Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

About this book

(blurb from Exclusive Books)

“From the author of the multimillion-copy bestseller Normal People, an exquisitely moving story about grief, love and family. Aside from the fact that they are brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek seem to have little in common. Peter is a Dublin lawyer in his thirties – successful, competent and apparently unassailable. But in the wake of their father’s death, he’s medicating himself to sleep and struggling to manage his relationships with two very different women – his enduring first love Sylvia, and Naomi, a college student for whom life is one long joke. Ivan is a twenty-two-year-old competitive chess player. He has always seen himself as socially awkward, a loner, the antithesis of his glib elder brother. Now, in the early weeks of his bereavement, Ivan meets Margaret, an older woman emerging from her own turbulent past, and their lives become rapidly and intensely intertwined. For two grieving brothers and the people they love, this is a new interlude – a period of desire, despair and possibility – a chance to find out how much one life might hold inside itself without breaking.”

EAN: 9780571365470
PAGES: 448
PUBLISHED BY: Faber & Faber (Jonathan Ball Publishers in South Africa)
GENRE: FICTION / General, FICTION / Literary, FICTION / Family Life / Siblings, FICTION / World Literature / Ireland / 21st Century

My thoughts:

“Sometimes you need people to be perfect and they can’t be and you hate them forever for not being even though it isn’t their fault and it’s not yours either. You just needed something they didn’t have in them to give you.”

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of human relationships, societal norms, and the interplay between grief and healing. Through the use of multiple points of view and rich, inner monologues, Rooney presents a deeply human story that explores the intricacies of connection, forgiveness, and scrutiny.

“Yes I would like he thinks to live in such a way that I could vanish into thin air at any time without affecting anyone and in fact I feel that for me this would constitute the perfect and perhaps the only acceptable life. At the same time I want desperately to be loved.”

This was my first experience with Sally Rooney’s work, and I was captivated by the complex and intense characters she crafted. The novel takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, with remarkable writing that lays bare the characters’ emotions in a refreshingly direct manner.

“How often in life he has found himself a frustrated observer of apparently impenetrable systems, watching other people participate effortlessly in structures he can find no way to enter or even understand. So often that it’s practically baseline, just normal existence for him. And this is not only due to the irrational nature of other people, and the consequent irrationality of the rules and processes they devise; it’s due to Ivan himself, his fundamental unsuitedness to life. He knows this. He feels himself to have been formed, somehow, with something other than life in mind.”

What I enjoyed:

• Complex Characters: The characters are beautifully flawed and deeply human, adding layers of depth to the narrative. Their brokenness and beauty make them incredibly relatable.
• Emotional Depth: Rooney is not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve, allowing for a rich exploration of emotions. The inner monologues provide deep insights into the characters’ thoughts and motivations.
• Themes of Grief and Healing: The novel tackles themes of grief and healing with sensitivity and empathy, making it a poignant read.
• Remarkable Writing: Rooney’s writing is both raw and elegant, making for a compelling and immersive reading experience.
• Thought-Provoking: The book encourages readers to reflect on life, relationships, and societal norms, offering meaningful dialogues that stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

What could have been better, in my humble opinion:

• Pacing: The pace slows down in the middle, causing me to lose focus at times. However, the anticipation of how everything would be tied up kept me engaged.

Intermezzo is a stunning and emotive novel that explores the complexity of human relationships and the impact of societal norms. The narrative is both messy and beautiful, much like real life, and Rooney’s ability to lay all emotions bare makes for a deeply satisfying read. While the pace can be slow, the intricate plot and character development make it a worthwhile journey.

“Well, if that’s suffering, he thinks, let me suffer. Yes. To love whoever I have left. And if ever I lose someone, let me descend into a futile and prolonged rage, yes, despair, wanting to break things, furniture, appliances, wanting to get into fights, to scream, to walk in front of a bus, yes. Let me suffer, please. To love just these few people, to know myself capable of that, I would suffer every day of my life.”

Thank you to Exclusive Books for the opportunity to read this book!

About the author:

Sally Rooney | Biography, Books, Videos, Podcasts, Quotes | Faber