marianne

in normal people, marianne lets people treat her badly
and rooney never once explains it.

no childhood flashback that unlocks her.
no scene where a therapist says the sentence
that makes the reader nod.

she just believes she is worth very little,
and she believes it the way you believe the floor is there -
without checking.

that’s the bravest thing in the book.
rooney knew that if she explained it,
we’d file it away as a condition marianne has,
instead of a thing we recognise.