still, I had stood there waiting to see the body in the river, ignoring the real living bodies all around me, as if death was more of a miracle than life was.”
I read this because i wanted to know if Sally rooney's writing was for me or not.
lack of quotations.
transpiring between the characters.
longer
short
depth and nuance,
complexity of relationships, human emotions and just mundane life experiences is something she's incredible at.
relieved i loved this
This is a great book to decide if you want to give her work a chance.
she's so good at writing?! idek what to think- how is it possible that this story is simultaneously sickening and charming
It's impressive how quickly you can get immersed in a Sally Rooney story, it's unfair how short that one is.
2.7:
Now that it's been a while since I've read this, and having become more familiar with Sally's writing, my main thought is that I'd like her much better if she stuck to shorter stories. That way, it's loads easier to digest her unsavory characters.
This novella was tagged on in my HC edition of “Beautiful World, Where Are You?” and it's a simply delicious read. Would love to see this story further explored but I'm quite happy experiencing it as it is in short form. Can Sally do any wrong? Doubt it ;)
when Suckie said “It was in my nature to absorb large volumes of information during times of distress, like I could master the distress through intellectual dominance” I really felt that