'Normal People' by Sally Rooney - a masochist protagonist

I recommend the novel by Sally Rooney: 'Normal People.' Apart from the fact that it is simply a well-written book, longlisted for the Booker price of that year (2015), it deals with a 'mildly' masochistic protagonist. No, none of the cute BDSM parafernalia we see in the 50 Shades series. Marianne, whilst extremely smart, has been tainted by mental and perhaps physical abuse. The abuse is not addressed amply, but is little more than hinted at, at the hands of her deceased father, those of the absent mother and of the omnipresent brother. The result is a young woman, who has difficulties maintaining a normal relationship and invites further abuse - not of the cute kind.

The relationship with her best friend Cornell is that of soul-mates and off-and-on lovers - people that belong together but can't stay together. I was reminded of the relationship of Hermann and Clarissa in Die Zweite Heimat.