Sally Rooney Wants To ‘Let The Book Be Its Own Thing’ After Normal People & Conversations With Friends Adaptation; DEETS

As a lifestyle expert with a keen eye for literature and adaptation trends, I must admit that Sally Rooney’s decision to keep her future novels out of the realm of screen adaptations is both intriguing and respectable. Having witnessed the media whirlwind surrounding the adaptations of her previous works, it’s clear that she values the purity and independence of her literary creations.


Sally Rooney is well-known for being a highly acclaimed author whose works have been the basis for popular series like Hulu’s miniseries Normal People starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, as well as Amazon Prime Video’s Conversation With Friends. Unlike many authors, she does not plan to adapt her upcoming novels into screenplays but instead wishes for them to stand independently.

In a recent conversation with The New York Times, the author shared her intentions for the future and disclosed that she will decline any proposals to adapt the rights of her 2021 published third book titled Beautiful World, Where Are You? She explained this choice by stating, “It seemed right to step back from that now and let the novel stand independently for a while.

I closely followed the journey of Sally Rooney’s works, and in 2020, the miniseries based on her novel “Normal People” graced Hulu. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Subsequently, the team that adapted “Normal People” also tackled her debut novel, “Conversations with Friends.” However, the reception for this adaptation wasn’t as favorable as the previous one. This was largely due to Rooney’s absence from the project because of her involvement in other commitments. Yet, she remains unapologetic about this decision.

She shared that being part of ‘Normal People’ project was incredibly rewarding due to the exceptional team. However, she also acknowledged that it was a significant undertaking.

Even though the show received a great deal of media attention upon its release, making the author feel as if her personal world had been invaded, she found solace in her writing. “I realized,” she said, “that my books are where I truly belong, and that’s all I really want to focus on.

Rooney’s upcoming novel, titled Intermezzo, delves into the experiences of two brothers mourning their deceased father as they navigate distinct romantic entanglements. This is Rooney’s debut novel featuring a male perspective. Despite speculation that her work often reflects her personal life, she emphasized that it does not. For her, crafting and portraying a male consciousness was no different from creating any other fictional character. However, at times, she questioned whether she had accurately captured the nuances of male experiences.

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2024-09-23 18:52