Exceptional tale in Normal love

Hit Irish novel to delight fans as new drama

Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson (Room) says he felt compelled to make a screen adaptation of Normal People after reading the book.

Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel tells the story of first love and the shifting sands of a relationship as it moves from Sligo to Dublin.

The 12-part series begins on RTE next week and Abrahamson said he hopes his treatment of the subject matter lives up to the hype.

He told RTE’s Arena: “ What struck me about it [the book] was the combination of her writing, which seems so direct and simple, but at the same time she brings you somewhere very deep.