Intermezzo

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Intermezzo is a poignant, reflective novel that focuses primarily on the relationships between family members and partners, and how these relationships can change over time. Initially, I was concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy Intermezzo as much as Normal People, I felt it might simply repeat Rooney’s familiar focus on male/female relationships. However, I found that this novel extends her previous work and offers many gentle yet profound insights into the boxes society tries to force people and all kinds of relationships into.

Rooney focuses on two brothers who are mourning the loss of their father and, to a certain extent, are still processing their parents’ divorce and remarriage. This sets the stage for a powerful narrative about the different ways individuals process changes and grief, and about the complexity of close sibling relationships, a dynamic in which siblings can be both bitter rivals and fiercest supporters. Rooney’s exploration of age gaps in relationships, along with the ways long-term relationships shift in response to difficult life events, is handled thoughtfully and, I felt, realistically.

The novel might have been broadened by additional points of view, but this could also have made it unwieldy. Rooney has a gift for immersing her readers in the inner worlds of her protagonists, and I didn’t want the novel to end.
In conclusion, Intermezzo is a powerful, thoughtful novel that is well worth reading.

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Jenny